Old timer told me to stop using shackles on nylon slings and I almost ignored him

Worked with a 60 year old crane hand named Walt on a job in Portland back in 2019. He kept insisting I use a thimble in the eye of my nylon slings before putting the shackle pin through. I thought he was just stuck in his ways and wasting time since I had done it my way for years without issue. Well on a 12 ton lift of steel beams one sling got pinched funny and the shackle started cutting the nylon right at the eye. Caught it just in time because I took his advice on the second beam. Has anyone else had a hard lesson from ignoring an old school rule like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosep8720d ago

Walt told me the same thing when I started, and honestly I still don't always use a thimble on lighter lifts. Ngl, a sharp edge on the pin can still cut through even on smaller loads if you're not careful.

casey_lane7320d ago

It's wild how that same mentality shows up everywhere, not just in rigging. People skip the safety step because it feels unnecessary for the small stuff, then get burned when the one time it matters happens. I see it all the time with guys using the wrong tool for a quick job at home, like a butter knife for a screwdriver, then they strip the screw and get pissed. Same logic with car maintenance too, skipping the torque wrench because "it's just a lug nut" then snapping a stud. Shortcuts feel harmless until they bite you, but nobody learns until they've got a busted knuckle or a ruined part.