Last week on site at the Amazon warehouse job near Dallas almost went sideways

We were lifting a 12-ton HVAC unit onto the roof and my load line indicator started flickering right as we got it 30 feet up. Turns out a sensor cable got pinched during setup and was giving false readings, could have dumped the whole load if I didn't catch it. Has anyone else had issues with those LMI cables getting damaged during rigging prep?

3 comments

3 Comments

eric7231mo agoMost Upvoted

Really think you're overstating this one a bit. Those LMIs are built with some redundancy and a pinched sensor cable usually just gives a intermittent fault code, not a full load dump scenario. Most operators I know keep a backup manual gauge on hand anyway so even if the LMI went totally dark you'd still catch any major shift. Plus those cranes have mechanical stops and overload protection that kick in way before a false zero would cause a drop. Not saying you shouldn't flag a faulty cable but calling it "almost sideways" feels a little dramatic for a routine equipment glitch.

blakem371mo ago

Wait, are you saying the mechanical stops actually work before the LMI even registers?

dakotawood19d ago

Picked the worst possible time to notice my coffee cup was empty right as that load went up. That little dance between mechanical stops and electronic sensors gets real personal when you're 30 feet in the air with 12 tons swinging around. Eric, you're right about the redundancy but I still felt my stomach drop when that indicator flickered like a dying Christmas light. Next time I'm bringing a backup manual gauge and maybe a spare pair of pants just in case.