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That moment when a snatch block let go on me

I was on a site over in Louisville last month, setting a big HVAC unit on a school roof. The snatch block I was using just cracked right at the side plate - no warning, just a loud pop and the cable went slack. Luckily I had my tag line on the load so it just swung a bit, but man my heart was pounding. Has anyone else had a block fail like that out of nowhere?
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2 Comments
the_vera
the_vera19d ago
Honestly, did you check if the block was overloaded or if the side plate had any hairline cracks before the job? I've seen a lot of guys skip the pre-use inspection on snatch blocks, especially on quick jobs like a rooftop unit. A crack like that can happen from a hidden defect or just fatigue if it's been used hard and never properly lubed. That close call with the tag line must have been a real eye opener.
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terryrobinson
Man, that'll wake you up fast.
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