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A rigger in Houston told me my hand signals were too fast
We were setting a big AC unit on a roof downtown, and after a lift, the rigger pulled me aside. He said, 'Finley, your signals are clear, but you're moving your hands like you're swatting flies. Slow it down.' I realized I was rushing the whole crew. Now I count to two in my head between each signal, and everything feels smoother. Has anyone else had to adjust their tempo for the team?
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daniel_gonzalez2mo ago
Tell you what, my first time directing a crane for a tree removal, I was basically doing frantic semaphore. The poor operator looked like he was watching a tennis match. Had to learn real quick that slow is smooth, and smooth is fast (or at least it keeps the load from swinging into someone's house). That two-count trick is solid, it gives everyone's brain time to catch up to your hands.
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the_max2mo ago
Man, that's a great point. I had to learn the same thing when I was new, because fast signals just make the operator second-guess everything. That two-count method is the best fix I've found, it turns panic into a real rhythm. What do you do to keep your own pace in check?
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jamief6716d ago
That thing about frantic semaphore really hit home for me. I had a similar wake-up call when I was helping a buddy set steel beams and my signals got so rushed the operator just stopped and waited me out. What worked best for me was actually saying the commands out loud under my breath as I gave them, like "boom up... boom up" at the same pace. That two-count method @the_max mentioned is basically the same idea, it forces you to sync your brain and your hands. You gotta treat each signal like its own step, not just a blur in a chain.
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