“Lifting Slings and Shackles are the most frequent components used in lifting and rigging, utilised to secure components and loads together in a safe and secure manner. Often considered a ‘consumable’ due to their disposable nature, slings and shackles can provide a long term or short term rigging solution depending upon the application at hand. This is usually determined country-to-country and is heavily influenced by maintenance costs. Smaller items are extremely cost effective with small slings and shackles costing just a few pounds here in the UK, while larger models heading upwards in the hundreds of pounds mark. When it comes to maintenance in the UK we are obliged by law to inspect Lifting Slings and Shackles at least once every 6 months, the cost of sourcing a qualified body to certify a low value item that has been used for 6 months often outweighs the cost of a fully certified brand new replacement, and thus the item becomes disposable. When it comes to larger Lifting Slings and Shackles the cost of replacing can greatly outweigh the cost of inspection and there for makes these items reusable and non-disposable until the point they fail inspection.
Lifting Slings and Shackles from Lifting Equipment Store (LES) are extremely affordable and we offer a superb range of competitive models from leading manufacturers around the world. LES provide economy and premium models that are both fully certified to meet the needs of every customer.
Most Commonly Used Types of Lifting Slings
Poloyester Webbing and Round Slings are an ideal lightweight lifting solution and the most commonly used, made from 100% polyester these slings are extremely affordable and often considered disposable until a certain price point. Perfect for handling delicate items weighing up to 200tonnes such as boats, glass and much more.
Chain Slings a heavier and more robust design, perfect for handling rough and industrial items such as steel or scrap, chain slings can be heavily adapted to suit the load at hand with shortening devices to gain the perfect adjustable sling length, perfect for heavy industrious lifting.
Wire Rope Slings offer a very similar design to chain slings at a more affordable price, often riggers like wire ropes as they don’t sag as easily as chain slings, they’re fixed in length and cannot easily be modified. Inspection and rigging time is significantly reduced but wire rope slings are not easily adjustable and do not modify easily.
Top Manufacturers of Lifting Slings
Kuplex- owned and sold by Crosby, one of the most well respected chain sling brands in todays marketplace
Liftking- owned by George Taylor GT Lifting in the UK and distributed by LES, high quality and affordable webbing and round slings
Pewag- The oldest chain sling manufacturer on the market, extremely well respected, innovation, safety and high quality are three key components of all Pewag chains
Types of Shackles
Bow Shackles are the most common type of lifting shackle used in rigging, offering the largest surface area for connection and rigging to other components, fitted with a screw collar pin (standard) or that combined with a bolt and safety pin to avoid accidental release.
Dee Shackles are very similar to the above but are shaped with a slimmer design like a capital ‘D’ to provide a smaller dimensional fit without compromise on strength, again as standard these come with screw pins or that combined with a bolt and safety pin to avoid unintentional release.
Specialist Shackles include those listed above but in specialist designs and finishes such as stainless steel or oversized models, those designed for use with ROV equipment any many others to suit specialist applications.
Top manufacturers of Lifting Shackles
Crosby are a leading American manufacturer of shackles and rigging components and also own the Kuplex chain brand, Crosby are widely known as the best of the best and specified by professional riggers worldwide.
Green Pin follow close behind Crosby as industry leaders, but with a larger bite of the European and Asian markets while Crosby dominate the USA. Green Pin, based in The Netherlands produce extremely high quality Lifting Shackles and rigging components.
Between them Crosby have the better product, but Green Pin have the better price (within the UK market).”
For more info visit: http://www.liftingequipmentstore.com
Very well written story. It will be supportive to everyone who usess it, as well as yours truly :). Keep up the good work – i will definitely read more posts.