General Hoisting & Rigging Safety

Rigging, or the attachment of loads to hoisting equipment, is another crucial point for ensuring safety. Improperly rigged loads can be just as dangerous as improperly stabilized hoisting equipment. As such, a rigger who is a competent person must inspect all rigging prior to each shift. Rigging inspections are detailed enough to have their own standard, 29 CFR 1926.251 (the specifics of which are outside the scope of this course).

Headache balls, hooks, and hoisted loads may not be used to carry personnel except under very specific circumstances. In these cases, strict safety precautions must be taken, and a separate standard, 29 CFR 1926.1431, must be followed (the specifics of which are outside the scope of this course).

Safety latches on hooks must not be deactivated unless a qualified rigger determines that it is safer for them to be deactivated. The safety latches may also be deactivated if an alternative safety measure is provided for in a site-specific erection safety plan.

To learn more about Construction Steel Erection visit our Construction Steel Erection Safety Online Training web page.