Aramco Lifting Safety Short Notes | Key Guidelines & Best Practices

Explore concise Aramco lifting safety short notes covering safe lifting procedures, rigging requirements, equipment inspection, and OSHA-aligned practices. Perfect for HSE officers, supervisors, and workers seeking quick, practical safety guidance.

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HSE Officer

9/8/20255 min read

Hi safety department welcome again. I hope this blog post finds you well and ready to jump in the other topic which is “lifting “ it is detailed explained in GI 7.028. Here is a comprehensive list of every point about lifting from the famous book CSM. Every point we discuss in an easy, short and simple way including all technical details.

Note: It is not a detailed explanation, it is just a remembrance for the experienced safety officers, safety supervisors and even more higher posts.

Definition

· Lifting: The shifting of materials manually or through machines.

Manual Lifting

· Maximum Allowable Load: 23 kg for men 16kg for women is the allowed weight for manual lifting.

· Safe Procedure for Manual Lifting:
i· Have a good grip on the load.
ii· Keep a straight back.
iii· Use your leg muscles to lift.
iv· Keep your arms close to your body.

Crane Definition

· Crane: A mechanical equipment used to lift or lower a load.

Types of Cranes

· Mobile Crane
· Overhead Crane
· Tower Crane
· Crawler Crane

Key Lifting Equipment & Devices

· Anti-Two Block Device: A safety device installed on cranes to prevent the hook or load block from making contact with the sheaves (boom tip), which prevents accidental collision and damage.

· Boom Angle Indicator: A device mounted on the boom to show the operator, the angle of the boom.

· Anemometer: A device used for measuring wind speed. Maximum 32km/h or 9m/s or 19mph

· Safe Working Load (SWL): The maximum working load specified by the manufacturer for a piece of equipment or lifting gear.

· Load Chart: A document provided by the manufacturer that shows the crane's lifting capabilities at specific angles, radious, and boom lengths. It defines the crane's actual strength for a given setup.

· Safety Hook / Gated Hook: A hook equipped with a latch to prevent slings or the load from accidentally slipping off.

Lifting Tools and Tackles (Lifting Accessories/Gears)

· These include: slings, belts, shackles, turnbuckles, come-alongs, and spreader beams.

· Common Types of Slings/Belts:
· Synthetic web slings
· Wire rope slings
· Mesh slings
· Chain slings

· Softener: Must be used if the load is sharp and could damage the sling.

· Tagline: A rope (usually fiber) attached to a lifted load to control its swing and irregular movement.

Sling Hitch Types

· Bridle Hitch / Vertical Hitch
· Basket Hitch
· Choker Hitch

Critical Lifting Concepts

Critical Lifting: This is an important topic with definitions that vary by client.

Load Weight/Capacity: Lifting a load 75% or more of the crane's rated capacity is called critical lifting.

Personnel Lifts: Hoisting people in baskets or other platforms.

Special Loads: Lifting hazardous or explosive materials, or loads that are difficult to replace.

Complex Rigging: Non-routine or technically difficult rigging arrangements.

Tailing Lifting: lifting a load is moved from a horizontal to a vertical position (or vice versa), involving two or more cranes.

Tandem Lifting: A lifting activity where involving two or more cranes to lift a single load.

Blind Lifting: when a rigger directly not on sight with the crane operator, using other means of communication.

Technical Measurements & Angles

Crane Radius: The distance from the center pin of the crane to the center of the load.

Sling Angle: The minimum acceptable angle for a sling is 30 degrees.

Crane Angle: The safe angle for a crane is 60 degrees. The minimum acceptable angle is 45 degrees.

· Radius vs. Capacity: As the radius increases, the lifting capacity of the crane decreases.

· Wind Speed: All lifting operations maximum wind speed is 32 km/h and it shuld be stopped on this point, unless the manufacturer's specifications allow for operation at higher wind speeds.

Power Line Safety (Critical Clearance Distances)

· Cranes must maintain a safe distance from a power lines during operation. Minimum distance are:
· Up to 50 kV: 10 feet
· Over 50 kV to 200 kV: 15 feet
· Over 200 kV to 350 kV: 20 feet
· Over 350 kV to 500 kV: 25 feet
· (This references are taken from OSHA)

Overhead Goal Post

· Purpose: Used to warn vehicle traffic of the danger from overhead cables, power lines, or low structures on roads and sites. It shows the maximum overhead clearance.

Roles and Responsibilities

· Crane Operator: Responsible for performing a daily inspection of the crane.

· Certified Rigger: Responsible for inspecting all lifting gears (slings, chain blocks, shackles, etc.).

· Flagman: A trained person (spotter) who assists the equipment operator when needed (e.g., when moving backward or forward) and helps keep unauthorized personnel away from the barricade.

Lifting Hazards

· Unstable ground surface (risk of crane toppling).
· Overloading (risk of crane collapse).
· Using defective lifting gears (risk of load collapse).
· Working near power lines (risk of electrocution).
· Heavy wind or bad weather.
· Uncertified operators and riggers.
· Mechanical failure.
· Falling load.

Lifting Procedure & Requirements

· A valid permit to work must be obtained.
· The crane operator and rigger must be certified.
· The crane must be inspected and have a valid third-party inspection sticker.
· The ground must be level and stable.
· Lifting gears must be inspected and undamaged.
· The area must be barricaded with signage posted (e.g., "Keep Away, Lifting in Progress").
· Outriggers must be fully extended and outrigger mats must be used.
· The load must not exceed the crane's rated capacity (SWL).
· Stop all lifting operations at 32 km/h wind speed (unless the manufacturer allows more).
· Unauthorized entry must be restricted.
· A tagline must be used for all loads, except where its use could create a hazard (e.g., getting trapped in scaffolding or a power line).
· Safe distance from power lines must be maintained.
· The load shall not be passed over workers. (line of fire)
· The swing radius of the crane is the area that needs to be barricaded.

If there is anything missing you can also help people to put in a comment.

Thanks…

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