Rule #001 – It Starts and Ends With People
Category : Leadership
Published : June 16, 2026
Equipment can be rented. Schedules can be adjusted. Procedures can be revised.
People make the difference.
Every successful operation depends on having the right people, with the right competence, assigned to the right responsibilities, and positioned where they can provide the greatest value.
No amount of planning can overcome a lack of competence, communication, or leadership.
Key Takeaway
The right people, with the right competence, in the right roles, at the right place, at the right time.
Rule #002 – Success Is Determined Before the Work Begins
Category: Planning
Published: June 16, 2026
Principle
Most operations succeed or fail long before the first load leaves the ground.
Time spent understanding the scope, identifying hazards, selecting the right equipment, verifying assumptions, and preparing the crew is never wasted.
Problems discovered during planning are inexpensive to correct.
Problems discovered during execution are often costly, disruptive, and sometimes irreversible.
Why It Matters
Crane incidents, rigging failures, transport delays, and schedule impacts are rarely caused by a single event. More often, they are the result of assumptions, incomplete information, or inadequate preparation.
Good execution is the outcome of good planning.
Key Takeaway
The quality of the outcome is determined by the quality of the preparation.
Rule #003 – If It Doesn’t Feel Right, Stop and Reassess
Category: Human Performance
Published: June 16, 2026
Principle
Listen to your instincts.
If something does not look right, sound right, or feel right, stop and understand why before proceeding.
Uncertainty, conflicting information, unexpected conditions, or pressure to continue are often early warning signs that something has been overlooked.
Experience, intuition, and questioning attitudes are valuable defenses against incidents.
There is no shame in stopping the work to verify assumptions, reassess the plan, or seek additional expertise.
Why It Matters
Many incidents are preceded by warning signs that were recognized but ignored.
Trusting your instincts and speaking up can prevent injuries, equipment damage, and costly delays.
Key Takeaway
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Stop and reassess.
Rule #004 – Never Assume, Verify the Actual Conditions
Category: Human Performance
Published: June 24, 2026
Principle
Never assume conditions are the same as they were yesterday, earlier in the shift, or as shown on a drawing or plan.
Before starting a lift, verify the actual conditions in the field.
Check clearances, obstructions, equipment locations, ground conditions, load configuration, and any changes made by other work groups.
Conditions can change quickly, and assumptions can create hazards that are not identified in the plan.
Good decisions are based on facts and verification, not expectations.
Why It Matters
Many incidents occur because people acted on assumptions instead of confirming the actual conditions.
A walkdown, visual check, or brief verification can identify hazards before they become incidents.
Taking the time to verify conditions protects people, equipment, and the work.
Key Takeaway
Do not assume. Go and check the actual conditions before making any lift.
Rule #005 – See the Bigger Picture
Category: Human Performance
Published: June 24, 2026
Principle
Do not become so focused on your task that you lose awareness of what is happening around you.
Before and during any lift, understand the overall conditions within the work area.
Look beyond the load, crane, and immediate crew. Identify nearby activities, vehicle movements, personnel, energized systems, adjacent work fronts, and any SIMOPS that could affect the lift.
Conditions outside your immediate work area can create hazards that are not obvious when attention is focused only on the task at hand.
Maintain situational awareness and understand how your work interacts with the activities around you.
Why It Matters
Many incidents occur because crews focus solely on their own scope of work and fail to recognize changing conditions or conflicting activities nearby.
Understanding the bigger picture helps identify hazards early, improve coordination between work groups, and prevent conflicts that can impact people, equipment, and operations.
Key Takeaway
Do not work in a bubble. Understand what is happening around your lift area and always consider the bigger picture.
Rule #006 – Experience Does Not Make You Invincible
Category: Human Performance
Published: July 7, 2026
Principle
Experience is valuable, but it does not eliminate risk.
Never assume that years of experience make a person immune to injury during lifting operations.
Highly experienced supervisors, operators, and riggers often step into the work because they want to demonstrate the correct way, solve a problem quickly, or help the crew. While the intention is good, unnecessary hands-on involvement can place even the most experienced person in the line of fire.
Lead the work, supervise the work, and coach the crew—but do not expose yourself to hazards that can be avoided.
The laws of physics do not recognize experience. A shifting load, pinch point, or unexpected movement can injure anyone.
Why It Matters
Some of the most serious incidents involve highly experienced personnel. Confidence, familiarity, and the desire to help can lead people to accept unnecessary exposure.
Experience should improve decision-making—not increase risk-taking.
The safest leaders are those who recognize hazards, maintain safe positioning, and allow the lift plan and the crew to work as intended.
Key Takeaway
Experience reduces mistakes—it does not eliminate consequences. No matter how many years you have in the industry, stay out of the line of fire and never let confidence replace caution.
Rule #007 – Always Have a Plan B
Category: Leadership & Human Performance
Published: July 20, 2026
Principle
Always have a Plan B.
Before beginning any task, think beyond the primary plan and consider what the next course of action will be if the work cannot be executed as intended.
Ask yourself: If this plan cannot be executed, what is the proper way to proceed?
A Plan B is not an alternate lift plan to be implemented in the field. It is the understanding of what actions are required if the original plan can no longer be followed. This may include revising the lift plan, obtaining additional engineering, changing equipment, rescheduling the work, or completing any other required approvals before the work continues.
Thinking ahead prevents rushed decisions and helps ensure that changing conditions are addressed through the proper process rather than by improvising in the field.
Why It Matters
Construction activities are dynamic, and conditions can change unexpectedly.
Crews who have already considered their next steps are less likely to make decisions under pressure or attempt to force the original plan when conditions no longer support it.
Having a Plan B promotes deliberate decision-making, supports compliance with established processes, and helps ensure that work proceeds only after the appropriate review and approvals have been completed.
Key Takeaway
Always think one step ahead.
Know what you will do if the original plan cannot be executed—but do not substitute a contingency for the approved plan.
If conditions change, follow the appropriate process to establish the next approved course of action before proceeding.
Rule #008 – Visualize the Lift
Category: Leadership & Human Performance
Published: July 20, 2026
Principle
Before beginning any lift, mentally walk through the entire operation from start to finish.
Visualize each step of the lift, including crane positioning, rigging, load path, personnel locations, communication, travel, and final placement of the load.
Ask yourself: Can I clearly see how this lift will be executed safely from beginning to end?
If you cannot confidently visualize the sequence of work, you are not ready to perform the lift. Stop and complete the necessary planning before proceeding.
A mental walkthrough does not replace the lift plan—it confirms that you understand how the approved plan will be safely executed in the field.
Why It Matters
Successful lifts are executed twice: first during planning, then in the field.
Mentally walking through the sequence helps identify missing steps, conflicting activities, access issues, blind spots, communication needs, and other conditions that may not be obvious on paper.
Taking the time to visualize the work improves situational awareness, strengthens coordination, and helps identify potential issues before the lift begins.
Key Takeaway
See the lift before you make the lift.
If you cannot clearly visualize how the lift will be executed safely from beginning to end, stop and plan until you can.
A well-executed lift begins with a well-planned sequence.