Maintenance, Rigging, and Attachments
What this domain covers
Maintenance, Rigging, and Attachments tests daily care, rigging selection, and inspection of hammer and lead attachments.
Maintenance and rigging
- Follow the manufacturer's lubrication, torque, and inspection intervals for the hammer, leads, pins, and wire rope.
- Inspect slings, shackles, hooks, and end fittings before each use. Remove rigging with broken wires, cuts, burns, kinks, cracked shackles, or missing safety latches.
- Match shackle and hook capacity to the load; seat the shackle pin correctly; do not side-load a hook.
- Inspect pile caps, helmets, cushions, and anvils for cracks and wear. Replace cushions before they break down and transfer shock to the pile.
- Use lockout and pressure release before working on hydraulics. Store hoses away from traffic and heat.
Worked example
A two-leg sling lifts a 6,000-lb pile with each leg at 60 degrees to horizontal. Each leg tension is 6,000 / (2 x sin 60) = about 3,464 lb, not 3,000 lb. A 5,000-lb-rated sling is acceptable for tension, but the shackle and master link must also be rated for the resultant load and the sling must be protected from pile edges.
Traps
Using a sling's vertical rating for a choked or angled lift; replacing a shackle pin with a bolt; ignoring a worn pile cushion; and working on hydraulics without releasing pressure.