BESt PRACtICES Proper Use Of Choker Hitches
Best practicesProper Use ofChoker HitchesFor riggers, there’s more than one correct way to choke a load.By Dan CashinDan Cashin is a rigging instructor andsubject-matter expert for the developmentof the Rigger Level 1 certification programoffered by the National Commission for theCertification of Crane Operators. Among theSymmetricalor nesting chokeNothingstirs up heated discussionsamong riggers more than the proper use of thechoker hitch. If you put an ironworker and anindustrial rigger together on the same job, they’llget along famously until they need to choke a load.The ironworker will probably insist that the eyesmust be counter to each other without the use ofshackles, while the industrial rigger will be adamantabout the opposite. The reason for the difference ofopinion? The ironworker’s main goal is to lift a piecesquare, while the rigger is looking to control thelocation of the choke points.The two also will likely differ on the use ofshackles when choking. The ironworker needs tobe able to disconnect with a minimum of bodymotions. Using shackles increases the difficultyof unhooking so the ironworker prefers to rig thesling wire-through-eye. The damage to the wirerope caused by not using shackles is a price paidto increase body-positioning safety on the high24 Industrial Lift & Hoistorganizations he has worked for are AtlanticCrane Inspection Service, Bensalem, Pa.; thePhiladelphia College Consortium for WorkforceDevelopment; and AmQuip, Trevose, Pa. Hebegan his career as a Rigger Apprentice in theU.S. Navy, at its Philadelphia Yard, and laterbecame a Training Leader. He was responsiblefor rigging training for more than 300 riggers.In addition, he is proud to be a member of theInternational Guild of Knot Tyers.Asymmetricalor leveling chokesteel. However, the gear needs to be inspectedand replaced at a much greater frequency than“normal.” The rigger, on the other hand, mightbe looking for more strength and protection ofthe gear. He’ll usually use a nesting choke withshackles while the ironworker will use the levelingchoke without shackles.Which way is right? They both are. It justdepends on what you want from your slingconfiguration.To start, the choker is the most usefularrangement if you need grip. The heavier the load,the tighter the grip. However, the heavier the load,the weaker the sling becomes. Depending on theshape of the object being wrapped around, somecharts reduce the working load limit (WLL) of achoked sling by as much as 50 percent of singleleg WLL. This reduction is due to bending andpinching of the sling body. Another disadvantageis the need for a constant strain being applied tokeep the grip tight. If you get sudden deceleration,there is a good chance the choker will lose its gripand slide away from the spot where you placedit. The introduction of sling angles on multi-legchokers can tend to pull the sling off position. Thegrip itself can even be a disadvantage; if the load isdelicate a choker could crush it.Thenestingchoke canbe usedfor flippingplates fromhorizontalto vertical.industrialliftandhoist.com July/August 2011
SlingsCharacteristics of chokersTo better understand the nature of chokers, I’ve identified several commoncharacteristics of this sling configuration.With a nesting choke, the slings pass under the load from the samedirection. One advantage of this technique is the ability of a single workerto hold the choke tight and in place as the slings tighten. This technique isparticularly good for nesting a bundle of pipe or structural members that arespread out on their dunnage but need to be consolidated into a single bundle.But be careful, bundled pieces can pinch. Another appropriate use of thisconfiguration is for flipping plates from horizontal to vertical. Both chokesgrab at the same time as the strain is applied. A third application is for rollinground pieces one quarter or less of a turn. Words of warning: Trying to gofurther than that could cause the piece to roll uncontrollably. Use a roundturn if possible.No amount of choking orsettling of the bundle canguarantee all the internalpieces are gripped tight.With a stopped choke, the slings are held in place by the structure of theload. Several safety considerations must be understood here. First, the partof the piece that stops the choke must be strong enough to withstand thelifting force of the sling and the sliding pressure the sling puts on the piece.The lifter must avoid pinch points, which act like shears and will damage orcut through the sling. The sling must be protected from sharp edges. For astopped choke you can get away with slightly tighter sling angles since thereis a positive stop on the choke sliding into the center of the load. You canusually rely on sling angles down to 45 , and with careful stress calculationsand gear protectors,you can go tighter.But do 1:00:58not goPMbelow 30 !338wide mag sunset.pdf1 9/30/2009Lifting Gear Hire CorporationRental and Sale of all types of Lifting EquipmentRental EquipmentYou Can TrustHoists (Hand Air