Rant: Nearly dropped a 2-ton beam at the Port of Seattle last month

I was working a job at the Port of Seattle last month, unloading steel beams off a flatbed. It was a 2-ton beam, nothing I haven't handled before. But the wind was kicking up from the south, and I didn't account for how it'd swing once I lifted. The load drifted almost 3 feet sideways, nearly smacking into a stack of shipping containers. My spotter yelled at me to set it back down, and I did, but it scared me good. Now I always check wind speed on my phone before I hook up anything over a ton, even if it seems calm. That day changed how I plan my lifts, no more guessing. Has anyone else had a close call with wind that made you rethink your setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

parkerh381mo ago

Read a post on a safety forum once where a guy in Florida lost a whole load to a sudden gust, crushed a pickup truck next to him. Makes you realize how fast things can go sideways even when you think you've got it dialed in. I've heard crane operators talk about using those little wind meters too, seems like a smart check even if it feels overkill sometimes. Better to look like a cautious guy than have that beam swing into something expensive or worse, someone. That wind can be sneaky especially near open water like at the port.

riley_price1mo ago

Wind always wins eventually, it's just nature reminding you who's boss.