Instructions for the safe use of:

Lifting Beams and Spreaders

The information in this leaflet should be passed to the user of the equipment

This document is issued in accordance with the requirements of Using Lifting Beams Safely
Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974,
amended March 1988. It outlines the care and safe use of Lifting beams may incorporate various loose and detachable
LIFTING BEAMS AND SPREADERS and is based on Section items of lifting gear. Refer to the separate requirements for the
20 of the LEEA Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting safe use of those items.
Equipment. It should be read in conjunction with the Do not use defective or distorted beams or attachments.
requirements for general purpose slinging practice, given
overleaf, which form an integral part of these instructions. Lifting beams are generally designed for a specific purpose and
should not be used for other purposes without consulting the
This information is of a general nature only covering the main supplier. This will include the size of crane hook from which
points for the safe use of lifting beams and spreaders, including they are suspended. On no account should lifting beams be
lifting frames. It may be necessary to supplement this suspended from unsuitable size hooks.
information for specific applications.
The weight of the beam, together with its attachments, must be
added to the weight of the load when calculating the total load
ALWAYS: that will be imposed on the crane hook.
Ensure that the SWL on the individual lift points is not
• Store and handle lifting beams correctly. exceeded. Extra care is needed where these are adjustable.
• Refer to the safe use instructions for slings and attachments Ensure the load is stable and that the beam remains at its
used with the beam. intended attitude during use. Particular care is needed when
• Include the self weight of the beam and attachments when lifting and setting down as not only may the load become
calculating the load imposed on the crane hook. unstable but individual lift points may become overloaded.
• Ensure the load will remain stable when lifted. Use tag lines to control long loads.
• Ensure that no one lifting point becomes overloaded by the Do not allow the beam to foul the underside of the crane, or any
slinging or handling methods. other obstructions, when raising or transporting loads.
• Use tag lines to control long loads. Refer to the requirements of BS 7121: Part 1 when using
beams with cranes in tandem.
NEVER:
• Use lifting beams to handle loads other than those for which
In-service Inspection and Maintenance
they are designed. Maintenance requirements are minimal for lifting beams.
• Fit lifting beams to a hook other than those for which they are Ensure that bolted joints are sound and that corrosion damage
designed. is prevented. Refer to the individual maintenance requirements
for associated loose gear and attachments.
• Use damaged or distorted lifting beams and attachments.
Regularly inspect lifting beams and, in the event of the following
• Unevenly load lifting beams. defects, refer the beam to a Competent Person for thorough
• Allow lifting beams to alter attitude during use. examination: beam distorted, damaged or corroded; worn,
loose or missing bolts; cracked welds; attachment points worn,
• Allow lifting beams to foul the underside of the crane or any damaged or distorted, holes and eyes worn or elongated; any
other obstructions in the area. other visible defects.

