Hit 500 lifts without a single scratch on the load last Friday

I was just counting up my jobs for the month and realized I've done 500 picks without dinging a single piece of steel. The last one was a 12-ton I-beam over a new school roof at that site in Aurora. Any of you guys track clean pick streaks like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ruby23d ago

Kept a tally on a whiteboard in the shop for a solid six months and hit 612 before a stupid chain sling let go on a cold morning. Biggest thing that helped me was slowing down way more on the final inch or two of the lift, that's where most of my dings came from. Also started using those nylon strap protectors over every edge now, even if it looks smooth. Makes a big difference on the long runs where your hands get numb and you wanna rush. Good streak man, hope you keep it going.

baker.ben23d ago

That bit about "slowing down way more on the final inch or two" really hit home. I've noticed that same thing applies to so many other parts of life, not just rigging. Like when I'm trying to back my trailer into a tight spot, I'll rush the last few feet and screw it up every time. Or even just putting a screw in drywall, if I hurry that last half turn I'll blow out the paper. It's like our brains have this built in impatience where we think the hard part is over so we can slack off, but that's actually where all the mistakes happen. I started telling myself to treat the finish line like it's the starting line, just keep the same slow pace all the way through. Sounds simple but it's tough to do when your hands are cold and you just wanna be done.