Hazard Sheet 12 Lifting Operations

Lifting Operations

Typical problems
Lifting operations are high risk if they are not planned and executed properly. Typical causes of lifting failures include:
■ persons involved are not competent
■ equipment is in a poor state of repair
■ incorrect equipment being used
■ general misuse of equipment
■ lack of accurate information about the load characteristics
■ unstable ground where mobile cranes are used
■ poor weather conditions
■ poor slinging of the load
■ production pressure to get the job done on time.
Planning the lift
■ Confirm the size of the load to be lifted and identify its centre of gravity.
■ Ensure that the appropriate size of crane is obtained with a sufficient safety margin.
■ Check on competence of crane supplier and the operator, slinger and signaller to be provided.
■ Ensure that a lifting risk assessment has been carried out and has taken into account the load, ground conditions and any adjacent
structures.
■ Check on ground conditions.
■ If not suitable for the load a special base may need to be provided to position the crane and its out riggers.

Loading in
Chain Leg

Horizontal Force Horizontal Force

10 tonnes

600 mm min

Fig 1 – Safe use of Mobile Crane

Executing the lift

■ Ensure that when the crane arrives on site it has its documentation in respect of its last inspection/examination, at least
within the last 12 months.
■ Check lifting slings to be used and that they have also been inspected within the last 6 months and there is an inspection
record.
■ Check competence evidence of driver, slinger and signaller if provided.

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Signalling

LEFT RIGHT LOWER

DANGER STOP RAISE

Fig 2 – Signalling

■ Ensure that the crane is located on solid ground and that the outriggers and spreader plates are fully deployed.
■ The crane must be level and tyres correctly pressurised.
■ Crane shall be positioned so that there is a min of 600mm distance between it and any fixed structure to prevent any person
becoming trapped.
■ Check also for any overhead power lines or other structures.
■ The crane shall have a fully operational automatic safe working load indicator, and overwind protection.
■ Ensure that all unauthorised persons are kept out of the area in which the lift is being conducted.
■ Ensure that the crane hook is positioned over the centre of gravity of the load.

UNSTABLE UNSTABLE STABLE

Centre of gravity is Hook is not over Load will shift until centre Hook is over centre of gravity
higher than lift points centre of gravity of gravity is below hook

Fig 3 – Unstable Load Fig 4 – Stable Load

Slinging
Typical problems
Whilst lifting failures can occur with the use of cranes and similar lifting machines many failures arise as a result of incorrect methods or use of
slinging equipment which include:
■ Slinging operatives not trained or competent;
■ Slings and other lifting tackle not maintained and therefore not fit for purpose;
■ Lifting equipment misused or incorrectly used;
■ Poor knowledge of the load characteristics;
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Notes on Safe Working

1. All wire ropes, chains and other lifting tackle must never be overloaded and must be inspected and examined by a competent person at
least once every 6 months or earlier as determined by conditions. Useful to have a coloured tag to indicate the last time it was examined.
2. It is advisable to visually check the lifting sling before to ensure that it looks in reasonable condition i.e. it has not suffered significant
wear or damage since it was last inspected or examined.
3. Slings should always be attached correctly to the lifting equipment either by securing the ring directly onto the hook or by using a suitable
shackle, fitted so that the pin of the shackle is located on the load and the hook on the bow section.
4. When handling long or large loads suitable lines (tag lines) should be attached to enable the load to be controlled into its correct position
and also prevent it from spinning.
5. Multiple legged slings must be connected by means of a suitable ring or shackle and load correctly distributed so that no one leg is
overloaded.
6. The angle between sling legs shall not exceed 90° as the load increases substantially.
7. Wire rope slings can be affected by sharp corners which
will reduce their efficiency. Use some form of packing or
lagging to minimise this effect.
8. Avoid dragging slings along a hard floor. Loading in
Chain Leg
9. Never use a wire rope sling if it has kinks in it.
10. No lifting sling or other lifting equipment shall be used on
site unless it has a certificate that confirms its safe working
load (SWL) and there is a report of its last examination.

Horizontal Force Horizontal Force

10 tonnes

Fig 5 – Safe Working Loads

Wind strengths
Lifting operations can only be carried out when the conditions are safe to do so. The manufacturer of the carne or other lifting machine will have
specified the wind strength at which lifting should not be carried out.

