What is involved in being a rigger?

A rigger can be a versatile career path to take if your looking at become a rigger. Whether it be in construction, mining, defence force, and many other careers that involve lifting, pulleys and cranes.

It is certainly not a job for anyone, as it involves the physical fitness and strength to lift heavy objects, and being able to withstand extreme heights to perform tasks hanging in the air.

Most jobs as a rigger involve some form of qualification as you need to be prepared and understand the many safety aspects involved in being a rigger. As like most things you need to be shown how to do a job, and learn the many skills involved before you can perform the many tasks safely.

There are many questions you may want to have answered before you indulge deeper into choosing a rigger as a career path. Here are a few to help you decide.

What is involved in being a rigger?

Riggers require upper body strength for operating ropes on a pulley system to lift heavy objects. In the case of an object being to heavy to lift manually, a rigger is the person who operates a hoist or crane to perform this type of task.

Another rigger position may use a safety harness with shackles to be attached to scaffolding or a crane to perform maintenance.

How to become a rigger?

Approaching an employer would be one option as some tend to offer an on the job training, or an apprenticeship leading to a position.

Another way is to do some research online for courses to study, in regards to a specific qualification you may require prior to employment, or for added skills.

Heavy Lifting Equipment Essentials

When you think of heavy lifting equipment, the first thing that comes to mind is cranes or forklifts. But there are many more essential heavy lifting products on the market used by factories and warehouses all over Australia.

Heavy lifting supplies are essential to keep the industrial sector moving. Some of the more common unsung hero's that keep this industry alive are:

Chains

Without chains you wouldn't be able to lift essential heavy lifting equipment such as manual hoists and electric hoists. There are many different sizes in chain links to suit various applications.

Wire rope

Wire rope can be used for heavy lifting where synthetic rope wont do. Wire rope can be fitted to both winches and hoist. Wire rope can be also available in stainless steel to allow more strength and rust corrosion resistant than regular rope. Some types of wire rope can actually be binded or contain plastic in the core to allow more movement and be more flexible for its intended purpose.

Shackles

Shackles are essential for many reasons including linking chains together or anchoring chains to a fixed area. They can also be used with rope for tying off.

Slings

Slings are normally attached to chains and perform a vital role in rapping around awkward shaped objects for the purpose of dragging or lifting them. An example of this may be a large motor where more than one sling is used to wrap around the engine and lift it above by a chain hoist.

How to Be Safe with Spreader Beams

In major ports, just as at huge constructions sites, cranes have to lift massive amounts of weight on a daily basis.  This might include everything reinforced concrete for a parking garage or a shipping container full of new stereos from Japan.  When the loads are moved around, the procedure has to be precise for everyone’s safety and for the effectiveness of the job itself.  That’s why there are devices like spreader beams, also known as yokes.

These yokes are bars of metal that have a series of cables or ropes extended from a horizontal shaft below the boom of a crane.  The various ropes and cables balance the load of a heavy object, so it won’t swing, and so the contents shipping container won’t shift or get damaged as they are moved.   Other key tools like good hooks and slings are necessary.  Container spreader beams fit shipping containers that are 20 feet long or 40 feet long, the two standard lengths.  There are various models, ranging from a working load limit, or WLL, of 5 tons, up to one that is suitable for lifting 42 tons.  That’s a lot of stereos.

Because spreader beams deal with great deal of weight, safety is one of the prime concerns of the crane operator.  For example, they need to make sure a shipping container is intact and its load is balanced, then ensure the doors are closed.  They will also take care to use their slings and hooks appropriately.  Being methodical with this equipment is the only way to operate.

Purchasing a snatch block

Snatch blocks can at times be very handy. If you are going out in order to cover a long distance then it is very essential to carry a snatch block with you. Who knows what the roads are going to offer.

A Snatch block is a tool, which ought to be kept in your vehicles all the time. They become very useful at times when the vehicle gets stuck or needs winching due to some other reason. They simply make winching an easier thing. In case you are missing out one in your vehicle, wise thing will be to get one straight away.

Now, as we know purchasing anything in the contemporary world in no less than a battle in itself. There are so many things to be kept in consideration, such as quality, genuineness, type of material used, price etc.

Before you go out to buy a snatch block, understand the fact that there are thousands of sellers waiting and most of them will offer products of low quality. However, if you stick to the very basics of purchasing rules then buying a good snatch block won’t be any tougher.

Here are some things that may guide you to the right products.

1. Referrals from people, including family, friends and even acquaintances, who already own a snatch block.
2. Internet reviews about different suppliers posted by existing or former customers. 
3. Checking the Price comparison sites.