July 21, 2005 — The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently published B30.26-2004, a new standard governing the construction, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of detachable rigging hardware used for lifting purposes. Developed by the ASME B30 Committee and approved by ANSI as an American National Standard, B30.26 covers shackles, links, rings, swivels, turnbuckles, eyebolts, hoist rings, wire rope clips, wedge sockets, and rigging blocks. After receiving final approval as an American National Standard on December 2, 2004, B30.26-2004 was issued on May 20, 2005.
What prompted the creation of this new standard? According to Joseph D. Wendler, P.E., engineering advisor, ASME Codes and Standards in New York, the initial request for development of a B30 volume addressing rigging hardware came from the Association of Crane and Rigging Professionals, submitted to the B30 Committee in 1999. “It was noted that there wasn't a definitive consensus standard available for rigging hardware, as it was neither addressed by the existing B30 volumes nor by the US Code of Federal Regulations,” he says. “Hence, the B30 Committee commissioned the development of a standard on rigging hardware in December 1999 with the goal of providing increased safety for end-users as well as providing a consistent set of guidelines for manufacturers and purchasers of rigging hardware.”
According to ASME, ensuring proper training of employees on operating practices, inspection procedures, and maintenance of equipment as established in B30.26 should reduce the risk of experiencing job-related personal injury or property damage. Additionally, manufacturers who comply with the standard have added security knowing that their products meet specific design criteria, which should decrease their exposure to product liability, says Wendler.
So far, says Wendler, Washington State's Department of Labor and the Canadian Standards Association have both expressed an interest to ASME in harmonizing their rigging standards with B30.26.
Electronic copies of the standard are $52 and available online at http://store.asme.org. Hard copies are $45 and may be obtained by calling 800-843-2763. 
