DELTA heeft als doel om “veilig

werken” voor iedereen bereikbaar te

maken door trainingen te ontwikkelen
en te verzorgen op ieder niveau.

DELTA aims to make “safe working”

practices accessible to all, by
developing and providing training
packages at every level.

Praktijkgerichte opleidingen voor

operationele medewerkers en hun
leidinggevenden

Practical training for operational

personnel and their immediate
supervisors

Rigging & Slinging

Rev 1 Jun 2019

 Auteursrecht / Copyright
Niet uit deze uitgave mag worden overgeschreven, verveelvoudigd, nagedrukt, gekopieerd,
op microfilm vastgelegd, geluidstechnisch opgenomen, noch worden ingebracht in opberg- of
geheugensleutels van informatie verwerkende systemen.
Het geheel of gedeeltelijk overnemen van de toegepaste systematiek van deze uitgave is
verboden. Elke overtreder/overtreedster stelt zich bloot aan vervolging krachtens de auteurswet.

©2019 DELTA Safety Training - Rotterdam

Rev 1 Jun 2019

1 Introduction

When on an offshore mining installation crane operations are undertaken, we have to make
sure that it will be done in a safe way, therefore the people and machines involved with
these operations are trained and in a good condition.
Material handling activities have been a type of work involved within most of the industrial
operation of any scale.

The activity introduces risks and hazards that are possible to eliminate under a proper
sequence of operation, combined with sufficient technical knowledge and competences of
involved personnel.

A pre-requisite for users of this publication is the accomplishment of Rigging and Slinging.
This publication aims to help banksman during the learning process of a proper material
handling operation (specifically in lifting activities) requirements, and as well as
comprehending the safe use of riggings. A proper learning result shall cover the basic
needed competencies needed for a competent banksman in an off-shore material handling
operation.

This publication must not be in any method transmitted by any means-method or reproduced
without prior written authorized from Delta Safety Training Rotterdam.

Banksman in action

1
2
 Index

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1

2 Laws and regulations. .......................................................................................................... 7

2.1 Responsibilities.......................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Responsibilities of employers .................................................................................. 8
2.3 Responsibilities of employees ................................................................................. 8
2.4 LOLER and PUWER ................................................................................................... 8
2.5 Definitions................................................................................................................. 10

3 Safety ................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Risk assessment ....................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Risk assessment in practice .................................................................................... 12
3.3 Lift plan ...................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Cargo manifest .......................................................................................................... 15

4 Utilisation factors ............................................................................................................... 16

4.1 Symmetrical attachment ............................................................................................ 17
4.2 Utilisation factor textile webbing slings .................................................................. 18
4.3 Asymmetrical attachment ......................................................................................... 18
4.4 Exterior angle of a sling assembly ........................................................................... 19
4.5 Reduction factor at sharp edges .............................................................................. 20

5 Hoisting equipment ............................................................................................................ 21

5.1 Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 21
5.1.1 Hoisting tools............................................................................................................. 21
5.1.2 Breaking force ........................................................................................................... 21
5.1.3 Working coefficient ................................................................................................... 21
5.1.4 Working load limit ..................................................................................................... 21
5.1.5 Proof load ................................................................................................................... 22
5.1.6 Lifting equipment ...................................................................................................... 22
5.1.7 Machinery directive ................................................................................................... 22
5.1.8 Declaration and certificates ..................................................................................... 23
5.1.9 CE declaration ........................................................................................................... 23
5.1.10 Equipment certificate ................................................................................................ 24
5.1.11 User´s manual ............................................................................................................ 25
5.1.12 Identification and marking........................................................................................ 25
5.1.13 Chains and chain assemblies .................................................................................. 25
5.1.14 Storage ....................................................................................................................... 26

5.2 Chain and chain-assembly ........................................................................................... 27

5.2.1 Chain............................................................................................................................ 27
5.2.2 Chain assemblies ....................................................................................................... 27
5.2.3 Chain tackle ................................................................................................................ 28
5.2.4 Ratchet Lever Hoist .................................................................................................... 28
5.2.5 Shackles ...................................................................................................................... 28
5.2.6 Reducing of the WLL by side load............................................................................ 29
5.2.7 Wide body shackles ................................................................................................... 29
5.2.8 Shackle Bolts .............................................................................................................. 30
5.2.9 Eyebolts ....................................................................................................................... 30

5.3 Steel wire ropes ....................................................................................................................... 31

5.3.1 Materials .................................................................................................................................. 31
5.3.2 Requirements ......................................................................................................................... 31
5.3.3 Working coefficient ................................................................................................................ 31
5.3.4 Lays ......................................................................................................................................... 31
5.3.5 Type of lay ............................................................................................................................... 32
5.3.6 Regular lay .............................................................................................................................. 32
5.3.7 Lang’s lay ................................................................................................................................ 32
3
 5.3.8 Direction of lay ....................................................................................................................... 32
5.3.9 Non-rotating constructions ................................................................................................... 33

5.4 Terminations .............................................................................................................................. 33

5.4.1 Talurit ....................................................................................................................................... 34
5.4.2 Super Splice ............................................................................................................................ 35

5.5 Fabric slings ............................................................................................................................... 36

5.5.1 Woven slings .......................................................................................................................... 37
5.5.2 Single flat fabric slings .......................................................................................................... 37
5.5.3 Round Slings .......................................................................................................................... 38
5.5.4 Sling assemblies .................................................................................................................... 39
5.5.5 Color coding ........................................................................................................................... 39

5.6 Special lifting equipment .......................................................................................................... 40

5.6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 40
5.6.2 Lifting equipment ................................................................................................................... 40
5.6.3 Lifting Beams .......................................................................................................................... 40
5.6.4 Lifting Clamps......................................................................................................................... 41
5.6.5 Work platform ......................................................................................................................... 41
5.6.6 Personnel baskets .................................................................................................................. 41

5.7 Summary rejection standards of lifting tools ......................................................................... 42

5.7.1 Rejection standard ................................................................................................................. 42

6 Communications ................................................................................................................ 43
6.1.1 Hand- and arm signals ........................................................................................................... 43
6.1.2 Communication by Handheld radios .................................................................................... 44

6.2 Safety .......................................................................................................................................... 45

6.2.1 Personal protective equipment ............................................................................................. 45
6.2.2 Wind force ............................................................................................................................... 46
6.2.3 Lifting zone ............................................................................................................................. 47
6.2.4 Environment............................................................................................................................ 47
6.2.5 Man .......................................................................................................................................... 47
6.2.6 Fit for duty ............................................................................................................................... 47
6.2.7 Roles and responsibilities. .................................................................................................... 47

7 Cranes ............................................................................................................................................. 49
7.1 Machinery Directive ............................................................................................................... 49
7.2 Declarations and certification ............................................................................................... 49
7.3 Cranes in the offshore industry ............................................................................................ 50
7.4 Crane book.............................................................................................................................. 51
7.5 Crane parts ............................................................................................................................. 52
7.6 Definitions ............................................................................................................................... 53
7.6.1 Hoisting hook ........................................................................................................................ 53
7.6.2 Lifting gear ............................................................................................................................. 53
7.6.3 Lifting tackle .......................................................................................................................... 53
7.6.4 Hoisting load .......................................................................................................................... 54
7.6.5 Operational load .................................................................................................................... 54
7.6.7 Useful load ............................................................................................................................. 54
7.6.8 Lifting load cart ..................................................................................................................... 54

