Tag Archives: crane rigging services

Tricks to Help You Prevent Hazards During Your Next Rigging Assignment

rigging company

Rigging is a common process on job sites, but it can be dangerous if not done correctly. To help you out, here are basic rules meant to assist you in preventing hazards during your next rigging assignment:

Work with the right weight load

The first stage in the safe rigging process is to determine the weight of the load that you will be rigging and raising. Knowing the weight of the load is essential for comparing it to the rated capacities of the lifting and rigging equipment you’re using.

In some circumstances, it may be clear that the load is insufficient to surpass equipment capacity. Other times, it may be unclear if the load can be raised safely.

In these instances, you will need to determine the weight of the load and compare it to the rated capacities of the lifting or rigging equipment.

Thankfully, product features, including weight, are often provided or can be obtained from the manufacturer or supplier. Certain products may require you to perform simple calculations to ascertain their weight.

You shouldn’t just start the rigging without knowing the maximum weight you can lift. If you can’t find the information on the equipment, get in touch with the rigging services providers that rent you the equipment.

Use the right hitch

There are three primary types of hitches you can use when rigging: vertical, choker, and basket. Selecting the appropriate hitch to sustain the load is an important aspect of safe rigging. For example, a single choker hitch cannot entirely hold a stack of unfastened pipes.

When the lift starts, the sling tightens around the sides and bottom of the stack but remains slack on top, allowing pipes on top of the stack to fall.

A 2-sling double-wrap choker hitch or a 2-sling double-wrap basket hitch would be a much safer option because it would snugly secure all of the pipe during lifting.

The type of hitch you go with will depend on the load that you are lifting. As a rule of thumb, do background checks to determine that you are using the right hitch for your load and weight.

Again, if you aren’t sure about the right one to go with, get the input of a professional.

Choose the right sling.

When deciding on the best sling type for your load, there are several aspects to consider. Will the sling hold the load securely and steadily?

Is the sling compatible with the rigging hardware and hitch you’ve chosen? Is the sling fitting’s rated capacity sufficient to support the load?

Slings come in a variety of styles, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, as well as rated capacities. Some of the most commonly utilized types are synthetic web slings, synthetic round slings, wire rope slings, and steel chain slings.

Understanding which sling is ideal for your load type will go a long way towards ensuring top-notch rigging safety. Do your research and find the right one.

Use the right hardware.

Choosing the appropriate hardware for each rigging application is just as critical as selecting the right hitches and slings. There are several types of hardware, but some, such as hooks, shackles, and eyebolts, require the right choice.

That’s because these are rated for in-line loading. However, keep in mind that the rated capacity varies depending on the angle.

When choosing gear for a certain rigging application, ask yourself: Could this hardware damage the equipment being lifted?

Is this hardware compatible with the sling? Is this hardware sturdy enough to do the job safely and lift the load securely?

As a rule of thumb, always use the right hardware for the load that you are looking to lift.

Pay attention to detail.

There are several measures that you must put into place prior to and during a lift to guarantee that the process proceeds safely and successfully.

Some of these measures include:

Use taglines to prevent the load from swinging out of control during the lift. To handle the load securely, use as many taglines and experienced tagline operators as necessary.

Check for obstacles in the path of a moving cargo. Consider where the load needs to be transported in relation to where it is being lifted, and look for any obstacles that could impede the moving weight. If you detect a potential blockage, speak with your operator to ensure they are aware of it and have chosen a safe path for the cargo to follow.

Clear the area of workers who are not associated with the lift. Set up a signal for workers in the area so they know when the lift is about to happen.

Make sure they understand that they must stay away from the lift location and path of travel until the lift is complete.

Start communicating with your operator. Make sure the rigger and operator can communicate and are comfortable using the same verbal and physical gestures in case important information needs to be transmitted quickly during the lift.

Test the load. After you’ve secured the area and done the necessary rigging, instruct your operator to slowly elevate the load a few inches at a time.

