This chapter describes minimum safety requirements for use of slings and other rigging
hardware by Saudi Aramco (SA) and contractor personnel.
SA General Instructions (GIs):
GI 7.024, Marine and Offshore Crane, Hoist, and Rigging Operations
GI 7.027, Crane Suspended Personnel Platform (Manbasket) Operations
GI 7.028, Crane Lifts: Types & Procedures
GI 7.029, Rigging Hardware Requirements
GI 7.030, Inspection and Testing Requirements for Elevating/Lifting Equipment
SA Standard Drawings
AA-036878-001, Spreader Beams H-Beams
AA-036878-002, Spreader Beams Pipes
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME):
ASME B30.9, Slings
ASME B30.10, Hooks
ASME B30.20, Below-the-Hook Lifting Devices
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers
(ASSE):
ANSI/ASSE A10.42, Safety Requirements for Rigging Qualifications and
Responsibilities
IPT’s Crane and Rigging Handbook
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR):
29 CFR 1926.251, Rigging Equipment for Material Handling
8.3.1 Rigging shall be per GI 7.024, GI 7.027, GI 7.028, GI 7.029 and IPT’s
Crane and Rigging Handbook.
8.3.2 All riggers shall be certified by SA per GI 7.024 and/or GI 7.028, as
applicable. Only SA-certified riggers shall rig loads.
8.3.3 Slings shall be in accordance with GI 7.029 and ASME B30.9 or
equivalent.
8.3.4 Other rigging hardware shall be in accordance with GI 7.029 and ASME
B30.20 or equivalent.
8.3.5 Slings and other rigging hardware shall have a minimum design safety
factor of 5.
8.3.6 The manufacturer’s safe working load (SWL) and serial number shall be
clearly marked on each sling. Riggers shall not use a sling unless the SWL
is clearly visible.
8.3.7 Slings shall have a durable identification tag or ferrule permanently affixed
that contains the identification information required by GI 7.029 for that
specific type of sling. Identification information shall be maintained by the
SA proponent organization (SAPO) or the contractor in legible condition
during the life of the sling. See Figure 8.1.
8.3.8 Fasteners or other rigging hardware manufactured in-house from bolts,
rods, pins, hooks, etc., shall not be used.
8.3.9 SA proponent organizations (SAPOs) and contractors shall maintain a job-
site log of slings containing the following information: sling ID number,
sling description, date placed in service, safe working load as stated in
proof load certificate and full details of periodic inspections (e.g.,
completed SA 9657 forms).
8.3.10 Slings shall not be modified, repaired, shortened or lengthened.
8.3.11 Defective or damaged slings and other rigging hardware, or slings and
other rigging hardware not complying with SA requirements, shall be
recorded in the Sling Inspection Log and immediately removed from the
job site and destroyed.
8.3.12 Working conditions that may affect slings and other rigging hardware shall
be evaluated, with special attention to temperatures, chemicals, abrasions,
etc.
8.3.13 Slings or other rigging hardware in contact with sharp corners shall be
padded to prevent damage to the sling, other rigging hardware or the load
being lifted.
8.3.14 Slings shall be rigged to provide the best load control.
8.3.15 The force on each sling during a lift shall be less than the sling
manufacturer’s rated SWL. The lift capacity and force calculated for each
sling shall be reduced as required for the lifting angle of the slings. See the
IPT’s Crane and Rigging Handbook. Multi-leg slings shall have a rated
SWL required for the most heavily loaded leg(s) rather than equally
distributing the total lifted load, as it is possible for some of the legs to take
essentially the full load while the other legs merely balance the load.
8.3.16 The recommended safe lifting angle for slings is 60 degrees above the
horizontal. Sling angles less than 30 degrees above the horizontal shall not
be used.
8.3.17 Other rigging hardware (e.g., shackles, eyebolts, hooks, rings, links,
coupling pins) shall be selected to provide capacities equal to or greater
than the SWL of the sling.
8.3.18 Rigging from process piping is prohibited. Loads shall be rigged from
load-bearing structural members only after prior approval is obtained from
the SAPO.
8.3.19 Standing or walking under a suspended load is prohibited.
8.3.20 Suspended loads shall not be left unattended.
8.3.21 Slings and other rigging hardware shall be stored so as to protect them
from mechanical damage, corrosives, direct sunlight, moisture, extreme
heat, etc.
8.4.1 The rigger shall visually inspect slings and other rigging hardware prior to
each use per GI 7.029.
8.4.2 Slings, other rigging hardware and hooks shall also be periodically
inspected per GI 7.029 by a SA-certified rigger at a maximum interval of 6
months. These inspections shall be recorded in the Sling Inspection Log
(SA 9657).
8.4.3 The SAPO may request that a certified inspector perform additional
assessments of slings and other rigging hardware as needed. The SAPO
reserves the right to require an increased frequency of inspections.
8.4.4 A-frames shall be inspected and certified by a SA-certified inspector per
GI 7.030 prior to attaching rigging equipment.
8.5.1 Alloy steel chain slings (see Figure 8.8) and metal mesh slings shall not be
welded upon and shall not have homemade or repaired links/mesh.
8.5.2 Alloy steel chain and metal mesh slings shall be visually inspected by the
rigger prior to use to verify they are not stretched twisted, bent, cracked,
etc.
8.6.1 Eyes for wire rope slings shall be the Flemish eye type (i.e., swaged
endings and pressed metal sleeve). See Figure 8.2.
8.6.2 Homemade wire rope slings are not permitted and shall not be used.
8.6.3 Fold back eyes for wire rope slings are not permitted and shall not be used.
See Figure 8.3.
Fold back eyes are susceptible to cracking at these locations.
Failure of fold back slings can occur without warning. Fold back
slings shall not be used for overhead or construction rigging.
8.6.4 Aluminum ferrules shall not be used for wire rope slings.
8.6.5 Wire rope slings shall be visually inspected by the rigger prior to use to
verify there is no evidence of the following (see Figure 8.4 and IPT’s
Crane and Rigging Handbook for examples):
A. Missing or illegible sling tag identification, including SWL.
B. Broken wires.
C. Abrasion (e.g., wire wear exceeds 1/3 the original diameter).
D. Crushed strands.
E. Kinking, birdcaging or other distortion.
F. Evidence of heat damage.
G. End attachments that are cracked, deformed or excessively worn.
H. Bent or open eyes/hooks.
I. Severe corrosion.