Lift plans and rigging safety

A lift plan is a written description of how a load will be lifted, moved and set down: what it weighs, what equipment and rigging will be used, where the crane or hoist will be set up, who is involved and how people will be kept clear. Every lift needs some level of planning, and lifts that are heavy, complex or close to people and power lines need a detailed written plan reviewed before the work starts.

Why lifts go wrong

Lifting incidents usually come from a short list of causes: an unknown or underestimated load weight, rigging that is damaged, wrongly selected or wrongly attached, a crane set up on poor ground or outside its chart, a load swinging into people or structures, contact with power lines, and confused communication between the operator and the crew. Most of these are preventable with planning and inspection before the load leaves the ground.

Routine and critical lifts

Many organizations divide lifts into routine lifts, covered by a standard procedure and a pre-lift check, and critical lifts, which need an engineered or detailed written plan approved by a competent person. Definitions vary by company, client and province, but a lift is commonly treated as critical when it involves:

• A load close to a high percentage of the crane's rated capacity for the configuration
• Two or more cranes lifting the same load
• Lifting people in a work platform suspended from a crane
• Loads over occupied areas, operating plant, or public roads
• Work near energized power lines
• Unusual, fragile or high-value loads, or loads with an uncertain centre of gravity
• Difficult ground, tight spaces or blind lifts where the operator cannot see the load

Your program should define what counts as a critical lift so supervisors do not have to judge it on the day.

What a lift plan covers

• Load weight, including rigging and any attachments, and how the weight was confirmed
• Load dimensions, centre of gravity and pick points
• Crane or hoist model, configuration, radius, boom length and the load chart values that apply
• Set-up location, ground bearing capacity, outrigger pads and mats
• Rigging: slings, shackles, spreader bars and their rated capacities and angles
• Travel path of the load, set-down location and landing materials
• Hazards: power lines, structures, traffic, wind and weather limits
• Exclusion zones and how they will be controlled
• Roles: lift supervisor, operator, riggers, signaller and spotters
• Communication method and signals
• Sign-off by the people responsible before the lift

Rigging safety

Selection

Choose rigging rated for the load, taking the sling angle into account. As the angle between a sling leg and the horizontal decreases, the tension in the leg increases sharply, so a sling that is strong enough in a vertical hitch may be overloaded in a basket or bridle at a flat angle. Choke hitches also reduce capacity. Protect slings from sharp edges with corner protectors or softeners.

Inspection

Riggers should inspect all rigging before each use and remove anything with a missing or unreadable tag, cuts, broken wires, kinks, crushing, heat damage, stretched or cracked hooks and shackles, or other damage. Periodic documented inspections by a qualified person are also needed. ASME B30 standards are widely used for rigging hardware and slings in Canada, alongside provincial requirements. See Rigging and sling inspection.

Attachment

Attach rigging at the designed lifting points where they exist, balance the load over its centre of gravity, and make a trial lift a short distance off the ground to check balance and that the rigging is seated before the full lift.

A typical routine lift, step by step

Consider a rooftop exhaust fan being replaced using a mobile crane set up in a parking lot beside the building. It is not near capacity and there are no power lines nearby, so the company treats it as a routine lift with a standard plan. Even so, the sequence matters:

1. Confirm the weight. The new fan's weight comes from the manufacturer's data sheet, the old fan's from its nameplate or drawings. Rigging weight is added to both.
2. Check the set-up. The crane position, radius and boom length are checked against the load chart, and the ground under the outriggers is confirmed suitable, with mats where needed.
3. Plan the path. The load travels over the parking lot, not the building entrance. The lot is closed with barriers and a spotter controls pedestrian access.
4. Inspect and rig. Slings and shackles are inspected and tags checked. The fan's designed lifting lugs are used, and the sling angle is kept within the range the rigging tables allow.
5. Brief the crew. One signaller is named, radio channels are confirmed, and everyone knows the stop signal.
6. Trial lift. The fan is raised a short distance and held to check balance and rigging before the full lift.
7. Land and release. The fan is set on prepared supports and the rigging is only released once it is stable.

Common mistakes

• Using a weight from memory or an old project instead of confirming it
• Rigging to a convenient point on the load instead of the designed lifting points
• Several people giving signals at once, or a signaller who cannot see the load
• Exclusion zones marked with tape but not watched, so people walk through them
• Skipping the trial lift when the crew is behind schedule

People, equipment and communication

Roles and signals

A lift involves several roles, and each must be clear. The operator controls the crane and has the authority to refuse an unsafe lift. One designated signaller gives signals to the operator, using standard hand signals or radio, and anyone can give the emergency stop signal. Riggers prepare and attach the load. The lift supervisor confirms the plan is followed. Operator certification and rigger qualification requirements differ between provinces, so confirm what applies where you work. Before a critical lift, hold a pre-lift meeting to walk through the plan with everyone involved.

Cranes and mandated inspections

Cranes and many hoisting devices must be inspected and maintained under provincial rules and manufacturer requirements, often by certified or qualified inspectors, and some need certification before use. A lift plan assumes the equipment is in compliance. Check inspection records and the pre-use inspection before every lift. See Overhead crane inspections: frequent and periodic.

How ehZee can help

We review lift planning practices, prepare lift plan templates and procedures, and assess rigging inspection and storage. We also help clients prepare for and follow up on mandated crane inspections. See our lift safety and fall arrest service.

Common questions