8 Checking – Inspection – Examination ......................................................................................... 55

8.1 Checking ................................................................................................................................. 55
8.2 Inspection ............................................................................................................................... 55
8.3 Examination ............................................................................................................................ 55
8.4 Coulor-codes .......................................................................................................................... 56
8.5 Storage rejected lifting equipment ....................................................................................... 56

9 Load weight determination ........................................................................................................... 57

4
10 Handling Offshore Containers ...................................................................................................... 59
10.1 Attaching containers................................................................................................... 60
10.2 Inspection of containers ............................................................................................. 60
10.3 Inspection for dropping objects. ............................................................................... 61

5
6
2 Laws and regulations.
The workers in the offshore and on-board of ships about working conditions under the
occupational health and Safety Law from 1 January 2007. In the Working Conditions Act of
01-01-2007 article 7 and the working conditions regulation, we find the principal regulations
for the crane driver.
In the Working Conditions Act issues regarding safety, health and welfare regulated. The aim
of this law is, to provide legislative provisions in which the safety of the employee and the
related health has to be controlled, which also looks at dealing with the General
environment. However, the Working Conditions Act is also a special law, it is a so-called
"framework law" which means that there are little specific actions are described. The
Working Conditions Act refers more to other documents, as for example to the working
conditions Decree, and health & safety policy, etc.
This makes it possible to react stay up to date by reacting technological developments
because decisions and regulations easier and quicker to adapt than a law.
In addition to the Working Conditions Act, we also have to do with, for example, the
commodities Act Decree machines in which the (Safety) requirements to which machines,
tools etc. Also, we find in the commodities Act Decree machines takes place the legislation
the verification requirements of machines and tools. However, in order to elaborate
extensively on this issue in this short training, we must keep it short.

2.1 Responsibilities
In the Working Condition Act rights and obligations for both employees and employers are
stated. The Working Conditions Act assumes that both the employer and the employee are
responsible for good working conditions. This is a joint responsibility to ensure good working
conditions in concert. The Working Condition Act states that, within reason, primarily the
employer is responsible for the prevention of incidents and accidents. Thus laying down
(provding) a legal and clear base for the prevention of incidents and accidents for all parties
involved.

Employer: anyone who let's do another labour under his authority.

Employee: anyone under the authority works. The occupational health and Safety
Ordinance no difference whether you get paid for that work.

Nowadays, there are more legal entities possible, for example, the well-known form of a self-
employed without staff also known as free-lancer. Often there is some misunderstanding
regarding what this person´s legal status is with regards to liability and accountability.

7
2.2 Responsibilities of employers
In short, Health and Safety regulatons force the employer to take measures aimed at the
safety and health of its staff. That means he:

• performs a risk analysis and adresses the posible riks;

• provides his staf with safe and well-maintained machines;
• trains and instructs his staff for the work to be carried out;
• to provides all the necessary tools and personal protective equipment its employees
and explains what risks are involved and how to mitigate them.
• supervises and checks if instructions are lived up to and adhered to..

2.3 Responsibilities of employees

Employees also have responsibilities. From an employee, it is to be expected that he will
work with caution and care. Not only cause an incident for themselves, but also to prevent
danger to others or to avoid unnecessary damage to someone else's property. This means
that employees:

• should use machine and appield protections in the proper way

• have to use PPE provided for their tasks
• to collaborate on instruction and information
• have to follow safety instructions and rules of conduct
• to report dangerous work situations.

2.4 LOLER and PUWER

In addition to the laws of the Netherlands, you can also face foreign legislation. One of the
most important laws should be considered is English law. LOLER 1998 (Lifting Operations
and Lifting Equipment Regulations) is considered the governing standard for the maritime
and offshore sector. Besides that we have to follow up on the PUWER (Provision and Use of
Working Equipment Regulation) and the L113 LOLER – ACOP (Approved Code of Practice)

What is LOLER 1998

The Regulations aim to reduce risks to people’s health and safety from
lifting equipment provided for use at work. In addition to the requirements
of LOLER, lifting equipment is also subject to the requirements of the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

8
What does LOLER do?

Generally, the Regulations require that lifting equipment provided for use at work is:

• strong and stable enough for the use and marked to indicate safe working loads;
• positioned and installed to minimize any risks;
• used safely, i.e. the work is planned, organized and performed by competent
people;
• subject to ongoing thorough examination and, where appropriate, inspection by
competent people.

What equipment is covered by the LOLER Regulations?

The definition also includes lifting accessories such as chains, slings, eyebolts etc.
If you allow employees to provide their own lifting equipment, then this too is covered by the
Regulations.

The actual depth and reach of these regulations is far bigger than we can describe here.
However, one thing is clear when we compare Dutch and English laws, the same goals are
being pursued and mitigated.

9
2.5 Definitions
As part of ISO 12480, the definitions are given in ISO 4306-1, ISO 4306-2 and ISO 4306-3
and the following definitions, apply

Appointed person: One competent person who has overall control of the crane operation
and acts on behalf of the management of the organization requiring the load to be moved
(the employing organization).

Competent person: Person who has the necessary practical and theoretical knowledge and
the necessary experience of the crane and equipment used in the hoisting operation to carry
out the function satisfactorily.

Crane driver (Operator): Person who is operating the crane for positioning loads and
erecting or dismantling the crane.

Lifting supervisor: Persons having sufficient experience and training to lead hoisting
operations in a professional manner.

Banksman: Person who can connect ore disconnected the load on the crane hook,
communicate with the crane operator and trained for his job.

Load handler: Person who connect or disconnect the load on the crane hook, controlled by
the Banksman.

Employing organization; Employer: Person or organization requiring the lifting operation to

take place.

Rated capacity: Maximum permitted load that can be lifted by the crane under conditions
specified by the manufacturer.

In service: Condition in which the crane is handling loads up to the rated capacity in
permissible wind speed and in other conditions as specified by standards and/or the
manufacturer.

Out-of-service: Condition in which the crane is out of use, without a load on the load-lifting
attachment and in conditions as specified by standards and/or the manufacturer.

Centre of gravity: Point at which the total mass of a body may be regarded as being
concentrated, or about which the parts of a body exactly balance each other.

Use: Any operation with or on the crane, e.g. transportation, erection, dismantling,
maintenance, movement of the load.

User organization: user: Competent person or organization which has direct control over
the lifting operation

(ISO 12480-1)

10
3 Safety

3.1 Risk assessment

To prevent accidents and damage, as well as near misses, it is important that an
assessment is made of the risks involved in a lifting task or maintenance activity.

The risks of lifting operations may be categorised as follows:

• the work itself:
• the location of work
• the complexity of the work
• the circumstances of the work.

Preparation is necessary before any task is commenced. The elements of preparation are:
• technical preparation or lifting plan
• practical preparation.

The following questions should be answered in the technical preparation:

• what equipment is required?
• what tools are required?
• what information is required?

The following questions should be answered in the practical preparation:

• is a satisfactory working method to be used?
• is this the safest working method?
• how much time is required to carry out this work in a safe and efficient manner?

This approach will produce a well thought out workable situation taking account of:
• safety
• health and welfare
• the environment
• efficiency.

Setting down procedures for different activities is a useful aid in ensuring that these points
are addressed.

