BASIC RIGGING

TOOLS OF RIGGING
• Hoists
• Cranes
• Slings
• Special lifting
devices
 HOISTS AND CRANES
• Different types of hoisting
equipment
• Manual and powered
devices
• underhung and top
running cranes
• monorails
• various types of jig
cranes
SLINGS
• Main purpose is to suspend a load from a hoist
• Commonly made of wire rope or welded link chain
• Can be constructed from fiber rope,synthetic
webbing or metal mesh
• Most slings are assembled by sling manufacturers
• Can be assembled at the job site
 The rigging system
• Load
• Sling
• Hoisting equipment
• Rigger (Designer and
Operator of the system)
• = Single, complex rigging
system
The Rigger
• Must apply intelligence, common sense and
experience
• Anticipate what will happen when the load is
moved
• Thought process must take place before the work
is started
• Must answer the following questions…..
Questions that must be answered by
rigger

• What is to be done with the load?

• What tools are needed?
• Do the tools have the capacity to
handle the loads and forces
involved?
Questions that must be answered by
rigger

• How can the hookup be made?

• What will happen when the load is first
moved?
• What will be the travel path of the load
to reach the desired location?
Questions that must be answered by
rigger
• How will the load be set down at the desired
location?
• What other factors are involved (weather, electrical
wires, sloping grades, visibility)?
• Are additional personnel needed to control the
load safely during the process?
Planning a rigging system
• Determine the weight of the load
• Locating the center of gravity of a load
• Distinguishing the force components (horizontal
and vertical) at work in a diagonal force(loads at
some angles other than 90 degrees to the
horizontal)
• Limitations of each component of the rigging
system
Determining the weight of the load

• Shipping paper
• Manufacturer’s information attached to the load
• Catalogs or blueprints
• Tables of weights from manufacturers or
handbooks
• Make sure the weight has not changed
Volume & Area Formulas
Calculating an allowable load
• Determine the breaking strength of the rope
• Load which will cause the rope to break
• Refer to standard tables in rigging handbooks
• Listed according to the diameter and kind of rope
• Design or safety factor usually 5
Calculating an allowable load
• Find the load limit by dividing the breaking strength
of the rope by the design factor
• Example-
• If the table indicates that the breaking strength of the
rope you are using is 27,000 pounds. Dividing this
figure by the design factor of 5 gives you a 5400 pound
maximum allowable load.
Determine the center of gravity
• The point at which the load will balance
• Whole weight of the load is considered
concentrated at this balance point
• When suspended from a point, the load tends to
move so that the center of gravity is directly below
the point of support.
• Make sure the center of gravity is located directly
below the hoisting hook
Determine the center of gravity
• Stable load
• Balanced about its center of gravity
• Directly below the hoisting hook
• Unstable load
• has a tendency to tip or topple
• Creates a hazard to personnel and
equipment
 Before Lifting any load check for
hazards
• If not directly below the
hook the load is unstable
• If the sling is free to slide
across the hook the center
of gravity will shift directly
below the hook
• If two slings are used one
will assume the greater
share of the load
 Before Lifting any load check for
hazards

• The sling must not be

attached to the load at a
point lower than the loads
center of gravity
• Exception to this rule
when lifting loads on
pallets or skids
• Then apex of sling must
be above the center of
gravity
Determining the center of gravity
• Marked on the load by manufacturer
• Located in catalogs or blueprints
• Some objects have lifting lugs
• Calculate or estimate it
• Make an educated guess and correct
through trial and error before making the
lift
Procedures to determine center of
gravity
• Connect slings and hoist based on estimate of
object’s center of gravity
• Take up slack in slings or hoist
• Lift the load just enough to check stability
• If stable, continue to lift
• If unstable, lower load and adjust the rigging
• Lift point should be moved closer to end that dips
• Repeat until load is stable
Horizontal Force
• Very often sling legs are attached at an angle less
than 900
• Then a horizontal force is added to the vertical
force
• Resulting Combined force is greater than the
weight of the load
• Horizontal force increases as the angle becomes
smaller
 Horizontal Force
• When a sling angle
is 300 the total
force is twice that
of the load
• Sling Angles of 450
are not
recommended
Horizontal Force
• Horizontal forces act on the
load causing damage by
compression or buckling
• Horizontal forces are
absorbed by using a
spreader beam making the
sling legs between beam
and load vertical
Sling Components
• Hooks
• Coupling Links
• Fittings
• Sling Legs
• Can be assembled at the job site but must use
recommended components and assembly
procedures
• May also require some sort of weight test
 Hook Hazards
• Attachments should never be field welded to a hook
• Heat should not be applied in an attempt to reshape a
hook
• Can reduce strength of hook
• Could result in hook failure at loads lower than the rated
load
• If handles or attachments are required they should be
obtained from the hook manufacturer
 Purpose of a latch?
• Purpose is to retain slings in the hook
• Not intended to support the load
• Should be sturdy enough to retain the sling if the moving
load should catch on something
• Latches are used to close the throat opening
• Must be provided on hoist and crane hooks
 Reasons For Removing a Hook
From Service
• Hook throat has increased by more
than 15%
• Wear exceeds 10% of the original
hook section dimension, or there is
a bend or twist of more than 10%
from the plane of the unbent hook
• Hook shows cracks, excessive
nicks, or gouges
Factors Affecting Wire-Rope
Strength
• Three major signs of loss of strength
• Flat spots worn on outer wires
• Broken wires
• reduction of rope diameter
• Other factors that can reduce strength
• Bending the rope over a curved surface
• Temperature
• Corrosion and environment
• Rope fittings or terminations
Bending The Rope Over A Curved
Surface
• Normal curved surfaces that ropes are curved over
include sheaves, pins and other curved surfaces
• The rope is subjected to bending stress
• Reduces rope efficiency/nominal strength by a
certain percentage
• Efficiency depends upon the:
• D = Diameter of curved surface
• d = Nominal diameter of rope
 Example (You will need to refer to Fig.
2-5 and Table 2-1)
• Fiber-core 6 x 37 wire
rope, 1” in diameter (d)
• Sheave with a 30”
diameter (D)
• D/d ratio is 30/1
• Efficiency is 95%
• Load Rating dropped 95%
from 83,600 lb. To 79,420
lb.
 Wire Rope Clips
• Two basic designs
• U section contacts dead end of the rope
• Tends to crush some wires
• Affects strength if u-bolt clip is installed wrong
• Fist Grip can be installed either way
• Use only forged steel for lifting slings
 Removal From Service
• Rope Distortion such as
kinking, crushing,
unstranding, birdcaging or
core protrusion
• Heat Damage from any source
• Look for damage from
weld and weld splatter
• Cracked or deformed end
fittings(hooks particularly)
• Corrosive failure of one wire
adjacent to end fitting
 Removal From Service
• One broken or cut strand
• Pitting due to corrosion
• For Single Wire Rope Either:
• 10 broken wires in a section the length of one rope lay
• 5 broken wires in one strand within a distance of one rope lay
 Chain Hazards
• Similar force acts on the
links if the chain is
knotted or twisted
• Never shorten a sling by
twisting or knotting
• Never use bolts and nuts
or other fasteners to
shorten a sling