Rigging Rules Inside the Plant Fence
Day-to-day plant maintenance is usually general industry work. OSHA's sling standard, 1910.184, requires slings to be inspected each day before use and removed from service when damaged, and 1910.179 covers overhead and gantry cranes, which may be operated only by designated persons. ASME consensus standards fill in the detail: B30.9 for slings, B30.26 for rigging hardware, B30.20 for below-the-hook lifting devices and B30.2 for overhead cranes.
Major projects and new construction inside a plant can bring in OSHA's construction crane standard, with its qualified rigger requirements. Either way, many plant owners write documented rigging qualification into contractor prequalification and gate orientation, and NCCCO Rigger Level I and II are widely recognized for that purpose.
Level I Versus Level II: What Each Covers
Level I is about doing rigging correctly; Level II is about deciding what the rigging should be.
Level I: rigging hardware and inspection
Identifying slings, shackles, hooks, eyebolts and hoists; reading tags and working load limits; removal criteria for damaged gear.
Level I: hitches and basic load control
Vertical, choker and basket hitches, how hitch type changes capacity, tag line use and keeping hands clear.
Level I: signals and communication
Standard hand signals and how riggers coordinate with crane and hoist operators.
Level II: load weight and center of gravity
Estimating weights from dimensions and material, locating the center of gravity and predicting how a load will hang.
Level II: sling tension and angles
Calculating sling loads for unequal legs and shallow angles, and selecting hardware to match.
Level II: planning complex picks
Spreader and lifting beam selection, load turning, multi-crane and engineered lifts, and communicating a rigging plan.
Credentials for Plant and Turnaround Crews
Rigger Level I
The entry credential for millwrights, pipefitters, boilermakers and laborers who hook and handle loads.
Rigger Level I prep →Rigger Level II
For the people who calculate, plan and approve rigging on heavy and engineered lifts.
Rigger Level II prep →Overhead crane operator
Bridge and gantry cranes in shops and process buildings, with their own operator credential.
Overhead crane prep →Signal person
Pipe racks and process structures block the operator's view. Qualified signaling keeps lifts controlled.
Signal person prep →Getting Ready Before the Turnaround
The best time to certify riggers is months before the outage, not the week the gate opens. Online prep lets craftspeople study during normal operations, then sit the official written and practical exams on a schedule that doesn't compete with the turnaround itself.
Plant maintenance departments and industrial contractors certifying a larger group can contact us about crew enrollment. Pair rigging prep with our lockout/tagout qualification for maintenance staff who also isolate equipment.