OPERATOR’S OPINION

Operator’s Opinion Joseph Arriola

Joseph Arriola joined the Smithbridge Guam family nearly a decade ago as a Crane Operator. Having worked in construction since a young age, Joe knows just how important it is to couple practical and theoretical knowledge in the field.

Joe, thanks for chatting with us. Tell us a little about how you came to be in your current role?

I started in the construction industry when I was 18 years old. I worked my way up to be a heavy equipment operator and then a truck driver. For a couple of years, I hauled all types of heavy equipment before I got into hauling precast concrete and having cranes offload my trailer. That made me interested to see if I had what it took to become a crane operator. In 2011, I had the opportunity to work with Smithbridge and since then I've done regular routine and critical lifts for the military. I’m passionate about operating cranes!

We love hearing about the many ways people journey into crane operating! Have you personally witnessed any incidents involving unsafe lifting ancillary equipment?

Yes, I was shadowing a supervisor in a lift of an old coast guard boat abandoned at a dock. We didn’t know the weight of the boat and couldn’t source specs to calculate the weight. Two of the biggest boat slings were selected for the job, however these were overloaded and didn’t work. We then attempted to use wire rope slings coupled with half-moon metal pipes on the bottom of the boat to spread the pressure of the weight and reduce the risk of the wire rope cutting through. Unfortunately, this solution didn’t work either and the wire rope cut through when the boat was about a foot out of the water.

We had no option but to lower the boat again partially submerging it in about 15 feet of water.

Finally, we were able to borrow the correct boat slings with enough capacity from the Port Authority and finish the job.

Wow! What was the biggest lesson you took away from this?

It’s so crucial to find out the weight of any object before lifting it. And if you can't lift it, don't take the risk!

What is the most common action or behaviour you witness in the field when operators don’t use lifting ancillary appropriately?

I have seen operators and riggers overload rigging because they don't remember how to use sling angle factors. They are simply not practicing the basic three leg rule for four point picks. If operators and riggers understand proper rigging rules and concepts when engineering crane lifts, then it’ll reduce the risk of accidents.

Do you think this is part of a wider safety issue in the industry today?

For sure. I have dealt with many inexperienced people who claim to have knowledge in the crane industry. If you don’t know what you’re doing, then don't pretend. It’s far better to ask first than explain later.