Safety tips for those working in the rigging industry

Rigging industry has to closely monitor the safety standards and follow a few safety tips to keep away the potential hazards.

Rigging industry offers quite intricate and perilous job profile for the kind of operations executed. The most typical work performed here is of lifting massive objects from ground to a heightened destination during construction or other projects. So you can understand that any mistake may jeopardise life. Processes if not executed properly can make the rigged objects to fall posing immense risk on life and economy. Therefore, it is important to let the processes flow only in the supervision and guidance of well-trained professionals having sound understanding of the rigging safety. Here are a few tips to consider before starting operations:

First and foremost, it is crucial to determine the load that has to be rigged or lifted up during the process. This is vital for ensuring the safety at the workplace - the reason being the lifting equipment used in the process is available with certain weight limits. Mooring sockets, hooks, chains and everything else used in the process are determined by the weight of the material to be lifted. For instance, if the object weighs too much for the chain or sling you use, it may fail risking the lives of workers employed at the site.  

Next thing in the league is the ropes and slings used. Safety is largely dependent on the type of slings used – there are particularly six types of slings including synthetic web, natural fibre rope, synthetic rope, wire rope, and chain slings. Each one of them has their own set of strengths and weaknesses, which have to be analysed before employing one. For instance, chain has the capability to lift heavy loads, and can be moulded to the dimensions of the load, but they are not good enough to tolerate sudden shocks. For industrial applications, Crosby chain is trusted more for its sturdy construction and durable nature.

On the contrary, metal mesh and wire rope exude more strength for the way they are fabricated and shape they have got. Thus, it is extremely important to bring along the right size of wire rope & chain sling for the load to be lifted. One thing to remember is that metal mesh and wire rope do not posses impressive flexibility, so they call for a careful use without bending them. Bending can damage these lifting tools. Synthetic rope and natural fibre rope do not make a good choice for the industrial applications as they are not very strong, have a short life span and can be weakened easily by friction and abrasive substances.

A very important safety tip is to keep scrutinising each and every component used for lifting loads. Experts suggest to carefully inspect the hooks & swivels, slings, and all other hardware used in the process. Chain slings have to be assessed for chips in links and stretching, wire ropes for broken mesh, natural fibre ropes (if used) have to be checked for melted fibres and cuts. Clips, fittings, and other equipment have to be used for their proper handling, load capacity and suitability for lifting operations. There is no space for guessing games when it comes to safety in the rigging industry.