Had a real close call with a sudden gust on a job in Kansas City last month

I was lifting a 5-ton HVAC unit onto a roof downtown when a wind gust I didn't see coming caught the load and started it swinging toward the building facade. I stopped the hoist, let the load settle, and used the trolley to gently bring it back under control before finishing the lift. What's your go-to move when the wind picks up unexpectedly on a high-rise job?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_hugo22d ago

Stopping the hoist completely is where I have to disagree. On a 40-story project in Chicago, letting a swinging load just settle can make things worse as it builds momentum. My first move is to lower the load, even just a couple feet, to take the tension off the line. That kills the swing way faster. Then I can trolley it in once it's calm. Letting it hang stopped at height just gives the wind another chance to grab it.

ivan_fisher9922d ago

Wait, you're lowering into the swing? That's adding slack which can cause a dangerous snap back if the load shifts. The standard practice is to hoist up slightly to take out the line slack and dampen the pendulum, not lower. Lowering might work on a totally free line, but if there's any tension you're risking a shock load.