What should an operator do before swinging in the load?

• A. Sound the horn
• B. Check the load weight
• C. Lower the load slowly
• D. Ignore whistle signals

Answer: (A)

Before swinging in a load, clear communication with everyone in the area is essential to prevent injuries. Sounding the horn provides an immediate, audible warning that the load is about to move and could swing into nearby workers or objects. This warning gives people time to step back and stay clear, reducing the risk of being struck or entangled in the rigging.

Checking the load weight is important for overall safety and ensuring the crane isn’t overloaded, but it doesn’t alert others to move away. Lowering the load slowly is an operational control during the swing, not the preventive warning. Ignoring whistle signals is unsafe and should never be done. If a site has specific signaling practices or a signal person, follow those, but the key safety step before swinging in is to warn the area with a horn or equivalent signal.