During this test, you can see how the rigging equipment is operating and whether it is properly positioned in the load’s center of gravity. If you see any problems or are doubtful if the weight can be safely lifted, instruct the operator to lower the load and re-rig it before trying again.

Parting shot

These are some of the measures you can take to reduce the chances of hazards in your next rigging project.

When doing all of this, also remember to rent the right rigging equipment. For example, when you are in the crane rental services VA, rent a crane that is large enough for the load you are looking to lift.

You should also ensure that the equipment is properly maintained. As a rule of thumb, always ask for the maintenance records before deciding whether to rent it.

How to Properly Rig Your Load

crane rigging

In the world of construction, the tools and materials required to complete the job are frequently too large or bulky to carry by hand. As a result, if you need something moved from point A to point B, a crane will usually be your first port of call.

Besides hiring a properly maintained crane from crane services, the other thing you should do is to ensure that you properly rig the load. To help you out, here are tips on how to go about it.

Be cautious of the weight.

The first thing to think about before trying a lift is the weight of the load. Equipment should be labeled with their weight. If no such marking is visible, contact the manufacturer.

When lifting building materials, make sure to account for both the number and weight of the units being transported. The weight of the load will determine the type of sling you will use during the lift.

Lookout for the sling

Make sure your sling is up to the task. This includes choosing a sling that is appropriate for the load. Fabric slings made of nylon and polyester are easy to handle, but user-friendliness should not come at the expense of safety.

Keep in mind that knots and cuts considerably weaken fabric slings, making them more susceptible to heat and friction than their metallic counterparts. Wire or chain slings are often the best solution for carrying big or abrasive goods.

Before you do any lifting, always double-check the sling and ensure that it’s in perfect shape. The last thing you should do is to use a sling that is in the blink of getting damaged, and you put your machine and the people working on the site at risk of getting hurt.

Hitch the load correctly.

Take the time to ensure that your sling is attached to the most appropriate section of the load. Never hitch to sections like guard rails that may come free during the lift.

Always tie the sling to the most secure component of the load to reduce the possibility of detachment or yielding during transit.

Loose hooks and slings are a major cause of load slippage and crane overturns. If a load is not correctly secured and reinforced to the jib and hook, it may become disconnected in the middle. These mishaps are extremely dangerous, particularly if they occur in the air.

Hitch the weight while ensuring that the hooks are tight, properly positioned, and exactly between the center of gravity.

Before you start the lifting, always double-check and confirm that everything is in perfect working order.

The right hitch lifts the load without tilting, spinning, or slipping. The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) recommends that you use these types of hitches:

Vertical hitch: The weight hangs straight from the crane via a vertical sling. A bridle hitch is a variation on this in which the weight is held by many slings at different angles rather than just one vertical sling.

Choker hitch: The sling rotates around the load, one end attached to the sling and the other to the crane.

Basket hitch: The sling surrounds the weight with this hitch, but both ends are attached to the crane hook.

You should note that even little damage affects a sling’s loading capability, so before you use it, you should thoroughly inspect it along its length. Inspect it for welding marks, deformations, cracks, and other signs of damage. If you notice any problem, don’t use the sling.

Have good communication

If a load is properly fixed, the possibilities of injury during the lift are reduced. Those operating on the ground, however, must still take responsibility for their own and their colleagues’ safety.

With this in mind, clear communication is essential. There should be a designated signaler who communicates with both the crane operator and his or her ground crew. Furthermore, each member of the rigging team should be free of pinch points and any load sway before the signaler gives the crane operator the go-ahead. Obviously, never stray beneath a loaded truck.

Be cautious during the lowering.

Before the operator begins lowering the load, make sure your surroundings are capable of supporting the burden.

If you need to steer the weight, use a tagline; if you’re walking with it, keep it near the ground. Remove all surrounding items and keep your feet clear. Stay on your toes and avoid getting stuck between the load and a stationary object.

Never leave a suspended load unattended.

Even with suitable rigging and a sufficiently large crane, leaving a hanging load unattended poses various concerns. For example, the weather can change fast, and a strong blast of wind might have a significant impact on hanging cargo. In this scenario, the entire crane may become unstable and collapse.

