The Single Most Important Precaution in Rigging and Hoisting Is To Determine Load Weight Before Attempting Any Lift

There are still major problems which need to be addressed.
One of these issues is the

communication between riggers and crane operators. The rigger, or signal person, is responsible for
getting the correct messages to the crane operator to let him know that all is clear below. When a crane
operator is performing a blind lift, this is often the only way that he has of knowing that the load is
properly secured and that there are no obstructions in the way or issues with the lift. Until lately, this
was mostly done with hand signals or voice signals. Unfortunately, inconsistent signals and
miscommunication has lead to many tragic accidents.
On construction sites, signalling is required in thefollowing situations.

1) When the
2) When the
3) When the
4) When the
5) When the
equipment.
operator cannot see the load.

operator cannot see the load landing area.
operator cannot see the path of travel of either the load or the crane.
operator is too far from the load to judge distance accurately.
crane or other hoisting device is working close to live powerlines or
Only one person should signal the operator.But anyone can give the STOP signal and it
must be obeyed immediately.
Signals should be clear and, wherever possible,barehanded.
The load should be directed so that it never passes over anyone.
Operators should not make a move until they receive and understand your signal. If
contact
between you and the operator is broken forany reason, the operation must stop.
Some situations call for two signallers. Forinstance, during a concrete pour, one signaller
may be needed to direct the lift while theother directs the drop.
Where a difficult lift demands voice communication, use two-way radios instead of
hand signals.
The single most important precaution in rigging and hoisting is to determine
load weight
before attempting any lift.
At the same time, riggers must also
determine the available capacity of the equipment being used
rig the load so that it is stable (unless the centre of gravity of the load is directly below
the hook,
the load will shift)
make allowances for any unknown factors.
In addition, riggers must be aware of common hazards, factors that reduce capacity, the
inspection
and use of slings, and safe practices in rigging, lifting, and landing loads.
Common Hazards
Defective components.Examine all hardware, equipment, tackle, and slings before use.
Destroy any defective components. Equipment merely discarded may be picked up and
used
by someone unaware of its defects.
Unsafe equipment.Do not use any 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 any hoisting or rigging operation when
winds
create hazards for workers, the general public, or property. Assess load size and shape to
determine whether high winds may cause problems. In particular, avoid handling loads
that
present large wind-catching surfaces. Even though the weight of the load is within the
normal
capacity of the equipment, high or gusting winds may prevent proper control during the
lift.
Wind-loading can be critical to how the load is rigged, lifted, and landed, with
consequences for
the safety of everyone involved. When winds reach 25-30 mph, consider limiting hoisting
operations.
Hazardous weather conditions.When the visibility of riggers or hoist crew is impaired
by snow,
fog, rain, darkness, or dust, strict supervision must be exercised and, if necessary, the lift
should
be suspended. At sub-freezing temperatures, supervision must ensure that no part of the
hoisting device or tackle is shock-loaded or impacted, since brittle fracture of the steel
may
result.
Electrical contact.One of the most frequent killers of riggers is electrocution caused by
an
electrical arc or contact between the hoist, load line, or load and a live overhead
powerline.
When a crane 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 (see table below),
specific
measures described in the Construction Regulation must be taken. For example,
constructors
must have written procedures to prevent contact whenever equipment operates within
the
minimum permitted distance from a live overhead powerline. The constructor must have
copies
of the procedure available for every employer on the project.
Factors that Reduce Capacity

