Hit 500 lifts without a snag and it got me thinking about the whole safety debate

I hit 500 lifts on my tower crane last Thursday without a single incident. Been running this Liebherr for about 14 months now, and the milestone made me wonder if we're too obsessed with speed over caution. Some guys say you're wasting time if you go slow, others say rushing causes accidents. Where do you draw the line between being efficient and being safe? Has anyone else hit a similar number and felt the same way?

2 comments

2 Comments

evaallen2d ago

My buddy runs a boom crane over in Jersey and he hit 600 lifts clean last month, but then he got pressured to speed up by the super and had a close call with a load swing that couldve been bad. I see this all the time in my own work - guys bragging about numbers but forgetting the human cost when you cut corners. The line for me is simple: never let a schedule tell you to skip a check or rush a pick, because that few minutes saved isn't worth a life or a destroyed rig. You can still be efficient with good planning and communication without racing like its a competition. 500 clean on a Liebherr is legit tho, you clearly know what you're doing.

lane.cameron2d ago

Glad you hit that milestone, that's no small thing. But here's the thing I've seen over the years: clean numbers come from steady habits, not rushing. The moment you let someone push you to beat your own best time is usually the moment things go sideways. Speed is fine if you've got the right setup and communication, but it's never worth trading a thorough pre-lift check for a few minutes. Stay your course, and don't let anyone tell you slow is wrong.