11
3.2 Risk assessment in practice
To assess risks, you should ask yourself the following questions before starting work:

• are activities involved which could result in injuries, fire and explosion or damage?
• are the applicable rules, stipulations and protective measures understood and in place?
• is the correct personal protective equipment available and is it being used properly?

So, what does this mean in practice?

Before beginning any lifting task, you should assess the following matters:

• What is the condition of the crane and lifting equipment? Is it still safe to use them? Or is
it a question of replacement?
• What kind of material do we speak off which has to be lifted? Is it contained on the ship?
Or do you have to lift the material off or onto a provisioning vessel?
• Are there dangerous goods among the cargo?
• What is the deck loading, i.e. the mass per m²?
• What are the weather conditions? Is it only the wind that needs to be considered
(because the lift will take place entirely on the ship), or is the sea state factor to be
included because something needs to be lifted off or onto a provisioning vessel?
• How many load handlers will be required and who will control them?
• What equipment is required to lift the load in question?
• Is the operations leader (Supervisor) aware of the suitability of the lifting equipment and
the methods of communication?
• Is the lift in full view and clearly visible to the crane operator(s)? Or is it partially
performed outside the crane operator´s view? (a so called “blind” lift)

On the next page, you will find a document which will assist you in doing a safe hoisting job.
This document is a standard risk inventory. It will guide you through the hoisting operation
step-by-step. When you fill in the form properly, all risk factors should be addressed.

3.3 Lift plan

A provision of the European legislation gives the obligation to that prior to all lifting activities
that will be implemented, plans should be defined and that risk assessments should be
carried out, whereby an important improvement in terms of safety should be realized. The
level of planning and risk assessment increases as the complexity of the hoisting and lifting
activities increases. The same applies to the level of supervision.

All lifting operations include the same four process steps:

1. Act
2. Plan
3. Do
4. Check.

12
 LIFTPLAN Part 1 (to be completed by the competent person)
Installation/ship/barge/other: Location (main deck, back deck, quayside etc.):
Permit to work no: Risk Lift plan no.
assessment
no:
The weight of the load, actual of assessed (delete if not applicable):
Description of lifting operation.

Possible considerations (not exhaustive)

 weight not verified  lifting of chemicals  conflicting tasks in the area
 high centre of gravity  load on pallet requires  dynamic factors involved
securing
 stability of load  sea fastening removed  hazards to personnel in the area
 awkward size/shape/sharp  restricted headroom or  communication requirements
edges confined work area
 no dedicated lifting points on  no lifting point directly above  adequate lighting and visibility
the load the load
 no certified suspension points  appropriate and correctly  is the use of tag lines required?
for the lifting equipment installed lifting equipment Then consider personnel positioning
and accessories
The route to be travelled and laydown area
If you can't answer the following, please fill in the step-by-step ‘section yes no
1) is the route and lay down area clear of obstructions?  
2) is the laydown/landing area adequate in terms of size and load-bearing ability  
3) is suitable packing available for protection of the load, lifting equipment, slings etc.  
4) are barriers positioned to prevent access by unauthorised personnel?  
5) have you confirmed that the laydown area is within the operation limits/radius of the equipment  
6) are environmental conditions been considered with regards to the safety of the lifting operation?  
7) will the lifting equipment operator be able to see the Banksman throughout the operation, or has
another suitable, risk-assessed means of communication been checked and made
available (e.g. radios)?  
7) are there hazardous process plant or materials in the area?  
Step-by-step details of the lifting operation Person responsible

13
LIFT PLAN part 2 (to be completed by the competent person)
sketch with details regarding the rigging of the lifting equipment and lifting
accessories

Lifting equipment and lifting accessories to be used. Specify type and SWL

Debrief and learning points. Did the lifting operation go as planned or are changes to the lift plan
require changes?

Competent person Print name: Signature: Date:

14
3.4 Cargo manifest

Before we can start unloading a supply boat it is use full to know what is coming our way.
The “MatCo” (Material Coordinator Offshore) knows exactly what is coming to the platform,
he can arrange a cargo manifest even before the boot arrives.
First we want to know the weights of the cargo, and secondly are there dangerous goods to
unload or load.

Cargo (containers) whit a weight greater than 4,5 ton are recognizable by
a heavy load sticker on the top sling of the container. This allows you to
determine, together with the crane operator, the order of discharging or
loading of the supply boat.

15
Notice

16
4 Utilisation factors
The permitted WLL of a chain, wire rope and textile sling assemblies always depend on:
• the method of attachment
• the number of parts
• the exterior angles
• the strength of each individual part
• symmetrical or asymmetrical distribution of the load.

The symmetrical or asymmetrical distribution of the load has consequences for the working
load on the lifting gear. Where the load is distributed asymmetrically, a lower working load
limit is assumed. Asymmetry in a load is revealed through the large differences in the angles
of the legs from the perpendicular.
If the working load limit is calculated according to the tables, you should multiply the
utilisation factor by the strength of the single parts.

4.1 Symmetrical attachment

Working load limits applying to symmetrical load attachments.

Working load limits applying to steel wire slings, symmetrically attached.

17
4.2 Utilisation factor textile webbing slings

Working load limits applying for use webbing slings

4.3 Asymmetrical attachment

If a load is attached asymmetrically, meaning that the length of the legs are not equal, then
we need to apply another working load table.

Working load limits applying to asymmetrical load attachments.

This table quickly reveals that the advantages of a favourable exterior angle (ß-angle) which
may be applied for a symmetrical attachment, does not apply here.

18
4.4 Exterior angle of a sling assembly

L ½L

The height of a triangle with this included angle at the top is half of the hypotenuse.

Excluded Length of the Distance Included

angle sling attaching points angle

60° 1,7 x L L 120°

45° 1,4 x L L 90°

30° 1xL L 60°

A relationship between distance attaching points and the length of the slings

19
 The exterior angle of a sling assembly may not exceed
60°. If the angle does exceed 60°, then the forces on the
sling become unacceptably large. The illustration shows
what happens as the exterior angle changes:

• consider a load of 100 kg: with two slings loaded

purely in the vertical direction, the force on each sling
is 50 kg
• with an included angle of 120°, the force in each leg
has already increased to 100 kg.
• at 150°, the force has increased up to 194 kg.

This shows that the exterior angle told you actually more
than the internal angle. In summary, we can say that
when the internal angle 120° is, the exterior angle so
must not exceed 60°.

4.5 Reduction factor at sharp edges

Reduction by steel wire ropes D over d.

Reduction by steel wire ropes, chain and webbing slings

A solution could be

20
5 Hoisting equipment
5.1 Definitions

5.1.1 Hoisting tools

Previously we have already talked about hoisting tools. This is the connection medium which
is used between the lifting hook of the crane and the load which we want to move. Hoisting
equipment may differ in material, we know for example chain work, steel rope wire slings,
textile slings and special lifting equipment, we will address these subjects later. But first, we
need to recognize several concepts, such as;

5.1.2 Breaking force

The force at which fracture occurs; do you call breaking force. There is a difference between
the calculated breaking force and the actual breaking force. The calculated breaking force is
the theoretical value at which the lifting tools are likely to succumb. The actual
circumstances in day to day lifting activities that lead to possible failure of the lifting tools, we
call the actual breaking force. The unit of the breaking force is N. (Newton)

5.1.3 Working coefficient

You should, of course, never overload lifting tools to a point where they break or fail. You
should have a wide safety margin. The ratio between the breaking strength and the
maximum working load limit of a lifting tool we call the usage factor or so called working
coefficient. A working coefficient of 5 means, that the WLL does not exceed 1/5 of the
breaking force. Because the WLL is a mass, it is expressed in Newton's.
How big the number of working coefficients is depending on the type of tool and sometimes
the WLL.
The working coefficient of a chain and chain assemblies is in General: 4.
The working coefficient of steel wire ropes is in General: 5.
The working coefficient of a webbing sling is in General: 7.
The working coefficient of special hoisting tools is in General: 4.
In the next chapters, we will elaborate.

