Always Triple-Check

When it comes to lifting and/or tie-downs, don't just double-check, please TRIPLE-CHECK.

Case in point: while using a forklift today to lift Airbornebandsman's M109 van body from my trailer onto his Deuce chassis, I failed to ensure that the lifting chains were secured properly. We used some aircraft tie-down hooks and quality strong chains; I think I placed one of the chains into the tie-down hooks (attached to a lifting shackle) upside down, causing the locking mechanism to release and the chain became detached from the hook. Thankfully the van body was only about 2 inches above the Deuce frame at the time, and nobody got hurt. The potential for disaster was very high.

I meant to double-check, then triple-check the chain attachments but I got impatient and forgot to check. My impatience could have been disastrous, so please always be sure to not only double-check, but TRIPLE-CHECK your connections & tie-downs.

The chain in question is in the upper right corner of the photos; first you see it, then you don't....

Glad no one got hurt.

Glad everyone's fine. Safety requires time and patients. If you're lacking one or the other, wait until later to do the work.

A good example of how FAST an event can happen, thank you for bring it up,

Glad no one got hurt!!!!!

I remember those tie downs, we use them to tie down our helicopter on the air field. I used them for a long time. We had a class on aircraft tie downs. Thats when I found out how to use those the right way. From pic 1 it does look like the chain is in wrong. I wish I had some of those to post the pic of the right way for the chain to go. If you could post some pic's of the right and wrong way for the chain it mite save some one else.

Close calls always seem to remind me to think safety.

Thanks for posting this. "What went wrong" always teaches better than "everything went fine". Glad nobody got hurt.

phil

Its a lesson that we have to be prepared in every trip that we will be. Good to hear that everyone is safe. Keep safe everyone.