The working load limits of all hoisting and rigging equipment are based on almost ideal
conditions seldom achieved in the field. Riggers must therefore recognize the factors
that can
reduce the capacity of equipment.
1.Swing. The rapid swinging of suspended loads subjects equipment to additional
stresses that
can cause collapse. The force of the swinging action makes the load drift away from the
machine, increasing the radius and side-loading the equipment. The load must always be
kept
directly below the boom point or upper load block.
2.Condition of equipment. The rated working load limits apply only to equipment and
hardware
in good condition. Any equipment damaged in service should be taken out of service and
repaired or destroyed.
3.Always avoid the sudden
snatching, swinging, and stopping of suspended loads. Rapid acceleration and
deceleration
can only increase the stresses on both the machine and the tackle.
4.Weight of tackle. The rated loads of most hoisting equipment do not generally
account for
the weight of hook blocks, hooks, slings, equalizer beams, and other parts of the lifting
tackle.
Their combined weight must be subtracted from the load capacity of the equipment to
determine the maximum allowable load to be lifted.
Slings
Never use damaged slings. Inspect slings regularly to ensure their safety. Check wire rope
slings
for kinking(Uljha Howa), wear(Damaged), abrasion(Kharash), broken wires, worn or cracked
fittings, loose seizings and splices,crushing, flattening, and rust or corrosion. Pay special
attention to the areas around thimblesand other fittings.
Slings should be marked with an identification number and their maximum capacity on a
flat
ferrule or permanently attached ring. Mark the capacity of the sling for a vertical load or
at an
angle of 45. Ensure that everyone is aware of how the rating system works.
Avoid sharp bends, pinching, and crushing. Use loops and thimbles at all times. Corner
pads
that prevent the sling from being sharply bent or cut can be made from split sections of
largediameter
pipe, corner saddles, padding, or blocking.
Never allow wire rope slings, or any wire rope, to lie on the ground for long periods of
time or on
damp or wet surfaces, rusty steel, or near corrosive substances.
Avoid dragging slings out from underneath loads.
Keep wire rope slings away from flame cutting and electric welding.
Never make slings from discarded hoist rope.
Avoid using single-leg wire rope slings with hand-spliced eyes. The load can spin,
causing the
rope to unlay and the splice to pull out. Use slings with Flemish Spliced Eyes.
Never wrap a wire rope completely around a hook. The sharp radius will damage the
sling.
L greater than S
Multi-leg slings. Do not assume that a multi-leg bridle sling will safely lift a load equal to
the
safe load on one leg multiplied by the number of legs. There is no way of knowing that
each leg
is carrying its fair share of the load. With slings having more than two legs and a rigid
load, it is
possible for some of the legs to take practically the full load while the others merely
balance it.
As a result, when lifting rigid objects with three- or four-leg bridle slings, make sure that at
least
two of the legs alone can support the total load. In other words, consider multi-leg slings
used on
a rigid load as having only two legs. Where the load is flexible and can adjust itself to the
sling legs,
assume that each leg can take its own share of the load.
When using choker hitches, do not force the eye down towards the load once tension is
applied.
Rope damage is the invariable result.
Whenever two or more rope eyes must be placed over a hook, install a shackle on the
hook with
the shackle pin resting in the hook and attach the rope eyes to the shackle. This will
prevent the
spread of the sling legs from opening up the hook and prevent the eyes from damaging
each
other under load.
Many accidents occur with mobile cranes. An

average of one mobile or tower crane accident happens
DAILY in the United States and Canada. Following are some
of the causes of these accidents.
The load was too heavy.
The crane was not level on the outriggers.
The outriggers were improperly positioned.
The crane was driven into electric wires with the
boom up.
The load block was pulled up into the boom tip
or jib tip sheaves. (This is called twoblocking.)
Incorrect signals were given or the signals were
not understood.
The fastenings were not the correct type or were
the wrong size.
The equipment failed from fatigue or damaged
parts.
The boom was raised too high.
The boom snapped back over the carrier cab
because the hoist cable broke.
The ground was not firm or the cribbing was
improperly stacked.
The operator was not trained to operate the
crane.
A supervisor did not approve the crane setup or
rigging.
A supervisor made the decision to make the pick
against the judgment of the crane operator.
The urgency to complete the job overrode good
judgment.
According to investigators, most of the accidents
are caused by operator error, although many are the
result of poor planning, lack of site supervision, and
mismanagement. Most of these accidents could have
been circumvented if everyone associated with the job
had been alert, knowledgeable, and safety-cautious.
Following are some actions that, if done properly,
would reduce hazards and possibly eliminate
accidents.
1.Experienced -tajarbaa-kaar
2.Experience-tajarbaa
3.Safe-mehfooz
4.All-tamaam
5.

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There are still major problems which need to be addressed.

One of these issues is the

On construction sites, signalling is required in thefollowing situations.

operator cannot see the load.

Factors that Reduce Capacity

Many accidents occur with mobile cranes. An

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