Overheard a new guy at the site in Boise call the crane a 'big metal giraffe'

Honestly, it was during a coffee break and he was telling his buddy about his first week. He said, 'You just steer the neck and the head picks stuff up.' Ngl, it made me think about how we talk about the job. We use all this technical talk, but that's a pretty good picture for someone who doesn't know. Anyone else have a funny way they've heard a crane described?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily3942mo ago

That "big metal giraffe" thing is cute for a story, but honestly, it feels a bit dismissive. We use the technical terms for a real reason, so everyone on site knows exactly what we mean and stays safe. Calling it a giraffe might paint a picture, but it doesn't help someone actually learn the real name of the parts they're working with.

wesleyburns17d ago

Call it a hydraulic boom and watch the kids' eyes glaze over in two seconds flat.

wren_rodriguez2mo ago

The safety point from @lily394 is totally valid for the actual job site. But the original post was just a kid's book, not a training manual. Those books use fun names to get little kids interested before they ever touch a wrench. They learn the real terms later, but you have to get their attention first. It's two different tools for two different jobs.