Tips for Hiring an Industrial Rigger
Rigging is a broad term that applies to a wide variety of industries and applications. From heavy construction sites and boatyards to manufacturing and industrial settings, hoisting and rigging are essential tasks that require the skill and expertise of professionals working with quality specialized tools and equipment.
If you’re thinking of hiring an industrial rigger for your next project, you’ll need to consider many factors to ensure you make the right choice. Let’s take a look at what rigging is, why it’s such difficult work, the types of necessary equipment and additional tips for hiring an industrial rigger.
Why You Need to Find Industrial Rigger Companies You Can Rely On
It’s easy to see how the process of tying up, lifting and placing large and extremely heavy objects is a job best left for a team of highly trained professionals. One wrong move, missed step or inadequate piece of equipment can result in an accident causing significant damage and putting lives in danger. In many instances, working with a qualified industrial rigger company is a matter of adhering to industry compliance standards and avoiding potential insurance liabilities.
One of the first things you need to understand before hiring an industrial rigger is what the job entails. It’s also essential to note that just because a company is capable of stage rigging services such as lighting and scenery for a theater performance doesn’t mean it’s necessarily able to provide rigging and hoisting of heavy construction equipment.
To ensure jobs go safely and smoothly, riggers need to have the ability to:
- Understand and comply with all local, federal and industry-specific best practices, rules, regulations and requirements for optimal safety and performance
- Perform a thorough project assessment to identify the equipment and any other necessary personnel or equipment as well as hazards relating to the job and surrounding environment
- Properly attach ropes and cables to secure whatever is being transported, including understanding how to balance the load and provide the appropriate support for its size and weight
- Manipulate loads including lifting, tilting, dipping and turning as necessary based on the job site and obstacles that might stand in the way, such as fences, overhead power lines and light poles
- Establish and maintain a system of communication to keep all crew members in coordination and informed of responsibilities and any changes of status
- Use various types of specialized tools and equipment such as lift trucks, cranes, shackles, slings, hitches and winches
- Clean, maintain and inspect rigging equipment before and after every use to ensure their integrity
Making Sure Industrial Rigger Companies Have the Right Equipment
When you’re hiring an industrial rigger, you need to know they have the appropriate equipment and are capable of following protocols for inspections, testing and maintenance. Equipment commonly used in the industry includes but is not limited to:
- Overhead cranes, hoists, forklifts and portable A-frame lifting equipment
- Below the hook lifting devices such as structural mechanical lift machines, vacuum lifters, magnets and grapples
- Wire rope and chain slings, synthetic slings, chokers, shackles and hooks
- Other rigging hardware and accessories, including rope clips, ratchet straps, lifting swivels, rope end fittings, load-resistant lashings, oval quick links, suspension eyes, turnbuckles and rigging screws, sleeves, crane blocks, pulley sheave blocks and more
Hiring an Industrial Rigger Company With the Specialists You Need
One of the best tips for hiring an industrial rigger is to make sure the company is equipped to work in your particular industry, whether it’s power generation, construction, mining, metalworking or any other. As previously mentioned, setting up staging for industrial rigging at an outdoor concert venue is far different than lifting a commercial yacht from the water and placing it safely on dry land.
You need to know the industrial rigger company has personnel that is OSHA-qualified and also carries the appropriate licenses and certifications based on your project requirements. Ideally, you’re looking for a partner that has extensive experience transporting and handling loads of virtually any size — one who can provide all the necessary equipment and machinery.
Final Thoughts on Hiring an Industrial Rigger
If you’re weighing your options in industrial rigger companies, remember that Equip Trucking & Warehousing, LLC offers comprehensive solutions for businesses throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. We call on over three decades of experience to provide cost-effective and efficient services, and we have the expertise to overcome even the most complex challenges.
Learn more about our industrial rigging services, and get in touch to speak with us about your project today.