To avoid this, you should never have an unattended load hanging on your crane. You should always put the load down before you do anything.

In many cases, you will have a suspended load when the site isn’t ready. As you can tell, this is often due to poor preparation. Before you even lift the load, you should know where you will place it. The last thing you should do is to lift the load and then start thinking about where to place it.

Use a quality crane.

It goes that you should use a quality crane to do the lifting. When you are hiring the machine, always do a double check and confirm that its properly maintained and in perfect working condition.

This calls for you to ask for the maintenance records. If the crane rental services VA provider is dodgy on the maintenance of the crane, you should stay away from it.

Even when you get the crane, don’t just start working. Inspect it and confirm that it’s working optimally. A good way to go about it is to inspect the crane before you do any lifting.

As a rule of thumb, always ensure that the crane operator you hire is experienced and knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is the operator causing problems that aren’t supposed to be there.

6 Reasons to Remove Sling From Use

crane rigging

You need slings for effective industrial rigging or any other form of rigging. One of the ways to prevent accidents when rigging is to regularly inspect slings and ensure they are in perfect working order. As a rule of thumb, you should remove any sling that isn’t in good shape. Some of the reasons to avoid using a sling include:

The sling is acid or caustic damaged

An acid or caustic damaged sling will be discolored. The sling will also appear rotten. As you can tell, such a sling is weak, and there are extremely high chances of it breaking and the load falling on you and other people working on the site.

To avoid accidents, don’t use a damaged sling at any cost. If you inspect it and find it with acid burns, remove it from use as soon as possible.

Melting or charring

Your slings will melt or char due to plenty of reasons. One of the reasons is using it in scorching areas. Never use a melted or charred sling at any cost, as it puts your life and other people on the site at great risk.

When inspecting the slings, the damaged areas will be darkened and be hard and melted like plastic. It’s also common for the slings to be speckled as if they have been damaged from weld splatter.

Holes, tear, cuts or snags.

To decide whether to remove the sling from service, you need to analyze the extent of the damage. If the sling has 80% damage, you should remove it from service. Whether the damage is from holes, cuts, tears, or snags, you should remove it.

Excessive abrasive wear

An abrased sling will have frayed fibers on the surface webbing that hold the load-bearing fibers. In most cases, you have abrasive wear when the load slips in a sling or when slings are allowed to be pulled from under a load.

Broken or worn stitching

You need to inspect the sling for broken or worn stitching in the load-bearing splices of the sling. Broken or worn stitching in any part of the sling isn’t a critical issue; however, if there is broken or worn stitching, the load-bearing splices can cause a significant reduction of sling capacity.

Knots

Never use slings with knots, as they are extremely risky. A knot in a sling reduces a sling capacity where it can reduce the capacity up to 50% in the knot area.

Sling use best practices.

Besides inspecting the slings and removing them if damaged, you need to use them properly. Some of the best sling operating practices include:

The weight of the load should always be within the rated capacity of the sling. To avoid problems, never overload the slings as they will tear.

Under no circumstance should you shorten or lengthen the slings by knotting, twisting, or any other methods not approved by the sling manufacturer. As mentioned above, this causes the sling to be dysfunctional, putting your sling at great risk of snapping.

Never use slings that appear damaged as they put you and the riggers at the site at risk of falling loads.

If using the slings around sharp corners, pad the corners to prevent them from getting damaged.

You shouldn’t shock load the slings. This means that you shouldn’t load the sling then stop it as this weakens it, putting it at the risk of snapping.

Once you are done with rigging, store the slings in an area where they won’t be subjected to mechanical damage, moisture, corrosive action, kinking, or extreme heat.

If using a choker hitch, the most common type of hitch, ensure that the sling is long enough so that the choker fitting chokes on the rope body and never on the fitting.

Parting shot

For your rigging project to succeed, you need to ensure that your slings are in top shape. As a rule of thumb, never use slings that are damaged. You also should never use slings with knots as they are often too short.

