This looks safe

[sil3nt]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150719373523183

Lets grab onto a heavy piece of metal as it swings through the air

Good way to get knocked the fuck out!

[Usarka]

I used to work with a guy who lost a few fingers putting his hand up in reflex to stop a swinging 40ft container from hitting a buidling.

[flyingcrocodile46]

the pilot is coming in way too fast for safety. He ain't making a stunt movie.

[Nova.]

perfectly safe
do it all the time at work

[Macontour]

Yep looks pretty dangerous to me. I've seen military and civvy helos working and that was a pretty fast approach and standing in the path of a fast moving lump of steel on the end of a wire does not make any sense. They should at least wait until the helo is in a hover.

Having said that, in Timor I saw a Blackhawk carrying a Kiowa as an underslung load after the Kiowa had engine problems in the jungle. There were guys on the ground wearing Kevlar helmets and Flak vests to protect them when they moved in to grab the Kiowa in case it started spinning in the downdraft as the Blackhawk hovered in towards the LZ. It didn't happen, the Kiowa just stayed aligned in the same direction as the Blackhawk until it was on the ground then the guys piled on and unhooked it as the Blackhawk hovered.

[blackdog]

Of course it's Safe. They have hi vis.

[avgas]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150719373523183
Lets grab onto a heavy piece of metal as it swings through the air
Good way to get knocked the fuck out!

Technically it rotated.
And what you saw was safe. Which is why no one was 'moved' by it when they grabbed hold. They weren't stopping a swinging mass but a rotating, relatively, balanced one.
Please don't tell me you work on a construction site.....