No matter what type of crane is used, virtually every lifting operation requires additional equipment to connect the load to the crane. The terminology used around the world for such equipment varies, but for the sake of simplicity I shall use the general term of rigging gear.

One only has to consider the consequences of sudden equipment failure to appreciate that the suitability and condition of rigging gear are of vital importance to the overall safety of lifting operations. Not only will the load drop, but the recoil could damage the crane. On a counterbalanced crane, this might result in overturning or collapse, clearly a situation to be avoided. However, given the way that some organisations treat rigging gear, it is clear that many are still failing to recognise the potential dangers. All too often equipment is poorly stored, left exposed to the elements and rarely inspected.

As well as damage arising from poor storage, rigging gear is also generally vulnerable to accidental damage in use. Errors in the geometry of the rigging, sharp edges and dynamic or shock loading can all overload or permanently damage rigging gear even though the weight of the load being lifted is less than the working load of the item. When this happens, the equipment is certainly being misused; unfortunately, even the best-trained and most conscientious rigger can, and occasionally will, make such mistakes. It is part of what makes us human and should be recognised as such. In the worst case it can lead to immediate failure. More often, if the equipment is in good condition, it results in damage to the equipment, not failure. The rigging gear might prevent an accident, but the damage, if undetected, can lead to premature failure when the rigging gear is subsequently used. With the proper facilities and procedures in place, the effects of such errors can be minimised.

The facilities and procedures required are relatively simple. Essentially they are storage, control and inspection. The storage must protect the equipment from the elements and accidental damage, prevent unauthorised access and provide a means of segregating or quarantining unserviceable equipment.

The control must keep track of whom the equipment has been issued to. Furthermore, if appropriate, it should cover who authorised it, where equipment is to be used and for how long, and record when it is returned to store and whether it is serviceable. The system must also keep track of when equipment is due for maintenance and its periodic inspection.

At least two levels of inspection are necessary. Many countries have legislation requiring a periodic inspection and a formal record of the result. However, even if this is not the case, it is good practice to do so and it provides useful information for the management of the organisation. The periodic inspection is normally done at six monthly intervals. If this inspection is finding equipment that is already in an unserviceable condition, then there is something wrong with the day-to-day in-service inspection regime.

Because rigging gear is vulnerable to accidental damage every time it is used, it should effectively be inspected every time it is used. This is much less onerous than it sounds. A trained rigger should be able to look after the ‘tools of the trade’. Without wishing to understate the importance of inspection, most general purpose rigging gear is not complex and can be adequately inspected by someone with a few days training. With practice, riggers should be able to run their eyes over the equipment as it is being handled.

These then are the essential components of a rigging storage and control facility. Depending upon the amount of equipment involved, the facility can range from a permanent building complete with staff to a lockable box. The basic principles remain the same.

Everything in its place

Let us now look at a few typical examples of how the storage, control and inspection system may be put into practice, starting with an outline of the ideal facility. The storage should be clean, dry and free from contaminates which might damage the equipment. Suitable shelving, racks or other storage are required. Slings and loose gear such as shackles of a size that can be lifted manually are best stored hung on racks or in stillages. Heavier items may need to be palletised or put into special stillages. Heavy items such as lifting beams, crane forks and clamps may need support to ensure they cannot topple.

There should be a designated area where returned equipment is kept until it has been inspected. If, due to the nature of the business, it is likely that equipment will be returned to storage dirty or contaminated, a facility will be required to clean it and prepare it for storage. The methods used must not of themselves cause problems. Rigging gear materials can be susceptible to chemical attack, corrosion or heat.

There should be an inspection area with good lighting, a suitable bench to work on and a facility to make records and label equipment. A suitably trained person should be appointed to carry out the inspections. Each item will need an individual ID mark and, if equipment is obtained without an individual ID, an appropriate facility to stamp or tag it will be needed. A record of the inspection should be kept giving the ID, a brief description, date of inspection, the name of the inspector and whether or not it was found to be serviceable. This can be as simple as a single line entry on a paper record or, at the other extreme, an electronic record with the ID given by an RF identifier and scanned. Unserviceable equipment should be labelled as such and segregated into a separate quarantine area.