5.1.4 Working load limit

Lifting equipment has a certain working load limit (WLL). If you exceed the permissible load,
there is a possibility that the lifting tool breaks. The maximum permissible load you may hoist
you call working load limit. With the latter we mean the payload, the mass that remains after
subtraction of the mass of the lifting tools, crane hook or the lifting cable. To measure the
WLL you use kilograms (kg) or tonnes (t). In the maritime world the term SWL is also still in
use, this means Safe Working Load and has the same meaning as WLL.

21
5.1.5 Proof load

The proof load (PL) is the force at which the lifting tools, are tested. Testing is required to
ensure that a hoisting tool can do the job safely. The testing is done on a test stand or with a
test weight. The unity of the PL is kN. The test load value is stated on the corresponding
certificate of the appropriate lifting tools.

For fixed crane these values are as follows:

WLL < 20-ton test load : 125% of the WLL

WLL 20 to 50 tons : + 5-ton test load WLL
WLL > 50-ton test load : 110%

(Source NEN-EN-2024 / NEN-EN-292-3, ILO and Lloyds Regulations)

5.1.6 Lifting equipment

All newly delivered lifting equipment must be outfitted with certain safety requirements
according to the latest standards. In practice, safety must be guaranteed. Therefore, you
must perform regular maintenance, inspections on lifting equipment. We discuss, in the
following order:

• machinery directive
• statements and certificates
• user’s manual
• identification and marks
• chain assemblies
• storage
• checks, inspection and testing
• maintenance
• lifting tools

5.1.7 Machinery directive

To promote the safety of machines, producers are required to meet certain minimum
requirements. These requirements are stated in the machinery directive take effect from the
1st of January 1995. The most current version is called 2006/42/EC and has taken effect the
29st of December 2009. Machines that meet these guidelines get a CE mark. The letters CE
stand for the French words "Conformité Européenne", which means European uniformity or
European similarity.

CE-logo

22
 The machinery directive states the requirements for safety, environmental and health
protection. For example, the requirements for design, safety devices, checks, maintenance
and operating manual. Lifting equipment is covered by the machinery directive and is
equated with machines. They must, therefore, comply with the requirements of the
machinery directive to machinery.

On lifting, tools must be a CE mark

5.1.8 Declaration and certificates

In the machinery directive mentions that for specific products an EC declaration of
conformity is required. This statement shows to which guidelines and standards the product
complies. There are several declarations of conformity, tailored to the category of machinery
for which they were intended. For lifting tools, the IIA-declaration often addressed as CE
Declaration.

Manufacturers often use their own certificates. This dates from the time that for each
hoisting tool a certified certificate was required.

5.1.9 CE declaration

On the certificate is stated what type of EC declaration of conformity applies. For lifting tools
this is also known as the 2A (IIA)-declaration. Furthermore, a product description and the
working load limit. The certificates are often combined with test certificates. Certificates
should always be present at the workplace during the work

The Declaration of conformity must be present whit lifting equipment.

23
5.1.10 Equipment certificate

All lifting equipment must have a certificate.

24
5.1.11 User´s manual

Lifting equipment also need a user’s manual. The manual gives at least the following
information:

• normal terms of use,

• instructions for use, assembly and maintenance
• rejection measures.

Suppliers are required to provide instructions in the language of the country where the lifting
tools are delivered. Suppliers should provide those instructions of hoisting equipment in a
catalogue.

5.1.12 Identification and marking

Hoisting equipment must be identifiable. The tool or equipment must be marked with the
following information:

• name of the manufacturer

• registration number.

Usually, the information is on the lifting equipment itself. If that is not possible, it's on a tag
plate. This tag-plate is firmly attached to the tool. The information must be clearly legible
and so fitted that the information may not weaken the lifting equipment. Next to the name of
the manufacturer and the registration number you'll find more details about the lifting
equipment, for example:

• working load (WLL)

• date of manufacture or the last examination date
• CE marking
• Own mass (if 100 kg or more).

5.1.13 Chains and chain assemblies

On chains and chain assemblies the mark of the manufacturer and the material quality or
grade class should also be mentioned. On chains this data should be punched in at least
once per meter. On chain slings and chain assemblies this data should be punched in on at
least one master link.

Type plate (tag-plate) for lifting tools.

25
5.1.14 Storage

The service life of lifting equipment will be reduced if they come into contact with a lot of
pollution and moisture. Therefore, the equipment should be stored in a dry, and well-
ventilated storage space, free from aggressive vapours and liquids. In a hoisting-locker, you
should store lifting equipment in an orderly way. You make a subdivision in:

• chain assemblies
• steel wire ropes,
• nylon slings and ropes
• lifting blocks and rope sheaves
• special lifting tools.

The storage protects your ropes and textile webbing slings from direct sunlight. Sunlight
contains UV-radiation that causes ageing. Wet ropes should never be dried in direct
sunlight.

Storage in the open air should avoided as much as possible. However, if it is unavoidable,
ensure that the lifting equipment remains dry. Cover them with a tarpaulin.

Storage of lifting tools

26
5.2 Chain and chain-assembly
For lifting operations, we should only use short link chains. The long link chains should never
be used for lifting purposes. The explanation for this is simple, the long link chain will
damage much more during the use of a short link chain.

The upper chain is a long link chain, the bottom is a short link chain.

You may therefore only use a short link chain lifting chain. The links of these chains are
short and strong. Long link chains are lighter and cheaper than short link chains, you see
them often used for lashing of loads on board of ships or trucks

5.2.1 Chain
Lifting chains have the following dimensions in relation to the
material thickness (d).

internal link length (pitch) 2.75 to 3 times d

internal link width 1.25 to 1, 5 times d

Dimensions of links have fixed ratios.

5.2.2 Chain assemblies

Chain assemblies are parts fixed to each other as links, rings and hooks. All parts are made
of the same material. Of course, these assemblies often have specific names, as in technical
jargon;

Chain sling Double chain sling Triple chain sling Quad chain sling
(Single leg) (Two-leg) (Three-leg) (Four-leg)

27
5.2.3 Chain tackle

Chain tackles are not only used to do hoisting work. They are also used when
an irregular part has to be hoisted. When it is not possible to get the slings on
the right length you can use a chain tackle. Make sure the tackle has the right
colour code and is undamaged.

5.2.4 Ratchet Lever Hoist

The simplest model of a hand chain hoist or, Ratchet Lever Chain Hoist

The feature of this hoist equipment is that it has a separate manually

operated part and a hoisting part. Both parts are coupled to each other
through mechanical transmission. A small (human) force is transformed
into a large hoisting force through this transmission.

Please pay attention: Not every Ratchet is suitable for hoisting work. They are only suitable
for hoisting work when the manufacturer specifically indicates this in his user’s manual.

