Safety Considerations for Lifting and Rigging

Abstract

This chapter highlights the relevant safety standards. The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) provides comprehensive guidelines for the variety of equipment and work operations for rigging work. Many of the standards are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, among other safety regulations. When one is using bridles, lifting lugs, and trunnions, the center of gravity, is all important on how the loads are distributed. Suppose one has a four-leg bridle. The loads in the slings vary because the slings are almost always unequal in length. The loads are statically indeterminate, meaning that the true load in each sling cannot be mathematically solved. In reality, the load is carried by two slings, while the other two act to balance the load. To solve this problem, one must seize the bridle such that just two legs carry the full load, or one must use a spreader.