Whenever it’s lifting large, bulky components or securing heavy equipment onto a flatbed truck, high-quality rigging equipment is necessary to keep workers and bystanders safe. The possibility of a catastrophic incident makes hiring a professional rigging company like Meyer with trained employees to use these tools vital.
What Are the Common Types of Rigging Equipment?
Even if you are using an experienced rigging company, knowing the common types of equipment will help you understand how the components function together to meet specific load-handling requirements.
Wire Ropes and Chains
Wire ropes consist of multiple steel wires twisted into strands and wound around a core, while chains are simple strings of connected metal links. Both share a similar material construction:
- Stainless Steel: Resistant to corrosion, ideal for harsh environments.
- Carbon Steel: Robust with high tensile strength
- Alloy Steels: Enhanced strength and durability properties
- Nickel Alloys: High temperature and corrosion resistant for extreme conditions
Common applications of wire ropes and chains include lifting heavy loads in construction, securing cargo during transport, and in applications requiring high-strength anchoring.
Hooks and Shackles
Rigging hooks and shackles attach loads to lifting devices. They are typically constructed of stainless steel, carbon steel, steel alloys, aluminum, and titanium and come in various types:
- Sling Hooks: Latch prevents a wire rope or chain from slipping out
- Hoist Hooks: Securely handle vertical lifting, often performed by a crane
- Self-Locking Hooks: Automatic lock upon loading for enhancing safety
- Screw-Pin Shackles: Screw-in-screw-out pin for easy connection and disconnection.
- Bolt-Type Shackles: Bolt and nut closure for permanent or long-term applications
- D-Shackles (Chain Shackles): Shaped like a loop of chain for strictly vertical loads
Both hooks and shackles have specific manufacturer maximum load ratings ranging from a few hundred to several thousand pounds.
Eye Bolts and Rigging Screws
Anchor points provide fortified locations to attach loads for lifting or tethering in rigging setups. Eye bolts and rigging screws ensure stability and safety. Industrial and construction applications use anchor points to secure cranes, hoists, and other lifting devices, requiring specifically designed components.
For example, shoulder eye bolts feature a ring at one end and a shoulder under the eye, reinforcing the bolt against the forces applied, allowing it to support angular loads. Rigging screws, or turnbuckles, consist of a metal frame with screws at each end, which adjust the tension or length of rigging ropes and cables.
How Do You Use Rigging Equipment Safely?
Preventing workplace accidents requires using the proper rigging equipment safely:
- Train all operators on how to use specific equipment and understand its limits.
- Select the right type of rigging for the load and conditions.
- Never exceed the weight capacity specified by the manufacturer.
- Always double-check that loads are attached correctly before lifting.
Regular maintenance and routine inspections help keep equipment in perfect working order and identify potential issues before they lead to failures.
Anyone with the desire can learn how to rig properly, but it’s easier to entrust this task to professional heavy equipment movers like Meyer. We help relocate offices, libraries, and labs as well as conduct industrial application rigging throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. Contact us today to see how our expert rigging can help you.