5.2.5 Shackles

Shackles are brackets that you use to an attach chain or rope to an object. The bracket is
conducted with a bolt so that the chain or rope is locked. There are two types:

• D-shackles according to EN-13889

• Anchor- or bow-shackles according to EN-13889

Shackles come in different forms and can be made of different materials.

Anchor or bow shackle. D-shackle,

28
 D-shackles used to connect single-lifting equipment together. Bow shackles are used to
connect two or more lifting equipment together. Because of their shape bow shackles give
more space to the lifting equipment so that they are not on top of each other. An example of
an application is two chains which you attach to a bow shackle.

Anchor or bow shackle can be used under an angle D-shackles may never be used in this way

5.2.6 Reducing of the WLL by side load

Side loads should be avoided, as the products are not designed for this purpose. If side
loads cannot be avoided, the WLL of the shackle must be reduced:

5.2.7 Wide body shackles

Sometimes it may be necessary, especially in the heavy work, to use

a "wide-body shackle". This shackle has a die-cut bracket which will
damage the steel wire rope less quickly, because of the larger radius
of the bracket.

Wide-body shackle

29
5.2.8 Shackle Bolts

Shackles are different types of bolts.

1 eye bolt with collar,

2 countersunk bolt,
3 eye bolt,
4 bolt, nut and safety pin.

Shackles with an eyebolt are used for connections that you often must loosen. Bolts with a
countersunk head are meant for places where the head can be stuck. Shackles with a bolt,
nut, split pin do you use especially when it is difficult to determine if a bolt is completely
wound in. Secured with a split pin has the advantage that the nut cannot loosen
unintentionally.

5.2.9 Eyebolts

Eyebolts may for example be used to lift an electromotor. Electromotors have a threaded
hole above into which an eyebolt may be screwed. The threaded hole is provided above the
centre of gravity, so that the motor will keep hanging straight during the lift.

Eyebolt Eyenut Rotating eye bolt from RUD

The maximal angle for eyebolts ore – nuts is 45°.

30
5.3 Steel wire ropes

5.3.1 Materials

Steel Wire ropes must meet many requirements, that’s why they are made from high-quality
steel. The steel contains little phosphorus, sulphur or other contaminants and has a regular
structure. The alloy manganese is used to increases the wear. Wire ropes are made up of
steel wires drawn through a drawing plate. Then the wires are bundled and then turned into
each other. A large number of wires makes wire ropes so flexible that they bend easily and
on wheels or drums. We look at some requirements the steel cables must meet and how to
protect them against corrosion.

5.3.2 Requirements

Wire ropes for slings must resist:

• high temperatures
• acids
• high pressures
• corrosion
• rough treatment

Steel wire ropes have been developed to meet specific requirements in a wide range of
applications.

5.3.3 Working coefficient

The working coefficient applied to steel wire ropes is the relationship between the actual
breaking load and the Working Load Limit of the equipment. Steel wire ropes for lifting slings
with a WLL up to 25 tonnes have a working coefficient of 5. With a higher WLL a working
coefficient of 4 applies.

When we are using a steel wire rope as hoisting rope with a crane, then the working
coefficient is put on 6.

5.3.4 Lays
In describing wire ropes a distinction is made between the type of lay, the direction of lay
and pitch (or length of lay). We will discuss these concepts individually below. We will also
look at preformed ropes and a non-rotation construction.

31
5.3.5 Type of lay

The strands of wire ropes can be twisted into a rope in the following ways:

• regular lay
• Lang’s lay.

5.3.6 Regular lay

Wire ropes with a regular lay are most common. In the regular lay, the direction of lay of the
individual wires is to the opposite of the strands in the rope. Regular lay ropes are less
inclined to unwind. Only regular lay ropes are used for lifting slings.

In the regular lay, the direction of lay of the wires is to the opposite of the strands.

5.3.7 Lang’s lay

The Lang’s lay is named after its inventor, the Englishman Mister Lang. In the Lang’s lay the
wires and the strands are laid in the same direction.

In the Lang’s lay, the direction of lay of the individual wires is the same as that of the strands.

Wire ropes made using Lang's lay are suppler and less sensitive to wear than regular lay
ropes. Their disadvantage is the tendency to unwind. This can be seen when a free load is
taken up and begins to spin. Lang's lay wire ropes are therefore only suitable for guided
loads, for example, counterweights, lifts and rammers. They are not used for lifting slings.

5.3.8 Direction of lay

The direction of lay refers to the way the strands are

twisted together. The strands turn to the left in a left-hand
lay and to the right in a right-hand lay. The right-hand lay
is most common.

32
5.3.9 Non-rotating constructions

Non-rotating wire ropes consist of two or more layers of strands around a fibre or steel core.
The inner layer or layers are laid opposite to the outer layer. When such wire ropes are
loaded, the outer layer tends to open (lengthen) and the inner layers tend to close (shorten).
Under load, a certain balance is achieved between the inner and outer layer. When
equilibrium is reached the internal rotation of the rope ceases. A non-rotating construction
has a higher working coefficient factor, most of the time it will be 6.

Source Verotop

The construction of a non-rotating rope consists of layers laid in opposite directions.

5.4 Terminations

Steel wire rope assemblies, like chain assemblies, are made on length and supplied with the
necessary accessories. To attach loads to wire rope assemblies they must be fitted with
hooks, eyes, thimbles and so on. This is achieved with the use of terminations. Two groups
of these are distinguished:

• permanent
• temporary.

Temporary terminations may not be used in lifting or mooring. The permanent terminations
used in steel wire rope assemblies will be discussed here. Two types of permanent
terminations exist:

• Talurit
• Super Splice.

Permanent terminations may only be prepared by competent persons. We will look at the
poured socket and the swaged socket, and finally, we will look briefly at one form of
temporary termination, the wedge socket.

33
5.4.1 Talurit

A Talurit connection provides an eye without splicing. A light metal tube is pressed onto the
rope after the eye has been formed.

Eye using Talurit connection.

It fits tightly over the cable and the dead end. The end of the cable is cut off with an electric
cutting machine. The wires fuse together during the cut and the rope cannot therefore
unwind. The rope is passed through the clamp, the eye is formed, and the dead end is
passed back through the clamp. The dead end should protrude slightly from the clamp to
ensure that it is clamped over its full length. The hard, burned-off part is also better placed
outside the clamp as this part of the rope is less easily compressed. A thimble is often used
to prevent the bend in the eye becoming excessive.

Talurit connection before and after compression.

A disadvantage of the Talurit connection is that the force of the clamped part is not along the
centreline of the rope but a little to one side. This reduces the strength of the connection. A
Talurit connection reduces the breaking load of the cable by 10%.
Talurit connections may only be loaded in line with the axis of the rope. They are not suitable
for bending forces as there is a high risk of them opening. So be careful with slings and
make sure the terminations are not bent around round sections and corners. Talurit
connections are not resistant to rough handling.

Two errors;
1

1 Shackle mounted upside down, and

2 2 Talurit clamp loaded on bending.

34
5.4.2 Super Splice
The Super Splice or Super loop connection closely resembles a Talurit connection.
However, the clamp here is made from steel and the eye is prepared in a special way. The
clamp is first slid onto the cable. Half of the rope strands are then unwound from the other
half along a prescribed length. One half is then formed into an eye along with the rope core.
The other strands are then wound around the eye in the opposite direction so that all the
spaces between the strands are filled. This termination is called a Flemish eye. Finally, the
clamp is pressed around the base of the eye.

