Rigging Regulations and Standards

In the rigging industry, there are a variety of relevant associations that set standards, and specific requirements may vary from region to region. In addition, different types of jobs and rigging equipment may come with unique safety requirements. If you’re interested in working in the lifting and rigging industry, or need to complete fall protection or rigging courses, then there are a few standards organizations you should know about, including OSHA Regulations and ASME Standards.

There are legal requirements in OSHA standards that you must know about and comply with. The most important standard for you depends on the type of work you are doing. If you are working in general industry, ensure that your materials handling activities follow 29 CFR 1910.184 for sling use. In addition, you should consider looking at a related standard for overhead and gantry cranes, 29 CFR 1910.179. If you are working in shipyard employment, then 29 CFR 1915.112 is the standard to follow. If you are working in construction, 29 CFR 1926.251 is the standard to follow. Other standards include 29 CFR 1917.13, Slinging, for marine terminals and 29 CFR 1918.81, Slinging, for longshoring.

Consult these standards to ensure full compliance with their provisions.

OSHA standards and documents are available online at www.osha.gov.

Sling manufacturers often manufacture and mark slings in accordance with the specifications set forth in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standard B30.9-2018, Slings, rather than with the specifications found in OSHA’s existing sling standards. As long as there is no indication that the newer ASME specifications have lessened employee safety, OSHA will continue to accept, under its policy for de minimis violations, the use of slings manufactured and marked in compliance with the ASME standard. De minimis violations require no correction and result in no penalty.

The following Regulations and Standards were used to develop this course.

• General Industry Subpart N Material Handling and Storage 1910.184 Slings
• Construction Industry Subpart CC Cranes and Derricks in Construction and Subpart H Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal
• 1926.251 Rigging Equipment for Material Handling
• ASME B30.9 Slings
• ASME B30.10 Hooks
• ASME B30.20 Below the Hook Lifting Devices
• ASME B30.21 Lever Hoists
• ASME B30.26 Rigging Hardware

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA is perhaps the best-known workplace safety organization in the United States. Officially, it’s part of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA helps set standards to keep a wide variety of workers safe on the job, from office workers to truck drivers. Each state develops its own health and safety standards, which are then overseen by OSHA. However, OSHA does set some federal standards. One federal OSHA standard limits the arrest distance to six feet, with few exceptions.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

While organizations like OSHA are a part of the federal government, ASME is a professional association that also helps set standards and codes for certain professions and equipment. In the rigging industry, ASME B30.26 “applies to the construction, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of detachable rigging hardware, including rigging equipment like “shackles, links, rings, swivels, turnbuckles, eyebolts, hoist rings, wire rope clips, wedge sockets, rigging blocks and load indication devices.”

Many workers in the rigging and lifting industries will be required to complete certain certification courses. Managers may be required to complete Competent Person fall protection courses, while additional rigging certification may be required for individual workers.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1400 Assembly/Disassembly Director

This standard applies to power-operated equipment, when used in construction, that can hoist, lower and horizontally move a suspended load. Such equipment includes, but is not limited to: Articulating cranes (such as knuckle-boom cranes); crawler cranes; floating cranes; cranes on barges; locomotive cranes; mobile cranes (such as wheel-mounted, rough-terrain, all-terrain, commercial truck-mounted, and boom truck cranes); multi-purpose machines when configured to hoist and lower (by means of a winch or hook) and horizontally move a suspended load; industrial cranes (such as carry-deck cranes); dedicated pile drivers; service/mechanic trucks with a hoisting device; a crane on a monorail; tower cranes (such as a fixed jib, i.e., “hammerhead boom”), luffing boom and self-erecting); pedestal cranes; portal cranes; overhead and gantry cranes; straddle cranes; sideboom cranes; derricks; and variations of such equipment. However, items listed in paragraph (c) of this section are excluded from the scope of this standard.