Double-check wedge sockets

It's easy to assume that a licensed crane operator is going to have all of his/her ducks in a row...but remember, having a license doesn't necessarily make you a safe driver!

When a crane rolls onsite, there should be a plan, documentation, and proper inspection - of the crane itself, the supporting surfaces, the swing area, etc. Consider that many cranes are "day cranes", rolling in with an operator to set equipment for the day, then moving on to the next job, you can expect configurations and conditions to change frequently.

As an example, here is a recent photo of an improperly installed wedge socket:

Note that the cable is secured only by the friction of the wedge itself.

Proper termination should look like any one of these:

Note that the operator was mortified to see that he had forgotten this simple step...

Next time a crane shows up, pay attention to the details...you may save some heartache.