Super Splice with a thimble.

The way of making of a Super Splice

The breaking load of a Flemish eye without the compression clamp is only 35% of the rope’s
breaking load. A Flemish eye may therefore only be used with a clamp. When the clamp is
used, the breaking load is equivalent to that of the cable.

35
5.5 Textile slings

Chain and wire rope slings are heavy and can damage loads, and so textile slings from man-
made fibres are becoming increasingly common. Textile slings are light but still strong. They
may be made from;

polyester (PES), recognizable by a blue label ( is most common.)

polyamide (PA), recognizable by a green label
polypropylene (PP), recognizable by a brown label
Dyneema (HDPE). recognizable by a red label

A blue label of a polyester fabric sling

Textile slings are strong, but you can’t always tell if they have been weakened during use.
A working coefficient factor of 7 is therefore applied.

The colour of the label clearly says nothing about the WLL of the textile sling, but only about
the material from which it was created. This means that the materials are resistant against
different chemicals, such as;

The resistance of fabric slings made from:

Substance Blue Green Brown
Polyester polyamide polypropylene
Battery acid Good Poor Very good
Hydrochloric acid Good Poor Very good
Rust remover Good Reasonable Very good
Caustic soda Reasonable Good Very good
Liquid bleach Very good Good Very good
Creosote/crude Good None Very good
oil
Phenols crude Good Reasonable Good
tar
Diesel oil Good Good Good
Synthetic Good Good Good
detergents
Chlorinated Good Reasonable Poor
solvents:
Trichloroethylene
Other organic Good Good Good
solvents

Applicability of the different types of slings.

36
5.5.1 Woven slings

Many textile slings are woven. Weaving the man-made fibres provides strength. Woven
lifting slings are called flat slings. There are two types, single and double and we will discuss
each of these now.

5.5.2 Single flat fabric slings

A single flat textile sling consists of a single woven layer. These slings are available in
widths of 30 mm upwards. The method of weaving prevents lateral tearing.

This single pattern has two ends with eyes or connectors. Flat endless slings are also found.

Flat fabric slings flat, endless sling

The eyes are often reinforced with leather and have a prescribed internal dimension. The
seams at the eyes are stitched with threads of the same man-made fibre material as the
sling. The ends of the sling are trimmed and fused together. This prevents the ends
unravelling.

The eyes may be flat or twisted. Twisted eyes are covered on both sides and either side
can, therefore, be used, increasing durability. The eyes may be doubled over, folded in half
or to 1/3 of the breadth, with the advantage that the eye now presents a greater bearing
surface to the crane hook.

37
5.5.3 Round Slings

In round slings, the man-made fibres are formed into endless strands. A Round-sling
consists of numerous parallel endless strands side by side within a woven protective sleeve.
The sleeve protects the strands and keeps them together. It has no effect on the strength of
the sling.

A Round-sling has a woven polyester sleeve.

The sleeve must be a little longer than the sling itself since the fibres extend a little under
load and an excessive force would otherwise be placed upon a short sleeve. The stitching
would give way and the fibres would be exposed. A sling in that condition must no longer be
used.

Round slings with protective slave

38
5.5.4 Sling assemblies

Round endless textile lifting slings can also be used as components in sling assemblies. A
plastic sleeve is fitted to the sling, short enough to create eyes at the ends. The eyes are
used to attach connecting links. Master links or hooks may then be attached. This assembly
can then be used as a single leg sling or as part of a two-leg or four-leg sling. Sling
assemblies are sometimes known as sling combinations.

A four-leg fabric sling, made up of two round endless slings, connecting links, hooks and a master link.

The metalwork in such assemblies must be made of steel which is not sensitive to ageing.
The links and hooks are generally made from refined alloy steel of strength class T.

5.5.5 Colour coding

Fabric lifting slings have a colour coding which indicates the WWL. These codes are set
down in a European standard. Some manufacturers have adopted their own systems, which
makes it unsafe to rely entirely on the colour code. It is better to check the details on the
label. The following table shows the standardised colour coding.

purple
green
yellow
grey
red
brown
blue
orange : 10 ton > more

39
5.6 Special lifting equipment

5.6.1 Introduction

A load may secure to the crane hook in a variety of ways, and the chosen method depends
upon the circumstances of the lift. For one-off lift, you will use the available slings, chains,
wire ropes and assemblies. But if the same types of load are lifted regularly, special lifting
equipment may be introduced. The costs are quickly recovered as you work with improved
efficiency as well as safety.

5.6.2 Lifting equipment

Special lifting equipment is taken to include the following:

• lifting beams
• lifting clamps
• special lifting hooks
• work platforms

5.6.3 Lifting Beams

A lifting beam allows a large number of items to be lifted at the same time. Lifting beams can
save a lot of time. There are various patterns, including for example a beam for lifting upright
drums. These are not used offshore. Lifting beams are sometimes called spreaders or
levellers.

A lifting beam, spreader or leveller.

40
5.6.4 Lifting Clamps
This hoisting equipment makes it possible to lift a load on the base of a clamping
mechanism. The more weight is lifted, the more clamping force is developed.

5.6.5 Work platform

If we have to work on height regularly, we will use a work platform, but

this is only allowed if you can do it on no another way with example a
ladder, scaffold or cherry picker.
If you nevertheless decide to do the work with a work platform, this
may not take longer than 4 hours.
The crane operator must also have inspected the hoisting cable in the
last 3 months. And he has to reduces the capacity down to 25% of the
original capacity by a mobile crane. If the crane is a fixed crane like an
offshore crane is, than he has to reduces the capacity down to 75%.

The work platform self has to be exanimated every year.

The rules for hoisting people you can find them in the Working Conditions Act art: 7.18b
and 7.23d

And the crane has to be certificated to make “man raiding” hoist, that means the crane has
a second brake on the hoist drum

5.6.6 Personnel baskets

The applicable legislation requires that personnel baskets may be used exclusively for the
transport of persons and their hand luggage.

Personnel basket or Billy Pugh “Froge”

The “FROGE”, here the transferred persons can be sit-down and they get protection around
the seat position.

41
5.7 Summary rejection standards of lifting tools

5.7.1 Rejection standard

General;
• W.L.L. and/or marks are missing or not readable,
• Inspection date > 1 year,
• no certificate presents
• there is no user’s manual
• no CE-declaration available

Chain assemblies must be rejected if:

• Testing date > 4 years, (maritime 5 years)
• deformation or damage,
• wear more than 10% of the material thickness,
• there sintering caused by rust,
• the chain assembly is not complete according to the certificate,
• the safety latch does not work properly or is missing.

Textile sling must be rejected if:

• the sling is discoloured, turned into grey,
• the stitching of the protective cover is loose, (sling is overloaded)
• the treads are turned,
• the sling is tied,
• the sling is worn and is heavily polluted,
• the slings have been in contact with chemicals.

Steel wire ropes must be rejected if:

• there are broken wires,
(more than 10% at a measurement distance of 30 times the diameter)
• there are wear and tear (40% of the diameter of the thin wires),
• the diameter of the cable has a reduction of more than 10%
• there sintering caused by rust,
• there are kinks or major damage.

* Hoist equipment must be inspected for defects each year (more often if needed) by an
expert. If the manufacturer uses other terms, this should be followed.