Electric)Modular Spreader BeamsThe leveling choke allows square pieces to be lifted level. However, if the choke pointsare not anchored on the edges of the piece, the piece can roll in either direction, and oneof the chokes is sure to go slack.Come-a-longsTrolleysSlingsBeam ClampsWith a leveling choke, the slings pass under the load from oppositedirections. The advantage of this technique is the ability to lift square pieceslevel. The disadvantage is the need for two workers to hold correct chokeposition and tightness as the slings tighten. In addition it is difficult to get thetwo slings to share the weight evenly.With a sliding choke, the slings are held in place only by the friction ofthe load. Because the choke depends on friction and grip to hold its position,any relaxation of either can result in one or both of the chokes sliding out ofposition. Ultimately, the load could be lost. With this configuration, it’s bestto keep the horizontal sling angle at a minimum. As the horizontal sling angleincreases you will be putting more pulling stress on the choke. It’s best to keepyour sling angle above 60 off the horizontal. Do not go below 45 !Machine skatesGantriesShacklesHydraulic RamsWinchesSheave blocks11 Locations NationwidePHONE: 800-878-7305 www.lgh-usa.com/ilh Sales@lgh-usa.comJuly/August 2011 industrialliftandhoist.comIndustrial Lift & Hoist25
best practicesStopped chokerSliding chokerBody of piecekeeps the slingfrom slidingAbove 60DegreesAbove 60Degrees60 to 45Degrees60 to 30DegreesUnder 45DegreesUnder 30DegreesRecommended choking angles for sliding (left) and stopped (right) chokesTips and techniquesWhen positioning the choke, it is best to place the slings so that the load ispicked up evenly with an equal weight distribution in the slings and the bodyof the load. Each sling should be one quarter in from the ends of a uniformlyweighted piece. This puts each sling in the middle of its half of the piece. Inaddition, it helps to have dunnage just inside the one-quarter mark. Whenyou are placing your wraps around the load, the dunnage keeps it from slidingpast that point.Working the choke means tightening or loosening the sling. The directionyou pull the standing part in relation to the bearing point of the choke has aneffect on how the choke tightens or loosens. The more you break the standingpart back over the eye, the tighter the choke gets. In reverse, the more you pullinto the throat of the eye, the looser the choke gets.There is no purpose to forcing the choke by bashing it with anythingother than your hand. The little extra grip you think you get with this brutaltechnique is paid for by extreme damage to the standing part of your sling. Ifyou need more grip use a round turn.26 Industrial Lift & HoistRound turns or double wrapping increases grip and lessens the chanceof sliding. It provides more surface contact between the sling and the load.However, there is a price to pay for using this technique. The sling length iseffectively shortened by the length of the round turn. This can result in tightersling angles. Also, care should be taken that the sling is not pinched or trappedby itself. It should be free to render around the piece until a strain is taken.Round turnsor double wrapsindustrialliftandhoist.com July/August 2011
SlingsHooks can also be used to choke. For a roundturn, wrap the slings so that the standing part istoward the center of the load. This will preventthe standing part from bearing down on theround turn and possibly trapping some slack inthe round turn. The throat opening of the hookmust face outwards or away from the center of thepiece. This causes the standing part to bear morefully into the throat of the hook. Don’t rely on thesafety latch to hold the sling in the hook. Theyonly have enough strength to keep a slack slingfrom jumping out of a hook.Comparethe loadcompressionusing a roundturn (left)and a choker(right).Badexampleof usingshackleswhenchokingwith wirerope.GoodexampleFinally, it is a really good idea to use shacklesor hard eyes when choking with wire rope. Ifyou don’t, your wire rope will start to look like abad-hair-day spring. (Synthetics and chain don’tusually need a shackle.) When using a shackle toconnect an eye to the standing part in a choke,you must be careful which direction you place theshackle. Look at the two pictures above. Can yousee why? If you place the shackle as found in thetop picture you will have the pin running againstthe standing part. As the choke is pulled tightthere is the possibility of the shackle pin spinningand coming unscrewed.Armed with this information, hopefully jobsitearguments about the best way to choke a load willbe settled and riggers and ironworkers will be ableto select the best configuration for their situation.The ultimate goal is to rig a load in the safest,most practical way.July/August 2011 industrialliftandhoist.comIndustrial Lift & Hoist27
