THE ESSENTIALS OF DEFYING GRAVITY: Simple Rules for the best outcomes in overhead lifting
Andrew T. Litecky
Welcome to The Hoist Guy's Blog, where our resident hoist guy, Andrew T. Litecky, shares his industry knowledge and experience. Today he’s here to discuss five simple hoist rules that will optimize your overhead lifting for better gravity defying outcomes.
Rules for Defying Gravity & Optimizing Overhead Lifting
Whether your operation is a one-person shop with a hand chain hoist over a work bench or a plant with dozens of employees and hundreds of hoists, the essentials are the same: You are lifting a load, and safety comes first. When the hoisting equipment, overhead lifting system, hoist operator, load and environment are all in conformance with some basic rules, you will optimize the task of defying gravity.
Rule 1: Quality Makes a Difference
A high-quality hoist is crucial for both safe and efficient lifting. It ensures reliability, durability, and precision, which in turn helps to minimize the risk of accidents, injuries, and damage to equipment or loads. But what is a good quality hoist for one application does not necessarily make a good quality for another. When choosing a hoist for a particular job, remember that the requirements of the load must define hoist selection and quality.
For example, a single speed electric chain hoist from a warehouse supply store, purchased for quick delivery or low price could be a fine hoist for a basic lifting operation. But if a job needs a precise lift and lower of a very expensive component, that hoist would be a mistake. Both the part and the operator are at risk for damage and injury respectively.
Along the same line of thinking, if a hoist on a production line is critical to your plant’s material flow, and if that hoist’s breakdown stops the entire operation, then precision lifting may not be essential, but a second hoist is a necessary investment. When that critical hoist stops, another hoist must be ready to be put up in its place. When the backup hoist is up and ready to use, have the first hoist repaired and that becomes the backup hoist.
Rule 2: Hoists Must Be Properly Maintained
As every shop manager knows, the equipment must be in good working order, and this starts with the hoist.
Chain Maintenance
The load chain must be clean and lubricated. A load chain that vibrates or struggles to get through the hoist body is showing a sign of wear, or is, at best, a dry, unlubricated chain. If this happens, the hoist should be serviced by a qualified person.
Hook Maintenance
The load hook must have a safety latch, spring loaded against the inner point of the hook. A sprung safety latch is a sign that the hook has been overloaded or stretched. If this happens, the hook and the latch need to be replaced.
Electric Hoist Maintenance
For electric chain hoists, the pendant must be in good working order. Buttons should move freely, push in and spring out, and the pendant cords should be attached to the hoist with a grommet fitting and a strain relief. The basic addition of a chain container, metal or fabric bag, performs a critical function. As the hook ascends in a chain hoist, the load chain coming out of the hoist lowers and can become entangled in machinery or the load. The chain container becomes an important safety device to avoid these issues.
Rule 3: Train Your Hoist Operator
From specialized uses to routine production lifts, hoist operator training, with an emphasis on safety, has become an important part of the overhead lifting process. The rules of safe hoisting practices are not intuitive but must be taught. Hoisting topics such as proper lifting/lowering speed, positioning the hoist over the load, and knowing when your hoist has a problem, are some of the important topics taught in an operator training class.
Rule 4: Know Your Load & How it Affects the Lifting Device
A crucial part of hoisting is what you are lifting. It’s important to know your load. Some questions to ask include:
- What does it weigh?
- Will it overload the hoist?
- Is it clear from interferences, either fixed or moving?
- Is the lift point the center of gravity?
In asking these questions, the operator avoids an error caused when the load becomes unstable and shifts or catches while going up or down. Also, for special lifts, a rigging plan is an essential part of safe hoisting to keep everyone focused on the task at hand.
Rule 5: The Environment You Lift in Also Affects the Lifting Device
Knowing the environment where the lifting equipment is operating is essential to choosing the right equipment and maintaining that equipment. Hazardous locations in the USA are defined by the National Electric Code. The need for mechanical spark-resistant features must be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on the environment. If a spark generated by a mechanical feature of the hoist causes an explosion, then knowing your environment becomes a matter of life or death.
Other environmental factors to consider include when corrosive chemicals are used in production, since they can prematurely age, wear and weaken hoisting equipment. Meanwhile, hoists suspended outdoors in the weather 24/7 can quickly deteriorate. A means of weather protection, such as the Shupper-Brickle Hoist Shelter is essential to long life for an outdoors hoist.
Protect Your Investment for the Best Outcome
Make your equipment investment count by purchasing high quality hoisting equipment, and then consistently maintaining that equipment. If your hoist is essential to your operation, where all production ceases if the hoist stops working, then have a spare hoist. Have your operators trained to recognize potential problems, and at least once per year, have an OSHA inspection performed by a qualified person. Do business with a reputable company who is more than just a supplier. Make them a partner.
Since 1969, Shupper-Brickle Equipment has provided overhead material handling equipment, engineering and comprehensive services. Contact us to learn more.
