Rant: The new safety rule about phone use in the cab is making me crazy

Last week on a site in Phoenix, I got written up for checking a text from my wife. The new company rule says zero phone use in the cab, period. Three years ago on a different crew, we used phones for site photos and checking load charts all the time, no problem. Now they want us to climb down for any little thing. I get it, distractions are bad, but what about using the phone as a tool? Last month I had to radio down three times just to confirm a rigging plan that a quick picture could have solved. Some guys say the rule is right and keeps everyone sharp. Others think it treats us like kids and slows the job down. Where do you stand on total phone bans in the crane?

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3 Comments

blair_lane7mo ago

Buddy got fired for checking a blueprint photo.

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roberts.claire7mo ago

That blueprint could have been marked as company intellectual property. Saw a case where a guy took a picture of a schematic in a secure area. Even though he was just checking his work, it violated data security rules. They treat those documents like state secrets now. Could be less about the photo and more about where it was taken.

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wood.john6mo ago

Got written up for the same thing last month checking a load chart. The rule treats a useful tool like a toy. Climbing down for every question kills momentum and just makes a long day longer. There has to be a middle ground where common sense wins.

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