PSA: Stop craning loads with the boom too high in tight spots

I used to think keeping the boom high gave you better clearance every time. Then last month I was setting steel beams in a parking garage in Denver and nearly sent a load swinging into a column because I had too much boom angle. An old hand on site showed me that dropping the boom lower and using the swing to control the load keeps it way more stable in tight quarters. Has anyone else had a close call from over-elevating in a confined space?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin7771mo ago

Heard a crane operator from a job in downtown Boston say the same thing last fall. He told me low boom keeps the load pendulum short, so a quick swing doesn't turn into a wrecking ball. Always figured height was the answer until I saw how much smoother a low, controlled swing works in a tight footprint.

the_mia1mo ago

Lower boom means less slack in the cable too, @robin777. Less risk of the load bouncing off something if the operator has to stop quick, especially on a tight site.