Mobilisation is when a site’s rigging habits are set. If the loft opens with a mixed bag of slings from the last project, unmarked shackles and no register, every lift for the next two years inherits it. If it opens with a matched, certified, registered kit sized to the cranes and the lift plan, riggers have the right gear to hand and the first third-party examination is a formality. This guide sets out what to order and how to organise it.
/01Start from the lift plan.
- Cranes and hooks: tower and mobile cranes on site, their hook sizes and the heaviest load each will handle.
- Typical lifts: rebar bundles, formwork, steel members, precast, MEP plant, materials in stillages.
- Heaviest lifts: these set the top of the range — they may need dedicated rigging, engineered by the lifting engineer.
- Crews: how many rigging crews work at once, so there is a set per crew plus spares in quarantine and inspection.
- Fixed lifting: plant rooms, lift shafts and workshops where chain blocks, beam trolleys and clamps will live.
/02The core kit.
| Family | Used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round slings and webbing slings | General lifting, finished surfaces, choker hitches | Colour-coded by WLL (EN 1492); protect from sharp edges |
| Chain slings, 2- and 4-legHighlighted | Steel, precast, heavy and hot loads | Grade 80 or 100; master link sized to the crane hook |
| Wire rope slings | Heavy and long-term rigging, abrasive loads | Ferrule-secured or spliced eyes; thimbles where eyes bear on pins |
| Shackles | Joining slings to lugs, hooks and each other | Bolt type for anything left in place; see the shackle buying guide |
| Hooks, master links, swivels | Making up and connecting assemblies | Latched hooks; matched grades |
| Chain blocks, lever hoists, beam trolleys, beam clamps | Positioning and lifting in plant rooms and shafts | Lever hoists for pulling and tensioning |
| Tag lines | Controlling load rotation from a safe distance | Non-conductive fibre rope |
| Lifting points and eye bolts | Attaching to equipment and fabrications | Use rated points; see eye bolt types and angled loads |
/03An example starter list.
As an example only — for a mid-size building site with two tower cranes, two rigging crews and lifts mostly under 5 t — a starter kit might look like the list below. Your lift plan and lifting engineer set the real quantities and capacities; treat this as a checklist of families, not a standard.
| Item | Example mix |
|---|---|
| Round slings | 1 t, 2 t, 3 t, 5 t in 2–6 m lengths; several of each per crew |
| Webbing slings | 2 t and 3 t, 3–4 m, for finished and fragile items |
| Chain slings | Two- and four-leg Grade 80, sized for the heaviest routine lifts |
| Shackles | Screw-pin and bolt-type anchor shackles, 2 t to 8.5 t, with spares |
| Chain blocks and lever hoists | 1 t to 3 t chain blocks, 1.5 t lever hoists |
| Beam clamps and trolleys | Matched to plant-room beam flanges |
| Tag lines | One or two per crew, plus spares |
| Quarantine stock | Spare slings and shackles to cover items out for inspection or rejected |
/04The rigging loft and register.
- Receive: check each item against the purchase order and its certificate, and read its markings — see shackle markings explained.
- Register: give every item a unique ID, record WLL, certificate number and next examination date.
- Store: slings hung off the floor, out of sun and away from chemicals; shackles and hooks in labelled bins by size; chain blocks on racks.
- Issue and return: issue against the register, inspect on return, quarantine anything damaged.
- Examine: book the periodic thorough examination; colour or tag items to show they are in date if your site uses a system — not a legal requirement in itself, but a useful one.
Common questions
- How many slings does a construction site need?
- Enough sets for each rigging crew to work without borrowing, plus spares for items out for inspection or rejected. Your lift plan sets the capacities.
- Should I buy Grade 80 or Grade 100 chain slings?
- Grade 100 carries more for the same chain size and weight. Do not mix grades within one assembly; see chain grades explained.
- Do rigging items need certificates on arrival?
- Yes. Each item should be marked with its WLL and come with the manufacturer’s test certificate, which goes into the lifting register.
- Is colour coding of lifting gear required in the UAE?
- The Abu Dhabi and Dubai documents we have read do not require it, but many sites use colour or tag systems to show items are in date.
- Can you supply a full rigging kit?
- Yes. Send the lift plan or a list of families and capacities, and we will quote a matched kit with certificates.
Core rigging kit
IH-LR-SY-PRSEPolyester Round Sling — Endless
IH-LR-SY-PFWSEEPolyester Flat Webbing Sling — Eye and Eye
IH-LR-CS-G80DOSGrade 80 Two-Leg Chain Sling with Sling Hooks — Type DOS
IH-LR-SH-G209Screw Pin Anchor Shackle — G-209 Pattern
IH-LR-SH-G2130Bolt-Type Anchor Shackle — G-2130 Pattern
IH-LR-G8-MLAGrade 80 Master Link Assembly
IH-LR-CB-AManual Chain Block — Type A
IH-LR-CB-LVALever Hoist — Type VA