Rigging & Lifting Safety

Rigging is the process of lifting heavy objects, such as piping and cargo, and moving them to a new location. "Cranes Today" magazine considers rigging a type of "art" because riggers must possess specialized skills that allow them to carefully and safely perform lifting activities.

Surroundings

• Safe rigging and lifting activities require riggers to evaluate their surroundings. Since rigging is typically used in construction industries, the rigger must survey the zone to determine how much room there is for lifting the objects, as well as to plan a safe route for moving the objects from one point to another.

Inspections

• The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires cranes or other rigging vehicles to be inspected before they are operated. Inspection routines must ensure the equipment is safe to activate and that all of the necessary controls function properly.

Barricades

• During rigging and lifting activities, areas in a construction zone must be barricaded or blocked off from the public as well as construction workers to maximize safety precautions. The route the rigger takes to move an object through the air must be clear to eliminate the danger of the object dropping onto someone below.