WAC 296-155-55600   General requirements.  (1) Employers must use qualified riggers during hoisting activities for assembly and disassembly work (WAC 296-155-53402 (19)(a)). Additionally, qualified riggers are required whenever workers are within the fall zone and hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load, or doing the initial connection of a load to a component or structure (WAC 296-155-53400 (43)(c)).

     (2) All slings in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.9-2010.

     (3) All rigging hardware in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.26-2010.

     (4) All rigging gear must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations or a qualified person.

     (5) All below-the-hook lifting devices in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.20-2010.

     (6) All hooks in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.10-2009.

     (7) Repair of hooks must be approved by the manufacturer or qualified person and as follows:

     (a) Cracks, nicks, and gouges may be repaired by a competent person, all other repairs are done by the manufacturer or a qualified person;

     (b) Grind longitudinally, following the contour of the hook;

     (c) Do not reduce the dimension of the hook more than ten percent from the original.

     (8) Hooks must not be modified by welding and/or drilling unless written approval by the manufacturer has been received.

     (9) A qualified person must inspect the rigging equipment before each day or shift and:

     (a) Consider the application the equipment will be used for, and determine if it's safe for use;

     (b) Remove the equipment from service if using it will create a hazard or meets any of the removal criteria listed in this chapter.

     (10) The rated load of the rigging equipment must not be exceeded.

     (11) All rigging hardware must be inspected in accordance with Table 11, each day before using. If a daily inspection is not feasible because the hardware is in a semipermanent or inaccessible location, a periodic inspection is allowed instead of daily.

     (12) Rigging hardware must be removed from service when it shows any conditions listed in Table 11, or any other hazardous condition.


Table 11

Rigging Hardware Inspection/Removal Criteria

For all hardware, inspect for the following:
Missing or illegible identification.
Indications of heat damage, including weld spatter or arc strikes.
Excessive pitting or corrosion.
Load bearing components that are:
	•	Bent;
	•	Twisted;
	•	Distorted;
	•	Stretched;
	•	Elongated;
	•	Cracked;
	•	Broken.
Excessive nicks or gouges.
10% reduction of the original or catalog dimension at any point.
Excessive thread damage or wear, where applicable.
Evidence of unauthorized welding or modification.
Any other conditions that cause doubt as to the safety of continued use.
On shackles, also inspect for incomplete pin engagement.
On swivels and swivel hoist rings, check for lack of ability to freely rotate or pivot.
On compression hardware, also check for:
	Unauthorized replacement components;
	Insufficient number of wire rope clips;
	Improperly tightened wire rope clips;
	Damaged wire rope;
	Indications of wire rope slippage;
	Improper assembly.
On swivels, check for loose or missing nuts, bolts, cotter pins, snap rings, or other fasteners and retaining devices.
On blocks check for:
	•	Loose or missing nuts, bolts, cotter pins, snap rings, or other fasteners and retaining devices;
	•	Misalignment or wobble in sheaves;
	•	Excessive sheave groove corrugation or wear.

     (13) Any alteration or modification of rigging hardware must be in accordance with the hardware manufacturer or a qualified person and proof load tested to one hundred twenty-five percent. This test must be documented and available upon request.

     (14) Welding of rigging hardware is prohibited unless authorized by the manufacturer or an RPE.

     (15) Replacement parts must meet or exceed the original rigging hardware manufacturer's specifications.

     (16) Rigging hardware selection must have the characteristics suitable for the application and environment where it will be used.

     (17) Workers must keep all parts of their body from between the load and any rigging during the lift.

     (18) If handling intermodal shipping containers at a construction site, the employer must follow the requirements in chapter 296-56 WAC, longshore, stevedore and waterfront related operations, Part F, Specialized terminals and the guidelines found in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3874 - Series 1 Freight Containers, fifth edition - Handling and Securing.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.440, 49.17.060, and 29 C.F.R. 1926, Subpart CC. 12-01-086, § 296-155-55600, filed 12/20/11, effective 2/1/12.]