Unsafe lifting operations: Pallet lifted using webbing slings

What happened?

A load was being lifted from the quayside onto a vessel using webbing slings.

The load consisted of a pallet laden with chemical drums. The only method of securing was plastic film.

The load was not levelled during lifting.

Fortunately, no damage was reported.

There was significant potential for this lift to fail, resulting in the load falling from height.

Slings are not considered a suitable method for lifting pallets by crane.

Pallets should be secured with cargo nets to prevent loss of containment and dropped objects.

Cargo nets do not prevent structural pallet damage from sling lifts.

Consider using approved attachments (e.g. crane fork attachments) for the safe lifting of pallets by crane.

If conditions are / become unsafe, stop the work, and reassess the hazards!

Think of a time when you participated in a lifting operation that felt unsafe. What happened?

How would you challenge / stop work if something wasn’t right?

What should we look out for during lifting operations?

What measures do we have in place to prevent something like this from happening here? How can we improve?

What happened?

A load was being lifted from the quayside onto a vessel using webbing slings.
The load consisted of a pallet laden with chemical drums. The only method of securing was plastic film.
The load was not levelled during lifting.
Fortunately, no damage was reported.
There was significant potential for this lift to fail, resulting in the load falling from height.
Why did it happen?
Slings are not considered a suitable method for lifting pallets by crane.
- Pallets have no safe working load (SWL) when lifted by slings.
- Using slings to lift pallets can result in failure of the pallet structure.
What did they learn?

Pallets should be secured with cargo nets to prevent loss of containment and dropped objects.
Cargo nets do not prevent structural pallet damage from sling lifts.
Consider using approved attachments (e.g. crane fork attachments) for the safe lifting of pallets by crane.
If conditions are / become unsafe, stop the work, and reassess the hazards!
Ask yourself or your crew

Think of a time when you participated in a lifting operation that felt unsafe. What happened?
How would you challenge / stop work if something wasn’t right?
What should we look out for during lifting operations?
What measures do we have in place to prevent something like this from happening here? How can we improve?