PDFWAC 296-155-55600
General requirements.
(1) The employer must use at least one qualified rigger to perform the rigging as follows:
(a) During hoisting activities for assembly, disassembly, or reconfiguration work;
(b) Whenever employees are engaged in hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load, or in the initial connection of a load to a component or structure.
(2) All slings in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.9-2021. Slings manufactured prior to the effective date of this section, must comply with ASME B30.9-2010.
(3) Slings in contact with edges, corners, or protrusions must be protected with a material of sufficient strength, thickness, and construction to prevent damage to the sling.
(4) All loads must be attached to the hook by means of suitable slings or other devices of sufficient lifting capacity.
(5) All rigging hardware in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.26-2020. Rigging hardware manufactured prior to the effective date of this section, must comply with ASME B30.26-2010.
(6) The employer must use all rigging gear in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
(7) 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 B30.20-2021. Below-the-hook lifting devices manufactured prior to the effective date of this section, must comply with ASME B30.20-2010.
(8) All hooks in use must meet the applicable requirements for design, inspection, construction, testing, maintenance and operation as prescribed in ASME B30.10-2019. Hooks manufactured prior to the effective date of this section, must comply with ASME B30.10-2009.
(9) 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 10% from the original.
(10) The employer must not modify hooks by welding or drilling unless written approval by the manufacturer has been received.
(11) The employer must mark special custom design grabs, hooks, clamps, or other lifting accessories, for such units as modular panels, prefabricated structures and similar materials, to indicate the safe working loads and they must be proof tested prior to use to 125% of their rated load.
(12) A qualified person must inspect the rigging equipment before use for each shift and:
(a) Consider the application the equipment will be used for, and determine if it is 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.
(13) The rated load of the rigging equipment must not be exceeded.
(14) All rigging hardware must have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load.
(15) The employer must inspect all rigging hardware in accordance with Table 11, each shift 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.
(16) The employer must remove rigging hardware 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. | |
(17) Any alteration or modification of rigging hardware must be in accordance with the hardware manufacturer or a qualified person and proof load tested to 125%. The employer must document this test and make it available upon request.
(18) Welding of rigging hardware is prohibited unless authorized by the manufacturer or an RPE.
(19) Replacement parts must meet or exceed the original rigging hardware manufacturer's specifications.
(20) Rigging hardware selection must have the characteristics suitable for the application and environment where it will be used.
(21) Workers must keep all parts of their body from between the load and any rigging during the lift.
(22) If handling intermodal shipping containers at a job 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.
(23) Multi-tier rigging. Multi-tier rigging is only permitted when all of the following criteria is met:
(a) Only employees essential to the operation are allowed to be in the fall zone, but must keep clear of loads and never be directly under the suspended load;
(b) All employees engaged in the multi-tier rigging must be made aware of and understand the additional hazards imposed by multi-tier rigging, and will avoid the associated hazards;
(c) The total load must not exceed:
(i) The rated capacity of the hoisting equipment specified in the hoisting equipment load charts; and
(ii) The rigging capacity specified in the rigging-rating chart.
(d) The multi-tier rigging assembly must be rigged:
(i) With a maximum of three tiers hoisted per lift;
(ii) Slings are protected with material of sufficient strength, thickness, and construction to prevent damage from sharp edges, corners, protrusions, or abrasive surfaces;
(iii) Appropriately rigged and maintained reasonably level;
(iv) Hooks with self-closing latches or their equivalent must be used;
(v) Each tier shall be independently rigged back to the hook or master link, and may not support another tier; and
(vi) Rigged with enough space for at least seven feet apart from each load.
(e) As each load is landed, the remaining loads must be swung off to the side prior to disconnecting the landed load;
(f) Controlled load lowering must always be used;
(g) Loads shall be landed on a stable surface to prevent movements causing hazards such as crush/pinch points;
(h) A double wrapped basket hitch is the only allowable basket hitch to be used.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060, and chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 25-16-089, s 296-155-55600, filed 8/5/25, effective 9/5/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-55600, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and chapter 49.17 RCW, and 29 C.F.R. 1926, Subpart CC. WSR 13-02-068, § 296-155-55600, filed 12/31/12, effective 2/1/13. 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. WSR 12-01-086, § 296-155-55600, filed 12/20/11, effective 2/1/12.]