Good slings work best with good and experienced crane rigging VA experts. So, ensure that the professionals you work with are experienced and know what they do.

4 Rigging Best Practices

Renting the best rigging equipment from rigging companies isn’t enough—you need to observe the best rigging practices to execute the rigging and be on the safe side expertly. What are these best rigging practices? There are plenty of them, with the common ones being:

Use the right sling hitch

You need to hitch your load, and there are many types of hitches you can use, with the popular ones being:

Vertical hitch: One end of the sling is attached to the hook, while the other is connected directly to the load. When you use a sling in a vertical hitch, you utilize the entire full lifting capacity of the sling material.

For the best outcome, use more than one sling as a single sling can rotate or introduce a twist into the sling.

You shouldn’t use this hitch to lift loose materials, long materials, or unbalanced loads as they can tip.

Choker hitch: The sling passes through one end around the load in the choker hitch, while the other end gets to the hook. You can also place a block of wood between the hitch and the load to improve the grip and angle of the choke.

For the best outcome when using this hitch, use long slings, so the choke is effective and on the sling. The choke shouldn’t be on the eye or any fittings.

Basket hitch: The sling cradles the load while both eyes are attached overhead with the basket hitch. To ensure load control, you might have to use two slings.

To avoid accidents, don’t use the basket hitch with loads that are difficult to balance.

Double-wrap choker hitch: This hitch allows a full 360-degree contact around the load, and you can achieve it using a double wrap choker hitch. This hitch effectively presses the load and prevents it from slipping out of the sling.

To prevent the load from slipping, don’t overlap slings at the bottom of the load.

Protect the slings

For your slings to be safe for use and last for a long time, you have to protect them from cutting or getting damaged.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to achieve it. You can use guards, corner pads, and sleeves that will protect the sling from cutting or any form of abrasion.

Protect the slings from protrusions, corners, rough surfaces, and in some cases, where you are using them with hardware.

For safety reasons, include protection on all load edges, including those that aren’t primary load-bearing areas.

Use the right lifting slings.

The lifting sling you use is heavily determined by the load you are looking to lift and your environment. Some popular slings are: metal mesh, synthetic rope, alloy chain, wire rope, synthetic round slings, and many others.

Before you use any slings, inspect them for any form of damage or irregularities. The purpose of doing this is to have peace of mind that you are working with a safe sling. Inspecting the sling also avoids costly downtime should the sling cut and you have to wait for a new one.

You shouldn’t inspect the sling after buying it, you should also inspect it before any lift. Experts advise that you look at sling inspection as an investment that will keep your rigging equipment running at the top shape and your workers safe over time.

Pay attention to the rigging gear rating and working load limit (WLL)

The working load limit (WLL) is the maximum mass or force that a product is authorized to support in a particular application. Many people only consider the weight of the load when they determine the weight they are looking to lift, but this is wrong as it often leads to accidents when the crane cannot do the lifting.

The working load limit (WLL) incorporates all the lifting components, including: shackles, hooks, turnbuckles, and many others.

As you are doing the lifting, you should note that the WLL is only as good as its weakest or lowest WLL components, so ensure that the components you buy or rent from crane rigging MD companies are high quality and match the duty of the job.

If you aren’t sure about the weight that the crane can lift or the right components to go for, get the input of a professional.

Do Slings Need To Be Tagged?

When you have a rigging project, you need slings that you can get from your local store or a rigging services provider.

For safety purposes, it’s always recommended that you inspect the slings before you undertake any lifting. During the inspection, check whether the sling is in top shape, whether there are any tears, cracks, or any other defects, and whether the piece is tagged.

So, if you are wondering, do slings need to be tagged? Yes, they should be.

The requirement for sling tags started with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1971, and over the years, every sling has its tag.

The information contained in the tag varies from one sling to the next.