Windforce Speed
Description Visible effect Speed mph
No m/sec

0 Calm Calm, smoke rises vertically 1-6 0-1

1 Light air Direction of wind shown by smoke drift, but not by weather vanes 1-8 1-2

2 Light breeze Wind felt on face. leaves rustle and wind vanes move 6.5 -11.0 2-3

Leaves and small twigs in constant motion. Wind extends light

3 Gentle breeze 13 - 19 3-5
flags

4 Moderate breeze Wind raises dust and loose paper. Small branches move. 21 - 29 5 -8
Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Little crested wavelets form on
5 Fresh breeze 30 - 38 8 - 11
inland waters.
6 Strong breeze Large branches in motion. Umbrellas used with difficulty. 40 - 50 11 - 14
Whole trees in motion. Becoming difficult to walk against the
7 Near gale 51 - 61 14 - 17
wind.
8 Gale Twigs break off trees. Progress is generally impeded 62 - 74 17 - 21

Chimney pots, slates and tiles may be blown off. Other slight
9 Strong gale 75 - 86 21 - 24
structural damage may be caused.

Table 1 - Wind Strengths

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Types of Slinging arrangements

Permitted Slings

Fig 6 – Reeving Sling Fig 10 – Cradle Sling

Lifting short lengths of tube. Lifting coils of steel strip.

Fig 7 – Halshing Sling Fig 11 – Double Wrap Slings

Method of using a single sling in place of an endless sling Note how the double wrap grips the load and helps to prevent it
where a ‘bight’ is required. from slipping sideways out of the slings
A stirrup fitted temporarily in the bight will minimise damage
to the sling.

Fig 8 – Reeving Slings Fig 12 – Cradle Slings

Lifting tubes, bars and rods. Lifting boilers and packing cases.

Fig 9 – Combination Slings Fig 13

Concrete beams, steel joists, etc. Timber, steel sheets and packing cases.

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Bad Practice

Fig 14 Fig 18

‘Hooking back’ to the leg of a sling is not recommended. A sling which has been ‘doubled’ around a shackle has a Safe
Working Load equivalent only to that of a single part of the rope.

Max 90 Degrees

Fig 15 Fig 19

Avoid using single slings in this manner. Crane hooks shall not be loaded up to the full Safe Working
Load at an angle exceeding 90 degrees since there is a risk of
spraining the hook.

Max 90 Degrees

Fig 16 Fig 20

Eyebolts are not designed to be used with a hook. Instead, use a ‘Dee’ and ‘Bow’ shackles shall not be loaded at an angle exceeding
shackle. 90 degrees.

Max 120
Degrees

Fig 17 Fig 21

When using a halshing sling or reeving sling do not force the bight Do not use a sling which contains a severe kink,
down on to the load. or with loose or damaged strands.
The included angle formed by the bight should not exceed 120
degrees.

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Gin wheels
A gin wheel is a simple lifting device often used to lift tools and small loads up to the working platform that might be on a scaffold.
■ all poles and hooks should be of suitable strength to withstand the loads
being lifted and be secured.
■ all ropes used shall fit the wheel correctly and have a safe working load Max. 750 mm
greater than the load s being lifted and should be tagged or identified
accordingly.
■ the gin wheel should be attached with proper hooks.
■ gin wheels should be suspended not more than 750mm from the outer
support.
■ hooks used for supporting materials should be safety hooks and spliced
into the rope.
■ the maximum loading should be no more than 50kg at 750mm from the Moused or
outer support. Safety hook
■ gin wheels should be subject to the usual inspection and test before use
and thereafter every 6 months.
■ if scaffolds are not available then other suitable anchorages should be
used.
■ a safety factor of 3 should be used in calculating the weight of the
counterweight.

Fig 22 – Gin Wheel Assembly

T (Tail length – metres) O (Overhang – metres)

Counterweight
(kilogrammes)

Fulcrum
W = 3 (2.5 x G x O)
T

W = weight of counterweight
G (Greatest lifted load)
T = tail length in metres
G = greatest load to be lifted
O = overhang in metres Fig 23 – Counter Balance Loading

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