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.

Re-purposing your forklift with a jib

Many warehouses have forklifts for moving pellets from A to B, however the trusty forklift doesn't just need to be used for moving pellets. There are many add-ons that can help re-purpose your forklift to be used in a variety of different ways.

Overhead Lifting

If you have a need to lift a heavy object from above and using a forklift would damage the bottom of the item, you can purchase a forklift jib to lift from above. This devise is designed to attach onto the forks and they can be raised to make a mini crane. Heavy object can be lifted from above with the use of chains or slings.

Transport of chemical drums

If your company deals with dangerous chemicals there are attachments that add clamps allowing for the safe movement of 44 gallon drums. These clamps attach to the drums top and the bottom allowing the drum to stand upright.

People mover

You may be interest to know that your forklift is not limited to just moving product, you can also use it to move people. Goods cages are designed to allow a person to get inside of a box while another person operates the forklift. This can allow them to reach products of high shelves putting them in or out of the goods box. The box attaches to the forks making it a perfect people mover. This will allow your employees to safely lift hard to reach products without the use of ladders which can be quite dangerous if you have products on a ladder.

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.

Safety is the key when operating lifting slings

The most important factor a person should consider while purchasing, operating or maintain a lifting sling is safety. One must regularly examine and inspect chains and lifting slings in order to watch for signs of wear and tear that could be fatal.

While choosing a lifting strap or slings, a person must make sure to check all the safety guidelines associated with the sling. This will increase the protection level that is being provided to the workers associated with the process. On the other hand, while operating lifting slings construction workers should focus on all their equipments.  Attention paid to safety while operation can bring down the number of accidents to a great level.

A lifting sling is used for a particular purpose and load. Always choose a sling that suits all the requirements. On the other hand, the load prescribed by the supplier should not be exceeded in any condition. Exceeding the weight limit of a sling can severely compromise the safety of the job site.

The workers operating the lifting sling should be trained in the task. A lay man handling a lifting sling with a huge load can be a danger to the lives of the people present at the work site.

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.

Bow Shackles: what are they for?

At times when you need to tow a piece of heavy machinery, a bow shackle is not just ideal but a great tool to use. Bow shackles have the ability of withstand immense amount of weight and pressure. These shackles are just perfect for pulling vehicles as well as other equipments from one place to another.

Bow shackles are mostly used in case of emergencies like vehicle recovery from ditched, car towing, docking large and gigantic ships, in car rallies to tow off All-Terrain Vehicles out of crevices and muddy holes. These are a must have tool for every vehicle owner.

Bow shackles are also used in industrial works like lifting huge loads. They act as an attachment between the load and the ropes and slings.

The other important use of bow shackles is in dock yards. They are very common in the places where the ships and boats are docked. Due to their robust nature and engineered design, bow shackles are considered as the best type of shackles for boat and ship docking.

Bow shackles are made from stainless steel or galvanized steel. They are rest rand corrosion resistant, especially in salt water. This makes them very liked among sailors.