Trends &TechnologyTo enhance safety, the boom will not deploy if all four outriggersare not touching the ground and detecting ground pressure. Also, if theoutriggers are deployed but the machine is not level within 2 , the boomcannot be elevated. Automatic-leveling systems are available as an optionbut not encouraged by the company.To achieve narrow configuration, the undercarriage will retract to 31inches, which brings down the height to 6'3". The outrigger pads can beremoved to achieve its narrow width.The 18.90 is powered by either a Honda gasoline engine or a 19-amp,110V electric motor. Each system powers its own hydraulic pumps, makingthe power systems redundant in case there is a failure. If the machine is hookedup to a 110V outlet, power is also available in the platform. Two hoses thatrun through the boom supply air, water, or hydraulics to the basket.When the 18.90 climbs a severe grade, the lowest point of the machinecould come into contact with the ground when the trailing boom sectionangles downward. To prevent the boom from damaging delicate surfaces,a roller is located on the lowest point on the boom.To protect the cylinders, Platform Basket incorporates a heavy shieldto prevent damage caused by falling objects or paint, concrete, stucco,or other building materials that could harm the piston or cylinder seals.Other sensitive components such as the engine, electric motor, valveblock, and relay box have steel shielding.Optional equipment includes white rubber trucks, larger outriggerpads, and biodegradeable oil.Reachmaster Falcon FS105-ZIntroduced in 2010, the Reachmaster Falcon FS105-Z from SkakoLift Inc., Kingwood, Texas, features 99 feet of platform height and 52 feetof outreach. The unit retracts to a surprisingly compact 39 inches wide and30 Industrial Lift & HoistPersonnel Liftsclimbs an 18 slope, fitting the compact aerial lift criteria.As a dual-powered unit, the FS105-Z runs on four maintenance-freegel batteries or a Kubota water-cooled diesel engine. When it is enginepowered, it has a separate hydraulic pump, providing more power fordriving, operation, and climbing steep grades. If the machine needs to beused in an area where diesel fumes are not permitted or inside areas onfloors capable of supporting the 11,000-pound machine, it can be operatedon battery power or plugged into a 110V outlet. When plugged into anoutlet, 110V power is available to the operator in the platform.To operate the machine, the outriggers are deployed by removinga safety latch. For safety, outriggers cannot be operated until all fourhave been manually swung to the deployed position. Note the boommust be completely stowed for the outriggers to operate. Once theboom comes off the safety switch, only the expandable track systemcan extend and retract.If an outrigger becomes light while the FS105-Z is elevated, weightsensors on the outriggers will illuminate. At that point, boom outreachwill be limited, and machine operation will prevent further movementin an unsafe direction. The machine currently does not have an outriggerauto-level system, but it may be available as an option in the future.Other safety features include dual-holding valves on cylinders withpositive and negative movement. As the machine is operated, there is aslight delay so pressure can build up in the supply line to the cylinderand sufficiently release the holding valve. This eliminates any chanceof back pressure when the valve opens, thus providing a more positivecontrol response. Controls are electric over hydraulic, and the joystickis proportional. Push buttons are used for each function. The lift can bedriven from the platform, but outriggers can only be deployed from theground controls.industrialliftandhoist.com July/August 2011
CranesWhat’s UnderYour Hook?Lift your load correctly with the right rigginggear, lifting devices, and attachments.Proper handling is essential to safe crane operations, and formany crane users, accessories like under-hook attachments are necessary toperform the job. Handling coils and steel plates, for example, may requirecustom-built grabs to manage the load. Additionally, lifting devices likeshackles eliminate crowding around the master link, which ultimately makesthe work area safer. Read on for a roundup of products available to makeyour job easier, as well as company news from manufacturers and suppliers.News and New Products30,000-Pound Gripping Tong for WorkRolls in a Steel MillBushman AvonTec, Milwaukee, Wis.,designed and built a 30,000-pound capacitygripping tong grab to handle work rolls in asteel mill. The tong includes chock stabilizersthat prevent the top-heavy chocks on theends of the roll from flipping over. Operation ismechanical, using Bushman AvonTec’s automatic latching device.In recent months, Bushman also has launched a motorized coil/pallet lifterthat can lift both eye-horizontal coils and palletized vertical coils. The unit has forkassemblies to lift pallets and coil lifting saddles for lifting horizontal coils. The forksand lifting pads are motorized to permit changeover on-the-fly or when used with acab-operated crane. When lifting coils on pallets, a set of motorized coil restrictorslowers to prevent tall coils from shifting on the pallet. Sensors