Vent: A simple string trick saved me from a bad swing yesterday

I was setting a big AC unit on a roof in Toledo, and the wind kept pushing it sideways right at the last foot. My spotter, Frank, yelled up that we were going to hit the parapet. On a total hunch, I stopped the hoist, grabbed a spare tagline from my bag, and tied a quick loop around the unit's lifting eye, giving myself a second pull point from the ground. We used that to guide it straight in, no contact. Has anyone else used a secondary tagline like that for fine control in tight spots?

3 comments

3 Comments

jadej504d ago

That's a slick move. My version of that is usually just yelling "whoa whoa whoa" while everything goes sideways. Saved my bacon more than once, having an extra rope to pull against a crosswind. Used it to walk a compressor through a crowded mechanical room once. Felt like a puppet master, but with less skill.

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felix4144d ago

Puppet master vibes are real, especially when you're guiding heavy gear through tight spots!

daniel_gonzalez4d ago

Know that feeling. Pure panic yelling is a valid technique too... gets the job done.