42
6 Communications
6.1.1 Hand- and arm signals
Communications mean the exchange of information. The intention is to make something
clear to another person so that they act in accordance with instructions. Arm and hand
signals are helpful in giving instructions. Governmental agencies and training organisations
do publish suggested hand and arm signals, but there are no mandatory rules. Where
companies have good systems of their own, these will be accepted by safety inspectors.
Hand and arm signals commonly used in the maritime world are shown below.

Standards British hand signals

To anticipate on confusion of the operator, a banksman must wear bright coloured clothing
or a special coloured helmet to be easily recognized by the operator.

43
6.1.2 Communication by handheld radios
The following conditions apply to the use of these hand and arm signals:

• the Banksman can see the load;

• the Banksman can see the crane operator;
• the crane operator can see the Banksman.
• the arms must be kept at a clear distance from the body
• do not wear gloves when you are giving signals
• the Banksman chooses a position in which he does not bring himself in a dangerous
situation, keep your back free.

Speak to one another with the call sign, speak clearly and concisely.

If these conditions cannot be met, a handheld radio must be used. To prevent confusion
among other users of handheld radios, it must be clear who the message is intended for.
You can do this by calling each other’s names. In the case of hazardous lifting operations
outside the view of the crane operator, the Banksman must remain in continuous contact
with the crane operator.

The most used direction instructions could be for example:

On board of a ship On an offshore installation:

- Front side - Go to the accommodation
- Starboard side - Go to the lifeboats
- Port side - Go to the compressor deck
- Stern or aft side - etc.

Do not use indication such as right, left, etc..

44
6.2 Safety

6.2.1 Personal protective equipment

It is self-evident that approved head protection should be worn during lifting operations.

A helmet is always worn during hoisting operations, as it is a steel construction with a risk of
head injury.

The use of work gloves is necessary when working with lifting tackle.

Safety footwear is necessary to protect the feet against falling objects, impacts etc.

Hearing protection is required if the noise level is above 80 dB(A).

45
6.2.2 Wind force
In the wind force table, the first column shows the Beaufort scale, the second column shows
the average value in nautical mph. 1 nautical mile per hour = 1 knot = 1852 metres per hour.
The third column gives the highest value, the fourth gives the average value in m/s and
column five shows the highest value in m/s. The remaining columns show the different
descriptions in various European languages.

46
6.2.3 Lifting zone
The zone of operation should be clearly demarcated to inform and prevent persons who are
not involved in the lifting operation from entering the zone unintentionally. In addition to that,
other measures should also be taken to prevent any person from walking under the
suspended load. Such measures include deployment of more signalmen to guide the load or
installing an audible alarm to warn workers about the on-going lifting operation.

6.2.4 Environment
Weather conditions such as heavy rain, haze or glaze will impact the visibility of the lifting
crew. Other weather conditions that can impact the stability and safety of the lifting
operations include strong winds, thunderstorms or lightning situation. It is also important to
remember that wind speed is stronger at higher ground. During the planning of any lifting
operation, the anticipated wind speed at the site must be taken into consideration and refer
to the crane manufacturer operation manual for the wind speed limit. It is advisable to stop
all lifting operations when the weather condition deteriorates.

6.2.5 Man
Investigations into past accidents showed that human error is
the most common cause of accidents involving lifting
operations. Therefore, it is important that every single member
of the lifting crew (operator, rigger, signalman and lifting
supervisor) is adequately trained and competent to carry out his
duties properly. They must also be fully conversant with the
actual lifting procedures applicable to the lifting operation and not just the generic
procedures.

6.2.6 Fit for duty

Besides the prerequisite for competency (i.e. ability to read load capacity
charts), the fitness of the personnel, preexisting medical conditions or
number of working hours that can adversely affect his ability to discharge
his duties must also be considered.

6.2.7 Roles and responsibilities.

The roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the lifting operations must be clear.
There must be proper leadership within the lifting crew so that instructions are relayed
appropriately. In addition, all personnel ARE empowered to INTERVENE and stop the
activity if the operation is or has become unsafe.

47
Notice

48
7 Cranes
7.1 Machinery Directive
Manufacturers are required to meet certain minimum requirements to promote the safety of
machinery. These requirements are set down in the Machinery Directive which came into
force on 1 January 1995. Machines which meet the requirements are given a CE mark. The
letters CE stand for the French “Conformité Européenne”, meaning “European Conformity”.
Machines that satisfy the Directive are provided with a CE sticker.

The Machinery Directive includes requirements relating to the preservation of safety, health
and the environment. They cover for example design, guarding, controls, maintenance and
operating manuals. Lifting equipment falls under the Machinery Directive and is treated in a
similar way to machinery. It must, therefore, meet the requirements set down for machinery.

7.2 Declarations and certification

The Machinery Directive states that an EC declaration of conformity is required for some
products. This declaration will show which directives and standards the product complies
with. There are various declarations of conformity to suit the category of machine involved.
We will not go further into this here. For lifting equipment, the appropriate declaration is II-A.
This displays the same serial number as that applied to the equipment. Declarations of
conformity must always be available for inspection during the work.

The declaration of conformity must be kept with the lifting equipment

49
7.3 Cranes in the offshore industry

Pedestal lattice boom crane.

Pedestal fixed boom crane

50
7.4 Crane book

On every crane, with a load moment of more than 10 tm, there should be a crane book
present. In this crane book all tests, inspections and major repairs are recorded. Also, the
quarterly hoisting rope inspection must be recorded in the crane log book.

51
7.5 Crane parts

Crane parts of the Kenz Offshore crane

1. pedestal 11. aux. mast

2. cabin 12. hydro oil tank
3. engine room 13. guy ropes
4. A-frame 14. guide pulley
5. jib stops 15. sheave assembly
6. radius indicator 16. aircraft warning lights
7. main hoist winch 17. block storage
8. aux. hoist winch 18. aux. hoist
9. jib 19. main hoisting rope
10. jib guide 20. main block

52
7.6 Definitions

1. Hoisting load = Lifting gear + Operational load

2. Lifting gear = Hoist rope + Crane block and hook
3. Operational load = Lifting tackle + Useful load
4. Lifting tackle = Hoisting equipment ( steel wire ropes, chains, sling, etc)
5. Useful load = The load himself without anything

7.6.1 Hoisting hook

Both single and double hooks are used for the attachment of loads.

7.6.2 Lifting gear

Lifting gear means the items needed to raise the operational load, these consist of the hook
and crane block and the suspended part of the rope. You can say anything that is hanging
on the boom top including the crane hook is the lifting gear.

Lifting gear = hoist rope + crane hook

7.6.3 Lifting tackle

Lifting tackle is the equipment to connect the useful load to the crane hook. This can include
slings, chains, levellers and or lifting beams. Some times we call it hoisting equipment.

Lifting tackle = al the equipment necessary to connect the load onto the crane hook

53
7.6.4 Hoisting load
Hoisting load is the total weight what is hanging on top of the boom. It's the total of lifting
gear plus the operational load

Hoisting load = lifting gear + operational load

7.6.5 Operational load

The operational load is the combination of the useful load and the lifting tackle.

Operational load = useful load + lifting tackle

7.6.7 Useful load

The useful load is the maximum load that can be lifted, minus the lifting tackle.

