Just had a near miss with a load shift at the Port of Savannah

I was lifting a 12-ton container yesterday and felt the whole rig start to tilt right as I got it 15 feet up. Turns out the spreader wasn't fully locked on one corner, lucky I caught it quick. Any of you guys got a solid pre-lift checklist you follow to avoid this kind of thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

moore.beth1mo ago

Tbh a pre lift checklist is only as good as the guy running it. I check the spreader lock indicators twice before I even start the lift, plus I do a slow test raise a few inches off the deck to listen for any clunks or weird noises. Makes me feel better than just trusting the sensors.

margaretramirez1mo ago

Watch the load cells too, they can drift and give you false readings.

price.ray1mo ago

Gotta disagree a bit on the slow test raise, I think that's actually where people get in trouble. I've seen guys do that little lift and get a false sense of security because the load feels fine at 6 inches but the real issues only show up once you're higher and the geometry changes. I just stare at those lock indicators like a hawk for a solid 10 seconds before I even touch the controls.