Rigging Safety and Standards
Why Standards Matter
Rigging safety rests on a simple hierarchy: the employer's lift plan, the manufacturer's ratings, and the consensus standards that tie them together. A candidate should recognize that every sling, shackle, and hook carries a rated capacity that applies only under the conditions the maker specifies - vertical lift, specific hitch type, specific sling angle. Remove the tag and the hardware is out of service until positively identified.
Inspection and Removal Criteria
Know the difference between a pre-use inspection (visual and tactile, before every shift) and a periodic inspection (documented, at intervals set by the employer or standard, by a qualified person). Removed-from-service conditions include broken wires, severe corrosion, cracks, deformation, heat damage, missing or illegible identification tags, and any modification such as welding or shortening of a chain.
The Competent-Person Concept
Questions love to test who may do what. The rigger attaches loads; a qualified rigger is one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to solve problems relating to rigging. A competent person inspects and can authorize removal from service. Do not confuse the two roles.
Trap to Watch
A common distractor is a sling that "looks fine" but has an illegible tag - the correct answer is to remove it from service, not to estimate its capacity.
Rule of Thumb
When in doubt, derate and document: never exceed 50% of the rated capacity for an unknown-condition sling, and always verify the tag before the first pick of the day.