- A crucial step in riding your lifting plane
is determining the best sling hitch type for your lift.
And in this video, we're going to take a look
at the three main types of hitches to rig a load
and discuss the best practices for rigging each one.
(cheery guitar music)
- Welcome back to the Lifting and Rigging Channel.
My name is Devon,
and today,
we're going to cover the three main sling hitch types
that you'll most likely use to rig your next load.
And, how to determine which one is the best for your pick.
And, so, let's get started
by breaking down the simplest of these hitch types.
The vertical hitch.
A vertical hitch or a straight hitch
is the most basic hitch used to directly connect a load
to a lifting device.
On a vertical hitch, the eye of a single chain sling,
wire rope sling, or synthetic sling
is connected to the crane or hoist hook.
While the other eye is connected
to an attachment point on the load.
A lift made using a vertical hitch
will utilize the full lifting capacity of the sling.
However, when performing a lift with just a single sling,
a tag line should be used to provide additional load control
and to minimize rotation or twisting
while an overhead lift is being performed.
Next, let's talk about the basket hitch.
Basket hitches distribute equally
between two legs of a sling.
When using a basket hitch
the load is cradled by running the sling underneath the load
and then attaching both eyes of the sling separately
to the hook.
A basket hitch has twice the lifting capacity
of a single leg vertical hitch.
When the legs are in a true 90 degree vertical fashion
and the D/D ratio is 25:1.
This typically requires a below-the-hook lifting device
like a lifting beam or a spreader bar,
or two separate lifting devices.
If the sling angle is less than 90 degrees
when using a basket hitch, the sling capacity is reduced.
Basket hitches should not be used on unbalanced loads
or loads that are difficult to balance.
More than one sling may be necessary
to help ensure load control.
Basket hitches can be used as either a single, double,
or double-wrap configuration.
Double basket hitches use two slings to balance a load
by keeping the slings apart.
Double-wrap basket hitches
are similar to standard basket hitches
except the sling is wrapped around the load twice.
This provides excellent load control for loose materials
and gives a good grip on smooth surfaces.
So, when you're using a double-wrap on a basket hitch
make sure that you don't overlap the length of the sling
at the bottom of the load.
And then make sure that you keep an eye on it
when you're positioning the sling as the slack is taken up
so they don't cross.
So, finally, let's take a look at the choker hitch.
A choker hitch is used to tighten
or snug a sling down securely
to provide greater load control.
When using a choker hitch,
one eye of the hitch is wrapped around the load
and then passed through itself.
And then attached to the crane or hoist hook.
Due to stresses created at the choke point,
a choker hitch reduces the lifting capacity to 75 to 80%
of what it is capable at in a single leg vertical hitch.
The least amount of capacity reduction occurs
when the angle of choke is 120 degrees or greater.
Any less than that can result in a lifting capacity
as low as 40% of the single leg.
One thing to note about choker hitches is
that they should never be used on either unbalanced loads
or loose bundles because that sling will never make
a full 360 degree contact with that load.
For more complete contact,
use a double-wrap choker hitch to provide more contact area
to secure a load.
Double-wrap choker hitches
are similar to standard choker hitches except
that the sling is wrapped around the load twice.
This hitch compresses the load and can help prevent it from
slipping out of the sling.
Make sure that you use slings that are long enough
so that the choke hitch is effective and grips the load.
The choke point should always be on the sling body
and never on the sling eye, a fitting,
base of the eye or fitting,
or on a splicer tab.
The choke hitch should always be pulled tight
before the lift is made and not pulled down during the lift.
Before we wrap up,
I want to go into bridle or multiple-leg sling assemblies.
There's another type of rigging method that involves
multi-leg bridle sling assemblies made with two, three,
or four straight legs attached to a master leg.
The bridle sling assemblies can be used for
lifting and handling loads
that have fixed lifting lugs or attachment points.
The multiple legs of a sling attach to a master link
and work together to provide
additional support and stability
when the sling hook is positioned over the
center of gravity of a load.
Bridle sling assemblies can have
adjustable sling leg lengths
to help level and control unbalanced loads.
Make sure to check each sling angle
and refer to a rigging chart
to make sure that the sling is not overloaded
based on the working sling angle.
I hope this video was able
to give you a better understanding
of the different sling hitch types
that you can use when rigging a load.
If you found this video helpful,
let us know by clicking the like button,
subscribing to our YouTube channel
and maybe even sharing it with a friend or co-worker
that you think might benefit from this training.
Remember, that it's always the responsibility
of the end user or designated or qualified person
to inspect their rigging equipment
and make sure that it is in proper working condition
and rated for their specific task
prior to performing that lift.
You can also grab
our Lifting and Rigging best practices info graphic
to ensure that everything from operator training
to environmental conditions
have been factored into your lift.
If you're having trouble determining
which sling hitch type is the best for you,
or if you need additional help with your upcoming lift,
don't hesitate to reach out to one our lifting specialists.
They'd be happy to help you however they can.
And, so, for all of us at the Lifting and Rigging Channel,
thank you for watching.
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