© Lifting Equipment Engineers Association 2011 SI No. 8.3

Selecting the Correct Lifting Beam
Lifting beams, frames and spreaders are usually designed and Further information is given in:
built for a specific purpose. The range of designs and capacities The Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment,
is therefore only limited by practicality. Select the beam to be
used and plan the lift taking the following into account: published by:
Application requirements - to reduce headroom, provide LIFTING EQUIPMENT ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
multiple lift points, to provide adjustable lifting centres, to handle 3 Osprey Court, Kingfisher Way,
out of balance loads, to remove or control inward or crushing Hinchingbrooke Business Park, Huntingdon,
forces, to allow for special load attachments. Cambridgeshire. PE29 6FN. United Kingdom
Capacity, both of the overall beam and of the individual lift United Kingdom
points. Tel: + 44 (0) 1480 432801
Accessories and attachments - slings, grabs, shackles, hooks Fax: + 44 (0) 1480 436314
etc. E-mail: mail@leea.co.uk
Website: www.leeaint.com
Storing and Handling Lifting Beams
Never return damaged lifting beams to storage. They should be
clean and, where necessary, protected from corrosion.
Lifting beams should be stored in a manner that will provide
protection from damage whilst in store. Stands or packing
should be provided where this is not built into the beam. Ensure
the beam is stable and cannot topple over.
 GENERAL PURPOSE SLINGING PRACTICE
The following information is based on Section 1 - Appendix 1.5
Operative Training
of the LEEA Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Slings should only be used by trained operatives who
Equipment. It should be read in conjunction with the instructions understand the methods of rating and application of mode
for the safe use, given overleaf, of which it forms an integral factors.
part and with any specific instructions issued by the supplier.
Safe use of Slings
This information is of a general nature only covering the main
points for the safe use of various types of slings for general o Good slinging practice must ensure that the load is as safe
lifting purposes. and secure in the air as it was on the ground and that no
harm is done to the load, lifting equipment, other property or
persons.
ALWAYS: o Establish the weight of the load, ensure the lifting method is
• Plan the lift, establish the weight of the load and prepare the suitable and inspect the sling and attachments for obvious
landing area ensuring that it will take the weight. defects. Prepare the landing area making sure the floor is
strong enough to take the load. Follow any specific
• Check slings and equipment are free of damage, use instructions from the supplier.
slings/slinging methods suitable for the load and protect
slings from sharp edges and corners. o Ensure the lifting point is over the centre of gravity. Any loose
parts of the load should be removed or secured. Secure the
• Attach the sling securely to the load and appliance and sling firmly to the load by hooks onto lifting points or shackles
position hooks to face outwards. etc. The sling must not be twisted, knotted or kinked in any
• Ensure the load is balanced and will not tilt or fall. way.
• Keep fingers, toes etc clear when tensioning slings and when o Use packing to prevent damage to the sling from corners or
landing loads. edges and to protect the load.
• Ensure that the load is free to be lifted. o Do not exceed the SWL or rated angle. Any choke angle
must not exceed 120° and any basket 90°.
• Make a trial lift and trial lower.
o Do not hammer, force or wedge slings or accessories into
NEVER: position; they must fit freely.
• Use damaged slings or accessories. o When attaching more than one sling to the hook of the
• Twist, knot or tie slings. appliance use a shackle to join the slings and avoid
overcrowding the hook.
• Hammer slings into position.
o Use an established code of signals to instruct the crane
• Overload slings due to the weight of the load or the mode of driver.
use.
o Ensure the load is free to be lifted and not, for example,
• Trap slings when landing the load. bolted down.
• Drag slings over floors etc or attempt to pull trapped slings o Check that there are no overhead obstacles such as power
from under loads. lines.
• Allow personnel to ride on loads. o Keep fingers, toes etc clear ensuring they do not become
trapped when lifting, lowering or controlling loads.

Sling Configurations and Rating o Make a trial lift by raising the load a little to ensure it is
balanced, stable and secure and if not lower it and adjust the
Slings are available in single, two, three and four leg or endless slinging arrangement.
form. In practice it will be found that chain, wire rope and fibre
o Where appropriate use tag lines to control the load.
rope slings are available in any of these configurations but that
flat woven webbing is limited to single leg and endless whilst o Except where special provision is made, do not allow anyone
roundslings are only supplied in endless form. The maximum to pass under or ride upon the load. The area should be kept
load that a sling may lift in use will be governed by the slinging clear.
arrangement (mode of use) and may vary from the marked o Make a trial set down, ensure the sling will not become
SWL. In the case of textile slings the SWL for the various trapped and the load will not tip when the slings are released.
modes of use is usually given on the information label. In other Use supports which are strong enough to sustain the load
cases it is necessary to multiply the marked SWL by a mode without crushing.
factor.
o Never drag slings over floors etc or attempt to drag a trapped
The following three simple rules will ensure that the sling is not sling from under a load.
overloaded. In some cases this will mean that the sling will be
under utilised although this is unlikely to hinder the user unduly. o Never use a sling to drag a load.
Where the maximum utilisation is required reference should be o Place the hooks of free legs back onto the master link and
made to a Competent Person who understands the factors take care to ensure that empty hooks do not become
involved and who can perform the necessary calculations. accidentally engaged.
(1) For straight lift never exceed the marked SWL and in the o Never use slings in contact with chemicals or heat without the
case of multi-leg slings the specified angle or range of manufacturers approval.
angles.
o Never use damaged or contaminated slings.
(2) When using slings in choke hitch multiply the marked SWL
o On completion of the lift return all equipment to proper
by 0.8 to obtain the reduced maximum load the sling may
storage.
lift ie reduce the safe working load by 20%.
(3) With multi-leg slings, when using less than the full number
of legs, reduce the maximum load in proportion to the Further information is given in:
number of legs in use. Simply multiply the marked SWL by LEEA Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment.
the number of legs in use expressed as a fraction of the Various British Standards covering individual products.
total thus: one leg of a two leg sling = ½ marked SWL,
three legs of a four leg sling = ¾ marked SWL and so on.
SI GSP 1.2 (2011)