To help you understand it better, here is the information you will find in different slings:

Alloy chain sling

Each tag for an alloy chain ring should show:

The grade of the sling
The name or trademark of the manufacturer
Whether the sling has been repaired and the company that repaired it
The number of legs on the sling
The length or sling reach
The individual sling identification. For example, the sling’s serial number.
The rated load for each hitch type and the angle at which the sling is based

In some cases, the tag will include safety measurement information and other details.

Wire rope sling

The wire rope sling will have the following information:

The rated load for at least one hitch type and the angle upon which it’s based
The diameter or size of the sling
The name or trademark of the manufacturer
Whether the sling has been respired and the company that did the repairs

Synthetic web slings

These come with tags that include the manufacture’s information in the form of a name or trademark. It’s also common for the tags to show the manufacturer’s stock number. Every label should include the rated load for each hitch, along with the type of synthetic material that the sling is made of.

Synthetic round slings

Similar to synthetic web slings, synthetic round slings should have identification tags that label the manufacturer’s identity along with their stock and code number. The sling tags should include the main material that the sling is made from, and if made from a different cover material, the tag should show this.

Sling safety tips

Besides having tags on the slings, you should do plenty of other things to ensure that you are safe when using the units. These things include:

Ensure that everyone handling the slings has the proper knowledge

As much as they look harmless, you shouldn’t let anyone handle them—ensure that the slings are handled by professionals that know what they are doing. This not only ensures that you lift the load properly, but it also gives you peace of mind as you know that you aren’t at risk of getting hurt.

Before you begin the rigging project, first train all the riggers on proper rigging practices and properly handling the slings. Even if you are working with experienced riggers, take them through a refresher course to ensure that they are conversant with everything they do.

Regularly inspect the slings.

Buying the best slings isn’t enough—you need to inspect them for any flaws they might be having regularly. Most people recommend inspecting the slings at the beginning of the day, but this isn’t enough. If you will be undertaking multiple lifts, you should inspect the slings before every lift.

During the inspection, be as ruthless as possible and don’t work with any sling showing even the most minor signs of weakness as it puts you and your riggers at great risk as it’s a matter of time before they break and hurt you.

Protect the slings

Finally, you need to protect the slings from damage so that they can last for a long time. Protect the slings by padding them in the sharp edges of your loads.

Some of the protective materials you can use include: wear pads, sleeves, corner protectors, and other softeners.

Experts from crane rigging MD recommend that you protect your slings from chemical damage. This calls for you to store the slings in dry places away from any chemicals. If you will be lifting loads containing chemicals, use the appropriate slings that won’t get damaged.

Tips to Keeping Your Construction Site Safe

Many people believe that for them to keep their construction sites safe, they only need to hire the best crane from crane rental services providers. While renting a well-maintained crane is important, it’s not everything. You need to do plenty of other things that include:

Work with experienced personnel.

You can rent the best crane in your area but still, have a horrible experience if the personnel you are working with don’t know what they are doing.

For a safe and successful crane experience, take your time when hiring the crane handlers and any other person working on the site and ensure they are aware of the risks involved.

If the people you are hiring are new in the rigging work, give them a week or more training to familiarize them with the environment and what to expect.

The crane operator is the most crucial person on the site, so you should be ultra-cautious when hiring them.

Most crane rental companies have a designated crane operator, so you don’t have to go through the trouble of hiring one for yourself, but if the crane company doesn’t have a designated operator, you need to take your time and hire an experienced one who knows what they are doing.

When hiring the contractor, pay close attention to the length of active experience the operator has. Obviously, you should hire the most experienced operator. While the contractor might be expensive than others, he will be worth it as you are sure they will professionally work with the crane and significantly reduce the chances of an accident happening.

Keep the lines of communication open.

Communication is key when doing any project and is even more important when working with a heavy machine.

You should always have an open line of communication between the crane operator and the people on the ground. One way to do it is to invest in walkie-talkies.

Some crane rental companies will have walkie-talkies, but you need to get into your pocket and purchase a few if they don’t have them.

You should also hire a signal person to direct the crane operator, especially during a lift or when lowering a heavy object. Like with the other workers, you need to ensure that the signaling person is experienced in hand signals and won’t derail the crane operator.

