Patrick W. Saltmarsh Tim Hunt, CHST Dir. of Envt’l, Safety Health and Safety Corporate Director W. J. L. Derenzo French Excavating Corp. Companies
Safely Lifting Materials: Rigging and Signaling No matter what services you perform on a jobsite, you are bound to need to lift something. There are multiple ways to lift materials and equipment. One of those ways is using chains, wire rope, or straps to lift the equipment/materials with a crane or piece of equipment. Let’s discuss how to get this task done safely.
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reparing a load for lifting requires it to be rigged. All personnel performing this work shall be trained in rigging practices. The most popular rigging equipment used are chains, wire rope, and nylon/polyester slings. Each type of equipment has its advantages and disadvantages, but it must be thoroughly inspected before each use. The rigger checks the piece of equipment for any signs of wear and damage. If there’s any doubt on the condition of the chain, wire rope, or sling, it needs to be replaced. The rigger chooses the equipment based on the environment it will be used in, the method of rigging, and the weight of the object that will be lifted. Once the material or equipment that will be lifted is properly rigged, the next question would be if a tag line is required? A tag line is typically a rope attached to the lifted load to stabilize it during the material handling operation. Whether or not OSHA requires it depends; however, we all strive for best practices, and that would always be to use a tag line. The tag line allows someone to help control the load and adjust its orientation from a distance. OSHA’s stance on when a tag line is required is whenever the rotation NOVEMBER, 2021
of the load would be hazardous. The tag line does not need to be held the entire time of the lift. The purpose of it is to help control the load and its orientation. That can be accomplished when the load is first lifted off the ground and then when it’s coming into land in its location. When the load is lifted, and the operator (crane or equipment) cannot visibly see the load for the duration of the lift, then a signal person must be used. Before lifting the load, the operator and signal person must agree on the method of signaling to be used and the meaning of the gestures. There are continued on page 43
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