Hardware Buying Guide: Choose Top-Quality Rigging Hardware and Overhead Lifting Equipment

The quality of the materials you use has a strong impact on the outcome of your project. No matter the size of your budget, it is important that you use high quality industrial rigging hardware and equipment, particularly for overhead lifting applications.

Using cheap or shoddy equipment is extremely dangerous, and even put the safety of your workers at risk. Many of the most common injuries and fatalities for construction workers are directly related to equipment issues.

According to a recent crane safety survey, 37% of accidents were caused by a load swing or an unstable load falling on top of a person. Twenty seven percent of these injuries were caused by poor rigging practices – which caused a load to be dropped or to slip out of the sling.

Using lower quality rigging and overhead lifting equipment can increase the risk of malfunction and put the health and safety of the entire team at risk.

Choosing reliable industrial hardware and rigging equipment will improve the outcome of your product tremendously. Higher-quality tools will last longer, work better, and support a more efficient process.

But finding and purchasing the best hardware equipment for rigging and overhead lifting is a huge undertaking. Ultimately, it comes down to finding a trustworthy rigging equipment supplier to buy industrial hardware from.

However, finding an industrial hardware supplying company can be more difficult than you’d think. There are plenty of options and each distributor offers many different brands, sizes, and types of rigging equipment. How can you be sure that you are getting the best deal and choosing the best products?

In this guide, we will break down all of the different types and styles of rigging equipment and cover all of the information that you need to make an informed purchasing decision.

Let’s dive in.

First, you will need to calculate the load weight that will be used with the hardware to be sure that it is within the load limit. The weight load limit (WLL) is the absolute maximum weight the equipment is designed to hold without breaking or bending.

It is generally best that you give yourself some leeway here. Purchase hardware that is rated for a load limit greater than the load it will be used for. This will ensure the highest level of safety.

The environment of the job site can also affect the type of hardware materials you will need to use.

Some metals will rust if they are exposed to rain or moisture. So, if you are using equipment that will be near a body of water or it could rain, you will want to go with stainless steel hardware – which is naturally rust-resistant – or galvanized finishes.

Extreme temperatures can also impact the equipment.

Cold temperatures can cause hard metals like steel to become more brittle. It will also cause materials made of nylon to become stiff, which can lower their load capacity.

On the other hand, extreme heat can also damage hardware, particularly if it is left in direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Some hardware pieces are specifically designed with high heat resistance to prevent this from happening.

Weather conditions can also cause industrial hardware to wear down faster. Heavy snow, rain, wind, or hail can dent, scratch, or wear away materials. It is important to keep this in mind when choosing hardware. If you are in an area that experiences more extreme weather conditions, then you should buy rigging equipment that is more heavy-duty or has a protective coating.

Most rigging hardware and equipment are made of steel, which is quite sturdy in and of itself. However, the finishing can impact its durability. Bright or unfinished metal is more prone to scratches, dents, corrosion, and rust, whereas galvanized or stainless steel is longer-lasting.

Some industrial hardware materials are simply going to be more durable than others – but this durability often comes at a higher price tag. This is a tradeoff that you must choose between when purchasing rigging equipment.

Conducting regular inspections can help to extend the life of rigging equipment, especially for materials like wire ropes and chains. These can be repaired easily if they start to wear. Proper maintenance will also help to increase the equipment’s durability.

OSHA and ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) have their own set of standards for rigging equipment to ensure the machinery used is safe and up to code. For overhead lifting equipment, the materials must be tested for accurate weight load limits and have specific visible markings for identification.

Any rigging equipment you purchase must be certified for OSHA-approved proof testing. OSHA also requires that overhead lifting equipment is inspected before each use and any defective hardware must be removed or repaired immediately.

There are also specific ASME standard ratings for specific pieces of equipment.

For instance:

• Slings must meet ASME B30.9 standards
• Hardware including shackles, sling hooks, and turnbuckles must meet ASME B30.26 standards
• Overhead cranes must meet ASME B30.2 standards

Of course, budget is one of the most important deciding factors when it comes to buying overhead rigging equipment. But while it can be quite tempting to purchase industrial hardware that costs less, this is not always the most ideal choice. It is best to always go with the highest quality rigging equipment that is within your budget price range.

Poor quality overhead lifting and rigging equipment can end up being more expensive than purchasing better quality hardware. Cheaper equipment typically needs to be replaced or repaired more frequently than high-quality, more expensive pieces.

This not only costs extra money, but it wastes a lot of time when production has to stop to change out the hardware. In fact, it is estimated that unplanned equipment downtime costs $260,000 per hour with time wasted in production and costs associated with equipment replacement. This wasted time and extra expenses can be avoided by sticking to higher quality rigging equipment in the first place.