Plan ahead

Like in other areas of life, you need to think ahead when having a crane project. When renting the crane, you need to think about the weight you will be lifting, so you hire the right crane for the work.

You also need to think about the path the crane will use to execute the project.

Are there electrical wires, plumbing lines, and other amenity lines in the area? You need to think ahead about how you will complete your project without interfering with them.

If this is your first time having a crane project, work closely with experienced professionals to guide you on how to go about it.

Properly use the crane.

It’s one thing to hire the right crane and an entire ballgame using the crane properly. To ensure that your personnel is as safe as possible, ensure that they use the crane properly.

As a rule of thumb, ensure that they don’t lift more weight than the crane can handle.

You also should ensure that the crane operator doesn’t use the crane to lift people. While the crane might be able to carry people effectively, it comes with plenty of risks. For example, people might fall from the crane and sue you. In even severe cases, some might get injured or even die from it.

If your project involves lifting people to work, invest in a bucket crane specially designed to lift people. The crane has harnesses and other features that ensure that the people are as safe as possible when being lifted. When hiring the bucket crane, rent it from the same crane hire VA company you rented the other crane. This is to increase your chances of getting a great discount.

The other thing you shouldn’t do is to use the crane as a storage tool. It’s common for workers to hang or suspend tools on the crane and let them stay there. Discourage this as the tools can easily fall from the crane and hurt someone.

Crane Rentals: 6 Personnel You Need For A Successful Crane Lift

crane rentals

After renting the crane from crane rentals, the battle isn’t worn yet. You need to properly lift the load while avoiding accidents from coming about. For a successful lift, you need to be working with the right personnel.

The number of experts you need for the job varies depending on the project where the larger and more complex the project, the more personnel you need on the site. Some of the professionals you need for the project include:

Crane operator

The crane operator is responsible for proper operation of the crane. In most cases, crane rental companies rent the operators together with the crane, but you can always hire them independently.

A good crane operator should be licensed to operate the machine. The operator can have one or more class endorsements. Class A operators operate medium size mobile and tower cranes, class B operators operate any crane of any capacity while class C operators are limited to small mobile cranes.

The crane operator is of grave importance to the project, so take your time and ensure they have all of the necessary qualifications. You don’t want someone to tip over the machine or cause a serious accident, do you?

Master rigger

The master rigger is responsible for overseeing all of the rigging activities. The professional also ensures all loads are secured to the crane before the lift. The rigger is also responsible for maintaining the safety of all rigging personnel as well as that of nearby workers and civilians.

Like the crane operator, you need to ensure the master rigger is licensed. This way, you are sure they will safely hoist and lower any article regardless of its weight. A qualified master rigger should have at least 5 years of experience, completed 30 hours of mandatory safety training, and should have passed background checks along with written and practical examinations.

Signalmen

The signalmen are the crane operator’s eyes and ears on the ground. They provide direction to the crane operator, letting them know the right time to proceed with the lift.

For a signalman to qualify, they should have completed a safety course and passed an oral and written exam. Since signalmen are critical to preventing accidents at the site, you should hire the most qualified.

You will even be better off hiring signalmen that regularly work with the crane operator. This way, you are sure they are less likely to cause an accident as they have a history working together.

Riggers

Riggers attach loads to the crane. If you have a small project and a small load, you need a few riggers, but if you have a large project, you need many riggers. Riggers often work under the master rigger, so it’s wise to ask the master rigger to get you the best riggers they know of.

Even if the riggers are experienced, take time to remind them of the safety features to decrease the chances of accidents happening on the site.

Flagmen

Flagmen help vehicles, including cranes, move safely on the site. The professionals help drivers and operators avoid hazards and people. They also prevent construction vehicles and civilians from entering dangerous situations.

For the flagmen to qualify, they should complete a safety course and pass both oral and written examinations. For peace of mind, the vehicles and cranes are being directed by the right person, ensure the flagman you hire has all the necessary qualifications.

