Rigging gear for the modern day rigger

A modern day rigger is commonly found either in construction or working on the docks. A riggers job is to oversee heavy lifting. In construction this may be moving concrete structures with a crane to build large buildings. On the docks they may also use cranes or forklifts to transport shipping containers to and from ships.
As well as working with large machinery for heavy lifting, some basic physics are required to ensure safety. The rigger must have a good understanding of the torque required for lifting large objects. Pulleys can be used to allow the rigger to lift loads with less effort.

Here are some common rigging gear accessories that are used in the day to day operations of a rigger:

• Ropes / Cables - These are essential for lifting and moving objects with the help of a crane or hoist
• Chains - A chain is an alternative to ropes and cables and are used in many hoisting devices.
• Shackles - Shackles can be used to connect chains or rope to an anchor point. They can also be used to feed rope through if you are lifting something from above similar to the way a pulley operates
• Slings - Are used to wrap around large bulky object.
• Hooks - These are essential for connecting the object and can be connected to chains or slings for great flexibility
• Blocks - Blocks are a type of wheel pulley to feed rope or chain through. It’s a type of overhead lifting device normally mounted to a roof.