This document provides guidance on hoisting and rigging safety. It emphasizes the importance of training, knowing equipment limitations, inspecting all components for defects, avoiding electrical hazards, using proper sling configurations and rigging hardware, understanding hand signals, and following regulations around tag lines and overhead loads. Safety is ensured by knowing equipment ratings, using defect-free gear, having competent supervision, and taking precautions specific to each lifting situation.

1. Hoisting and Rigging Safety

2. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
• It is important that workers involved in hoisting and rigging activities are trained in both safety
and operating procedures.
• This training is intended to make you aware not to train you to be competent in hoisting and
rigging.
• The cause of hoisting and rigging accidents can be often traced to a lack of knowledge on the
part of a rigger.
• A safe rigging operation requires the rigger to know:
• The weight of the load and rigging hardware
• The capacity of the hoisting device
• The working load limit of the hoisting rope, slings, and hardware
 All hoisting and rigging must be led by a competent person

3. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Safety Elements
• Elements that can affect hoisting and rigging safety:
• Working load limit (WLL) is not known:
• Don’t assume. Know the working load limits of the equipment being used. Never exceed these limits
• Defective components
• Examine all hardware, tackle and slings before use. Destroy defective components. Defective equipment
that merely discarded may be picked up and used by someone unaware of its defects.
• Questionable equipment:
• Do not use equipment that is suspected to be unsafe or unsuitable, until its suitability has been verified by a
competent person
• Hazardous wind conditions:
• Never carry out a hoisting or rigging operation when winds can create hazards for workers, the general
public or property.
• Weather conditions:
• When the visibility of riggers or hoist crew is impaired by snow, fog, rain, darkness or dust, extra caution
must be exercised.
• Electrical contact:
• One of the most frequent killers of riggers is electrocution.
• Hoist line not plumb:
• The working load limits of hoisting equipment apply only to freely suspended loads on plumb hoist lines

4. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
W.L.L
Working Load Limit (WLL)
• The maximum safe force that a pieces of lifting equipment, lifting device or accessory can
exert to lift, suspend or lower a given mass without fear of breaking.
• Usually marked on the equipment by the manufacturer.

5. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Defective Components
 Inspection of all hoisting and rigging components should be inspected before each
use!
• Defective components:
• Synthetic Web Slings:
• Never use damaged slings; Inspect slings regularly to ensure their safety.
Cuts, holes, tears, frays, broken stitching, warn eyes, warn or distorted
fittings, and burns are usually easy to detect and should signal the need
for removal from service immediately.
• Chains:
• Inspect chains for inner link wear and wear on the outside of the link
barrels.
• Manufacturers publish tables of allowable wear for various link sizes.
Only a competent person shall determine the wear amount
• Check chains for nicks and gouges that may cause stress concentrations
and weaken links. If nicks and gouges are deep or large in area or reduce
the link size below allowable wear, remove the chain from service.
• Bent, twisted or stretched links are definitive signs for removal from
service

6. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Defective Components
• Defective Components:
• Wire rope slings:
• Check wire rope slings for kinking, wear, abrasion,
broken wires, worn or cracked fittings, lose seizing
and splices, crushing, flattening and rust or
corrosion.
• Any of these conditions should be brought to the
attention of a competent person for farther
inspection.
• Rigging Hardware:
• Inspect hardware regularly and before each lift.
• Check for; wear, cracks, severe corrosion,
deformation/bends, damaged threads,
mismatched parts, obvious damage.

7. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Electrical Contact
• Electrical Contact:
• An electrical path can be created when a
part of the hoist, load line, or load
comes into close proximity to an
energized overhead powerline.
• When a crane or other lifting means is
operating near a live powerline and the
load, hoist lines or any other part of the
hoisting operation could encroach on
the minimum permitted distance,
specific measures must be taken.

8. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Sling Configurations
• Sling Configurations:
• The term “sling” covers a wide variety of configurations for fiber ropes, wire ropes, chains and webs. Correct application of slings
commonly used in construction will be explained here because improper application can be dangerous.
• Single Vertical Hitch:
• Supports a load by a single vertical part or leg of the sling
• The total weight of the load is carried by a single leg, and the weight of the load can
equal the working load limit of the sling and fittings
• Must not be used for lifting loose material, lengthy material or anything difficult to
balance. This hitch provides absolutely no control over the load because it allows
rotation. Use this hitch on items equipped with a lifting eyebolt or shackle
• Bridle Hitch:
• Two, three or four single hitches can be used together to form a bridle hitch for hoisting
an object with the necessary lifting lungs or attachments.
• Provides excellent load stability when the load is distributed equally among the legs.
• To distribute the load equally it may be necessary to adjust the leg lengths with
turnbuckles. Proper use of a bridle hitch requires that sling angles be carefully
measured to ensure that individual legs are not overloaded.
• Because the load may not be distributed evenly when a four-leg sling lifts a rigid load,
assume the load is carried by two of the legs only. Rate the four-leg sling as a two leg
sling.

9. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Sling Configurations
• Sling Configurations:
• Single basket hitch:
• Used to support a load by attaching one end of the sling to the
hook, then passing another end under the load and attaching it
to the hook.
• Ensure that the load does not turn or slide along the sling
during a lift.
• Double wrap basket hitch:
• Wraps complete around the load and compresses it when taut.
• Can be used in pairs
• Excellent for handling loose material, pipes, rod or smooth
cylindrical loads because the sling is in full 360ᵒ contact with
the load and tends to draw it together.

10. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Rigging Hardware
• Rigging Hardware:
• Swivels
• Reduce bending loads on rigging attachments by allowing the load to
orient itself freely
• Should be used instead of shackles in situations where shackle may twist
and become eccentrically loaded
• Shackles
• For hoisting
• Do not replace shackle pins with bolts, pins are designed and
manufactured to match shackle capacity
• Hoisting hooks:
• Should be equipped with safety catches (except for sorting or grab hooks)
• Should be forged alloy steel with WLL stamped or marked on the saddle
• Should be loaded at the middle of the hook. Applying the load to the tip
will load the hook eccentrically and reduce the safe working load
considerably
• Should be inspected regularly and often . Look for wear, cracks, corrosion
and twisting especially the tip. Check throat for signs of opening up.

11. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Rigging Hardware
• Rigging Hardware:
• Spreader Beams:
• Usually used to support long loads during lifts
• Eliminate the hazard of the load tipping, sliding or bending
• Make sure beam is designed for specific application

12. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Hand Signals
• The person(s) involved with the hoisting and rigging
activity need to be comfortable with hand signals
• The person on the ground and person operating the
lifting device need to be using the same hand signals
• Only one person should signal the operator, but anyone
can give the stop signal
• Signals should be clear and whenever possible,
barehanded
• Operator should never make a move until they receive
and understand the signal
• If contact is broken between you and the operator is
broken for any reason , the operator must stop
• Some situations call for two signalers. Be sure to add a
second signaler when applicable
• Where a difficult lift demands voice communication, use
two-way radios instead of hand signals

13. Hoisting and Rigging Safety
Regulations
• Regulations:
• Tag Lines
 Construction Regulations: 179 (1)
• If a worker may be endangered by the rotation or uncontrolled motion of a load
being hoisted by a crane or similar hoisting device, one or more taglines shall be
used to prevent rotation or uncontrolled motion
• No guide rope shall be removed from a load until the load is landed and there is
no danger or it tipping, collapsing or rolling
• Overhead load:
 Construction Regulations” 103(4)
• No worker shall operate a crane or similar hoisting device in such a way that
part of its load passes over another worker; unless the other worker is receiving
the load.
• If practicable, the worker who is receiving a load shall be positioned so
that no load or part of a load carried by a crane or similar hoisting device
passes over the worker.