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Why does nobody talk about how much wind affects a lift on a high rise?
I was skeptical about my old timer coworker who kept saying to check wind at roof level not ground level. Last Thursday we had a 10 ton steel beam going up to floor 38 on a job in downtown Chicago. Ground anemometer said 12 mph which felt fine. Roof level was gusting to 28 mph. That beam swung like a pendulum for 20 seconds before I could get it steady. Scared me enough that I now check two different wind readings before every high lift. Has anyone else had a close call trusting the wrong wind speed?
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jana_davis901mo ago
Wait, 28 mph wind at the roof? That's insane.
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the_mia1mo ago
Yeah, "insane" is the right word for it. I had a similar thing happen a few years back, and man, it was a wakeup call. First thing, make sure your roof is properly sealed and the shingles are in good shape, because that wind can lift them right up if they're loose. If you're worried about it, grab some roof cement and a caulk gun to hit any small gaps you see before the next storm hits. Trust me, a little prep now beats a whole new roof later.
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