detect when eithertype of load is lifted to prevent accidental opening of the legs while carrying a coil.Other sensors and indicator lights aid the operator in aligning the lifter with the coilor pallet. Numerous coil protection features are also included. One example has themotor control enclosure attached to the grab. This enclosure can also be mounted onthe crane. Capacity for palletized coils is 33,000 pounds, and up to 100,000 pounds foreye-horizontal coils.Additionally, the company has developed a coil grab for handling densely packedslit coils. Its customer, Coilplus-Berwick Steel, Columbus, Ohio, needed to find a wayto insert and remove thin slit steel coils (down to 1 inch wide) from a storage rack. Thecoils are closely stacked in the rack with a narrow 1.5-inch space between them. Thehooks are adjustable in two-inch increments to handle coils of varying thickness. “Themain advantage of these lifters is that the feet rotate,” said Larry Wood, maintenanceand safety coordinator at Coilplus. To remove a coil, the hooks are lowered with the feetparallel to the coils. Once the feet are in the coil, they are turned 90 degrees so they canlift the coil without damaging it or neighboring coils. “Since it arrived,” Wood said, “theBushman AvonTec lifter has been doing a great job.”bushmanavontec.comDelta Rigging & Tools Acquires Grizzly Wire Rope & ChainDelta Rigging & Tools Inc., Pearland, Texas, has acquired Grizzly Wire Rope & Chain,Williston, N.D. The acquisition gives DR&T an established location in the center of theBakken Oil Shale region, providing strategic growth opportunities to better serve therapidly expanding oil and gas development activities across a multi-state area.“We had been looking for a way to expand into the Bakken Shale area for sometime,” said Kevin Rodgers, CEO. “After a careful review, it became clear that taking awell-established and growing operation like Grizzly and making it a part of Delta RiggingJuly/August 2011 industrialliftandhoist.comProduct Focus& Tools was the best strategic move for us, and the best way to serve our existing andnew customers working in the Bakken.”Grizzly Wire Rope & Chain first opened in 2007 to serve the Williston Basinarea. The company provides wire rope, chain, hardware, cordage, web slings, andassociated services to customers working primarily in the oil and gas industry, but alsoin transportation, agriculture, and other areas. Over the next few months, Grizzly willofficially begin trading as Delta Rigging & Tools, according to a DR&T statement. All ofGrizzly’s employees are expected to join Delta Rigging & Tools, and operations will bepart of DR&T’s Rocky Mountain Region, headquartered in Grand Junction, Colo.deltarigging.comEriez Introduces New Lifting MagnetsIn the spring, Eriez, Erie, Pa., launched the SafeHold permanent lifting magnet line, whichcan lift and transfer steel and iron without slings, hooks, or cables. Available in severalmodels to meet specific application demands, SafeHold magnets make quick work ofdifficult steel handling and require fewer operators. Eriez offers the SafeHold line ofmagnets with lifting capacities up to 10,000 pounds. This line of powerful magnets doesnot require any electricity, so power failures will not interrupt operation.The SafeHold APL Series is ideal for quick and efficient handling of steel where accessis limited. The APL series turn off and on automatically with the up and down movementof a crane or hoist to provide continuous operation for hundreds of lifting and positioningapplications. The SafeHold EPL Series is specifically designed for machine shop use tocarry semi-finished products such as machine parts, press molds and steel plates.eriez.comBishop Lifting Recognizedfor Safety PerformanceBishop Lifting Products,Houston, Texas, received theCrane & Rigging Support –Silver Award in the HoustonBusiness Roundtable’s SafetyExcellence competition. Since1988, the Houston BusinessRoundtable has recognizedgreater Houston area industrialcontractors for outstandingsafety performance. This award process has become a joint effort to improve on-sitesafety, eliminate accidents, and most importantly, reduce injuries to employees. Afterreceiving the nomination from BP in the category of Crane & Rigging Support, formswere submitted including OSHA-required safety data for fatalities, lost workdaycases, recordable injuries and illnesses, copies of safety policies and procedures, anddocumentation of safety best practices.Following a formal review process, 33 companies were chosen to receive fieldaudits to assess on-site safety programs. Topics under review included accidentprevention plans, safety training and education, emergency evacuation plan, substanceabuse
There is no purpose to forcing the choke by bashing it with anything other than your hand. The little extra grip you think you get with this brutal technique is paid for by extreme damage to the standing part of your sling. If you need more grip use a round turn. Round turns or double w
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