7.6.8 Lifting load cart

Liebherr CBO 3100-25 EH Load chart for main- and Auxiliary hoist

With any crane, there must be a lifting load chart present, so the crane operator can make
his decision to start a safe lift. This load chart tells him what the lifting capacity of the crane
is by a certain radius.

54
8 Checking – Inspection – Examination
8.1 Checking
Checking of lifting equipment takes place prior to the lifting operations, this check is
performed by the "user". The user check is done at the user's level. That means you must
look at;

• readability of the data,

• working load limit,
• applicability of the lifting tools,
• (severe) damage

8.2 Inspection
Inspections are performed at least once a year by a competent person designated by the
employer. This person will need to have training which has brought him above user-level.
This can be an employee of the employer.

The inspection of lifting equipment requires thorough knowledge. Management of the in-
spections and maintenance, on to a responsible person. He checks the lifting equipment on:

• breakage,
• wear,
• hairline cracks (using a detection/penetration fluid),
• corrosion,
• damage,
• deformation,
• functional testing.

8.3 Examination
Examination of lifting equipment used to take place every 4 years, with the maritime sector
had an exception. There was a period of 4 + 1 year used. This meant in practice that
examination of the cranes and lifting equipment done at the same time with the surveying of
the ship.

This period is no longer applied with the introduction of the CE marking. The legislator has a
more logical solution given by stating that lifting equipment "as many times should be
examined and (possibly) be tested, this to ensure a proper functioning". This period should
be determined together with the manufacturer and strongly depends on the frequency and
load intensity of this lifting tool. For one user this will be for a period of 6 years and possibly
for another user may be a period of only 2 years.

Also, there are hoisting equipment’s which by law must be offered on a shorter period for
examination, these are:

• clamping hoisting equipment,

• vacuum lifting tools,
• magnetic lifting equipment,
• man baskets.

55
8.4 Colour-codes
Hoisting tools must be marked with a colour code. In the Maritime sector is this colour code
established by the IMO, the International Maritime Organization. Also, National inspection
companies use this colour code. The colour code is with paint or coloured sticker affixed to
the lifting tool and is as follows:

IMO colour code

Orange (Red) 2013 2019

Black 2014 2020
Green 2015 2021
Brown 2016 2022
Blue 2017 2023
Yellow 2018 etc.

The "Year colour" Orange is Orange since 2019, before that the colour in 2007 was namely
Red, this gave frequent confusion because red disapproving often for rejection.

Netherlands (IMO) United Kingdom (1/2 Year) Norway (Norsok)

Year Yearly Half yearly Yearly

2016 Brown Blue Yellow Blue

2017 Blue Green Blue Red
2018 Yellow Yellow Green Yellow
2019 Red Blue Yellow Green
2020 Back Green Blue Blue
2021 Green Yellow Green Red
2022 Brown Blue Yellow Yellow
2023 Blue Green Blue Green
2024 Yellow Yellow Green Blue

Some countries use a semi-annual inspection period. If this is the case, they use the
diagram as shown

8.5 Storage rejected lifting equipment

Rejected lifting equipment must be decommissioned. It will be
clear that a disapproved webbing sling will be destroyed and
afterwards put in a waste container. However, a chain assembly
can potentially still be repaired. However, these should be taking
(temporarily) out of use.
This should take place by means of the lifting tools to mark with a
label or to keep him in a confined space, the so-called quarantine.

This method of storage will not prevent illegal use.

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9 Load weight determination

In situations where the load weight is unknown, a banksman must be able to perform a
calculation to obtain approximate load weight. This can be performed by considering:

1. Load dimension (length, width, thickness, etc.)

2. Volume of the load (V)

3. What the load is made to determine the density.

Density is the weight of material per cubic volume

4. Does the load contain any other material (liquids, etc.)?

The general method to determine the weight of a load is by multiplying the volume of the
load by its density.

LOAD WEIGHT = VOLUME X DENSITY

Solid bock

Volume = Length x width x thickness

Solid Cylinder

Volume = 0.25 x π x diameter2 x length

Pipe

Volume = π x diameter x length x thickness

57
 Density of Materials

Steel 7.8 tons or 7,800 kg per cubic meter

Concrete 2.4 tons or 2,400 kg per cubic meter
Wood 0.6 tons or 600 kg per cubic meter
Water 1.0 tons or 1,000 kg per cubic meter

What is the weight of a concrete block, with the

dimension of;
Length of 3.5 meters.
Height of 1.2 meter
a width of 2.2 meter

What is the weight of the steel pipe, if

the dimensions are;

Length = 12.0 meter

Diameter = 1.22 meter
Thickness = 10 mm

What is the weight of the drum fully filled with water if the dimensions are;

Height of drum is = 1.8 meter

Diameter of the drum is = 1 meter

58
10 Handling Offshore Containers
The use of containers for the transport of goods is common practice in the offshore world,
and the use of goods nets as employed by the merchant navy has virtually disappeared. In
this chapter, we will consider the characteristics of containers and the requirements when
working with them. Special stipulations apply to containers used offshore. These are
included in European standard EN 12079.

There are a number of different types of container in use, for example:

• the general freight container, an enclosed container with doors

• the freight container, an open container for general or special freight
• the tank container, for hazardous or non-hazardous liquids
• the bulk container used to transport bulk solids
• special containers, such as containers for waste, gas cylinders, tools, generators
and the like.

We will be concentrating on the three most specific containers, the general freight container,
tank container and gas cylinder rack containers. We will go on to consider the forces
containers need to withstand, and the attachment of containers.

Cargo container Tank container Gas cylinder rack container

Offshore, containers are usually lifted using the corner fittings. A 4-leg sling is usually
attached to the container. The container's corner fittings are then horizontally loaded. This is
only permitted with 10- foot containers and the diagonal included angle of the sling legs may
not exceed 90°.

10- foot containers are usually lifted with a 4-leg sling offshore.

59
10.1 Attaching containers
The 10-foot container is therefore much used offshore. There are 5, 8 and 10-foot containers
which can be lifted with a 4-leg sling, the so-called platform containers.
The slings are usually connected to the container with a D-Shackle, and the top link is left
hanging over the side of the container. This makes it easier to attach the hook.
Before attaching a container, you must be aware of the inspection criteria.

10.2 Inspection of containers

EN 12079 states that containers must be inspected just like lifting machines and lifting gear.
The inspections are carried out by the same bodies which inspect lifting machines and lifting
gear. EN 12079 prescribes the periods for inspections.

When time letter

After the manufacturing of the container date ST-3
Annual visual inspection by an inspection agency date V
A visual inspection by an inspection agency and an MPI date VN
inspection every 48 months
after significant repairs, a load test and MPI inspection date T

MPI is a Magnetic Particle Inspection, which checks for cracks with the aid of magnetism.
Where this test is impractical a penetrant dye test will be carried out. The object in question
is sprayed with a penetrant dyestuff which reveals any cracks.

The load test is a test of the load-bearing capacity of the container. The inspection data are
shown on a plate. A crane operator can always see whether a container has been inspected.

The most important data on the container, including the inspection

details are shown on the inspection plate.

60
10.3 Inspection for dropping objects.

Just before sending the container to the supply-boat check them for dropping objects.

Forgotten oilcan or forgotten tools.

Care should be taken when opening the container, because it is possible the load can fall
out of the container if it is not secured.

Unsecured load.

61
Notice

62
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