Use of lifting equipment

[robosafe]

Hi There,
Can anyone advise, is it ok to tack weld a lifting eye in place?

If so does the welder have to be coded?

Even if there are no other options for the lifting of the equipment. I refer to service engineers working in a quarry environment having to lift equipment that wasn’t necessary designed to be lifted.


Best regards
Rob

[Alexis]

Bump.

Good to see you again Rob.

I'm sure someone will come in with a reply soon.

[WillPool]

For me, whether it is tack welded, or is an official lifting equipment/accessory (including lifting eyes) it will still need a thorough inspection which shall give you the SWL.

Should you not have this and something was to go wrong then investigators/insurers would want to know why you are in breach of lifting regs.

Will

[robosafe]

Hi WillPool
Thanks for the advice, although I agree in theory, however I would suggest its impractical to complete a thorough inspection in a quarry environment under service conditions every time an eyebolt (that requires tack welding) is required? bearing in mind that we visit multipole quarry locations.

Hence my question (would the person completing the weld need to be coded?). Would this be deemed as appropriate in these conditions/circumstances?

Hi Alexis, thanks.

[WillPool]

So if a thorough inspection is not completed how can you test the integrity of the weld?

Surely there has to be another option, if there are multiple quarries all requiring the same thing then surely whatever equipment you are using is not fit for purpose?

If I were the rigger/Lifting supervisor, how could I write a valid, suitable, and sufficient lift plan if the lifting eye is not inspected? It is an integral part of lifting safely.

Perhaps what to do is conduct a modification to all equipment that requires the lifting eye (s) added and have them all inspected. This maybe an option rather than adding eyes ad-hoc so that no-one knows what is inspected and what is not.

For me, having seen a lifting failure and the investigation afterwards, I would ensure that the eyes were welded (by an approved welder) and then the lifting elements inspected, to minimise failure as much as possible.

Perhaps others will have a different opinion, but that's how I see it

Will

[The Instructor]

Usually "lifting equipment" is tested for it's lifting capacity, during manufacture, and then said equipment will be properly marked and stamped with it's rated capacity, or safe working load.
Even if your fabricators are fully quallified and competent, you can't be sure of the safe working load , limitations or capacity..... so on this occasion I would suggest no, they shouldn't just be tack welded.
Besides reading back over your question, I think you already know the answer ..... "lift equipment that wasn’t necessary designed to be lifted"
There is your answer xx

[Maltman Dan]

In this instance you would need to follow LOLER guidance which would require cerification of said lifting eye to give an SWL. You would also need to have routine inspections by competent persons to maintain the certification.

How often is the lift required? Would you not be better off hiring a crane company to lift with strops etc and pro wide a lift plan also.very dodgy ground lifting stuff that isn’t designed to lift or be lifted. I would look to contract it out, appreciate there is a cost to this but what cost are you prepared to put on safety?