Pedestrian managers

If working in a congested area, you need pedestrian managers to control pedestrian traffic and bicycles as they move around the worksite. In most cases, managers don’t need any qualifications. They only need to have the confidence to show people the areas they should follow and those they should avoid.

Parting shot

These are some of the personnel you need in your lifting project. Regardless of the staff, ensure they are experienced and have the necessary qualifications.

Since the crane is a vital part of the project, ensure you rent it from a crane services VA provider that takes good care of its cranes. You don’t want a crane that grinds to a halt in the middle of the project, do you?

Before you hire the crane, thoroughly inspect it, and ensure all the parts are working properly. Even at the site, before you do any lift, examine it again and confirm all the parts are in tip-top shape.

Rigging Companies: Tips On How To Ensure Maximum Rigging Safety

rigging companies

When you are lifting heavy loads, you should be cautious about how you lift. This is because lifting the wrong way can result in grave accidents. To help you out, here are tips given by rigging companies on how you can ensure maximum hoisting safety:

Know the maximum load limit of the crane

How much weight can the crane carry at any given time? You need to know about this. This is because by making it carry more than it should, you will not only be putting the crane at the risk of tipping over, you also risk the load falling on you and other workers on the site.

When you are renting the crane, insist on the load limit of the crane. As rule of thumb, you should rent a machine that will carry the weight that you are looking to move. To protect the machine and the people around, never exceed the given limits.

Stay away from defective components

Before you begin hoisting your equipment, inspect them and determine whether they are in good working condition. Take a look at all the hardware, slings, and tackle. Are they in great shape?

If they aren’t, don’t put your life at risk. Avoid using them. The best way of dealing with them is destroying them. This is to prevent people from picking up the merely discarded pieces and using them unaware of their condition. In the process, hurt themselves.

Be cautious of the wind conditions

Plenty of accidents have been reported when equipment fall from the crane due to strong winds. In some cases, the crane tips over due to the strong winds. For you to be on the safe side, avoid hoisting or undertaking the rigging operation when there are strong winds.

Before you begin the hoisting, inspect the load size and shape and find out whether it will cause any problems.

In addition to being cautious of the wind, you also should be cautious of other weather elements such as snow, fog, dust, darkness, rain, and many others. As rule of thumb, avoid working in compromising weather conditions.

Watch out for electrical contact

Did you know one of the most frequent killers of riggers is electrocution? Electrocution comes about when the crane touches an electric wire. For you to be on the safe side you should avoid working near power lines.

Undertake pre-operational checks

Prevention is always better than cure. For you to prevent an accident from occurring, you should undertake thorough pre-operational checks. For the hand hoist and lever tools, consult the relevant authorities. Ensure that the hoist is not tagged with an out-of-order sign.

You also should check if the hoist is properly reeved. Go around the machine and ensure that there are no signs of oil leakage on the hoist and floor beneath the hoist. When it comes to the working area, it should be clear of any accumulation of materials.

This is to prevent slipping or tripping of the materials that would hurt you when working.

It’s always recommended that you undertake a test run. Here you need to test-run the hoist without a load. Run the hoist up and down the path you would want it to go. Do you notice any unusual sounds from the machine? Have them inspected and fixed by an experienced contractor.

Where does the hoist stop? Check and ensure that the distance is normal and there is no excessive drift. You can do this by lifting a light load.

Observe safe rigging practices

How you undertake rigging is of great importance. To protect yourself and the people working in the area, you should observe these best practices:

When rigging, ensure that the load hook and upper suspension form a straight line
The body of the hoist or chain shouldn’t come into contact with the load
Never tip load hooks
Always use a lifting device or sling to rig around loads. When it comes to the attachments, use engineered lift points
Never work under suspended loads. You also shouldn’t lift loads over people
When leaving the hoist unattended, always land the attached loads
Never lift people with the hoist
Once you are done with the job, rigging services DC providers recommend that you place the hoist or hook location in a place where it won’t interfere with the movement of people or materials.