Noticed more operators skipping daily inspections lately

Was on a site near Portland last week and overheard a younger operator say he hadn't checked his wire rope in three days. Said it felt like a waste of time since nothing ever goes wrong. I get that it gets repetitive doing the same walkaround every morning, but I've caught a frayed cable twice in my career that would have snapped mid lift. Both times it was a single broken strand that you couldn't see from the cab. One was on a Friday afternoon run and if I hadn't spotted it, that load of steel beams could have dropped on a busy street. Now I just do my 10 minute inspection before first coffee and it's muscle memory. Anyone else seeing guys skip the basics more often on their sites?

3 comments

3 Comments

paul25128d ago

Yeah, 'nothing ever goes wrong' - until it does. That line gave me flashbacks to when I was training a new guy in Oklahoma and he said the same thing. Three weeks later he dropped a man basket because he didn't spot a cracked sheave. Not my best moment as a mentor. Anyway, I still do my walkaround checklist on my phone every morning before the first cup. It's boring but beats a phone call to someone's family.

rose_cooper28d agoMost Upvoted

Fully agree. That checklist routine saved my skin more than once. I had a similar thing happen a few years back where I skipped over a minor step on a Friday, came back Monday to a boom truck that had a hairline crack running through the mounting bracket. If I'd run that lift that crack would have let go with a full load. What specific app or checklist do you use on your phone?

kim96316d ago

An app? You guys are using apps? I still write mine on a crumpled piece of paper in my pocket like a dinosaur, lol.