Equipment should only be withdrawn from storage by someone authorised to do so and this may require a formal documented procedure. In any event, a record should be made that the equipment is logged out, when, and to whom. This record effectively hands over control and responsibility to the recipient who should ensure equipment is returned or, if it goes astray, reported missing. On a large site it may also be useful to record how long it has been issued for so that, in the event of it not being returned on time, action can be taken to recover the equipment. If equipment is not returned to stores after a job is completed there is a temptation for others to use it, particularly if doing so avoids a lengthy trek to the stores and back. However, it is then open to question whether the equipment is still serviceable. Another matter to consider is the handing over of equipment where the job involves shift or crew changes.

On returning an item to the stores, the user should report any problems with it. If equipment has been damaged, any cost has already been incurred. To minimise both the safety risks and further financial losses, it is essential that damage is not covered up. For that reason, management should encourage a ‘no blame’ culture. Failure to do so encourages people to hide problems and ‘lose’ equipment, both of which usually prove more expensive in the long run.

Last but not least, the store should hold an adequate stock of equipment allowing for the likelihood of some becoming unserviceable and thereby avoiding the temptation to use potentially dangerous equipment.

The above is very much the ideal, suitable for a large organisation. If having it permanently staffed is not economically viable, the store should be locked and control handed to someone who will be available as and when necessary. All riggers should be capable of inspecting the equipment they use so a viable solution could be to appoint a rigger. However it is inadvisable to appoint more than one per shift. Allowing all the riggers free access to the store is likely to result in chaos.

A setup along these lines is often ideal for smaller sites and can even be made portable. Containerised rigging stores are used in the offshore industry and have the advantage that when a periodic inspection is due, the entire store can be returned onshore and exchanged for a freshly replenished one. In a marine environment where corrosion is a major factor and space limited, the facility to return the equipment to the convenience of a well-equipped onshore workshop is an advantage.

A containerised rigging store could be equally suitable for a construction site although the specification would be a little different. Containers for offshore use are designed to be transferred at sea by crane with a special lifting sling. Of necessity they must be much more robust than standard freight containers and there are limitations on weight and size. For a construction site a standard freight container is suitable and could be of adequate size to facilitate the periodic inspection on site.

There are several other scenarios to consider. On a construction site, many cranes will have a general purpose sling more or less permanently left on the hook. It should not be forgotten. The riggers should keep a watchful eye on it and it should be inspected properly at least once a week.

Similarly, many mobile cranes on general hire duties, or larger loaders used for lifting jobs, carry a selection of general purpose rigging gear effectively under the control of the driver. The quantity may be such that only a lockable box is needed, but adequate control should still be exercised and care taken to ensure that the equipment is not damaged in storage.

It is all too easy to throw everything back into the box at the end of a job – wet, dirty, contaminated and possibly damaged. The driver is unlikely to have seen in detail what the rigger did with the equipment, so should have the facility to have it cleaned up and inspected. If done by others, the driver should still be capable of inspecting the equipment.

The crane rental company should maintain records of what equipment is with each crane and ensure it does get inspected before each job and when the periodic inspection is due. They should also ensure that each crane has an adequate stock of rigging gear, partly for the reasons already outlined but also to avoid personnel hiding their favourite items for fear of losing them when made available for inspection.

The scale of the rigging store may vary according to the nature of the organisation but the principles of proper storage and control are common to all. The objective is to ensure that the equipment is suitable for the application and serviceable. Without proper storage and control, any one thing that goes wrong can represent the last straw and result in catastrophe. With proper storage and control, you have in place a much more robust regime which acknowledges and takes account of the fact that people don’t always get it exactly right every time. As a result, it stacks the odds firmly in your favour.