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Rigging & Hoisting Fundamentals is a concentrated, one-day program designed to sharpen the judgment, math, and inspection skills that keep lifts safe and predictable. It focuses on the three non-negotiables behind every good pick—know the weight, know the rigging, control the load—then builds a repeatable workflow around them. Participants learn to estimate load weight and center of gravity from drawings or photos, choose rigging methods that protect capacity, and calculate sling tensions at real-world angles without “winging it.” We translate the theory into everyday calls: when a spreader beats a bridle, how D/d and edge protection preserve strength, and why angles under 30° require engineered solutions.
The course digs into sling and hardware selection with a field inspector’s eye. Wire rope, chain, and synthetic slings are compared for strengths, derations, and environmental limits; shackles, hooks, eyebolts, and spreaders are covered with practical rejection criteria so participants know what stays in service and what gets scrapped. Communication and control are treated as controls—not afterthoughts—so standard hand signals, radio protocols, taglines, exclusion zones, and stop-work authority are baked into the lift plan. We also frame what riggers must understand about cranes and hoists—load charts, radius effects, headroom, parts of line, duty cycles—so the rigging plan aligns with the machine’s real limits.
Because this course is built to run online as well as on site, demonstrations, whiteboard calculations, photo-based case studies, and short collaborative scenarios keep it hands-on and relevant from a distance. Every participant leaves with practical job aids: a fillable basic lift plan, pre-use inspection checklists for slings/hardware/hoists, a sling-tension quick chart, a one-page hand-signal sheet, and a compact formula guide—tools you can apply the same shift. The through-line is risk reduction: understanding how near-misses happen (angle overload, side-loading hardware, damaged gear, “just a quick pick”) and hardening your process with simple habits that hold up under pressure.
Who should attend: Riggers, signalers, crane and hoist operators, millwrights, mechanics, and supervisors who plan, inspect, signal, or execute lifts in shops, plants, ports, construction sites, and maintenance environments. Newer hands will build a solid foundation; experienced personnel will validate their calls, refresh the math and inspection standards, and align practices across the team.
You will be able to: plan and document a basic to intermediate lift end-to-end; estimate load weight and center of gravity and select the right hitch, hardware, and geometry; calculate sling tensions at common angles and set limits that protect capacity; make confident inspection decisions for slings, wire rope, chain, and hardware; coordinate with operators using standard signals and clear radio protocols; and enforce stop-work and hazard controls so the lift stays within the plan when conditions change.
Unfortunately, this course does not currently have any upcoming dates.
Yet, if you're interested in it, please chat with our sales team
or fill out a quote request so we can get one scheduled in your area.
Course topics
I. Lift Planning Workflow & Risk Control
Objective: Build a repeatable, documented lift plan that manages hazards, roles, and change control from start to finish.
II. Knowing the Load: Weight, Center of Gravity & Sling-Angle Math
Objective: Determine weight and CoG and calculate sling/leg tensions so the rigging geometry protects capacity.
III. Rigging Gear: Slings, Hardware & Inspection Calls
Objective: Select the right gear for the environment and make confident keep/scrap decisions before the pick.
View all topicsI. Lift Planning Workflow & Risk Control
Objective: Build a repeatable, documented lift plan that manages hazards, roles, and change control from start to finish.
- Scope the lift: load, location, path, set-down, and ground conditions
- Hazard identification: overheads, pinch/crush zones, wind/sail area, traffic, utilities
- Exclusion zones, barricading, spotters, and public interface
- Roles and lines of authority: operator, rigger, signaler, lift director
- Change management and stop-work triggers when conditions shift
- Documentation essentials: simple lift plan, pre-use checklists, peer verification
II. Knowing the Load: Weight, Center of Gravity & Sling-Angle Math
Objective: Determine weight and CoG and calculate sling/leg tensions so the rigging geometry protects capacity.
- Weight estimation methods: nameplate, drawings, density × volume, add rigging weight
- Finding/controlling CoG; when to choose spreaders vs. bridles
- Sling angle effects and the leg-tension formula (why <30° is a bad idea without engineering)
- Side loading limits on eyebolts, shackles, and hooks
- Dynamic factors: wind, acceleration/shock, snugging stuck loads
- Fast field workflow: estimate → sketch → calculate → sanity-check
III. Rigging Gear: Slings, Hardware & Inspection Calls
Objective: Select the right gear for the environment and make confident keep/scrap decisions before the pick.
- Sling families and WLLs: wire rope, chain (grades), synthetic web/round
- D/d ratios, edge protection, corner softeners, and protecting sling capacity
- Hardware selection: shackles, hooks (latch logic), master links, swivels, eyebolts
- Environmental derations: temperature, chemicals, UV, abrasion, moisture
- Inspection & rejection criteria: wire rope (kinks, birdcage), chain (stretch, nicks), synthetics (cuts, heat melt), hooks (throat opening)
- Tagging, traceability, storage, and retirement rules
IV. Hitching & Load Control Techniques
Objective: Match the hitch to the load and maintain control through the entire path of travel.
- Vertical, choker (choke angle effects), basket (single/double) capacities
- Multi-leg bridles: equalization and realistic load sharing (2-, 3-, 4-leg)
- Level lifts with uneven pickup points; using spreaders and equalizer beams
- Taglines done right: placement, body positioning, and no-hands zones
- Managing swing, rotation, and drift; wind/sail area strategies
- Avoiding side pulls and releasing “stuck” loads without shock loading
V. Hoists & Cranes Interface + Signals & Radios
Objective: Align the rigging plan with the machine’s limits and move the load with unambiguous communication.
- Reading load charts: capacity vs. radius, boom angle/deflection, parts of line, headroom
- Hoists (electric/air/chain): duty cycle, side-pull prohibitions, pre-use checks
- Operator–rigger coordination: what each needs from the other to stay within limits
- Standard hand signals: signaler position, line-of-sight, mirrors/cameras
- Radio protocols that prevent errors: call structure, read-backs, single point of command
- Path control, step-by-step moves, contingency actions, and abort criteria
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Doug Baker
Years of Experience49Doug brings over forty five years experience in the electrical industry, working for utility, utility contractors, engineering firm, and educational institute. Most recently finishing a career at NAIT as an instructor/academic chair (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) in Power Lineman, Power System Electrician, Electrician and Electrical Engineering Technology programs. He has constructed and...
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Matt Will, Plains MidstreamDoug moved through the material in an efficient matter, allowing us all to understand the information.
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Anthony Andrews, Louisiana Pacific CanadaDoug was knowledgeable about the material. He also had much relevant experiences in real life with the course content that he was able to relay to the students.
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Clay Almberg, Enbridge PipelinesDoug was very knowledgeable, with a wide range of information from his background.
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