Safety should always be a concern when working with hoist rings. Some of the safety practices that must be observed are obvious, such as never exceeding the rated capacity of the hoist ring. However, other concerns may not be as readily apparent. The following are a few general safety considerations to keep in mind when utilizing hoist rings to lift any workload.

• When installing hoist rings, the mounting surface MUST be flat and smooth to ensure full contact between the hoist rings mount and the tool body.

• Threaded mounting holes should always be tapped perpendicular to the mounting surface.

• For proper mounting of hoist rings with tapped holes, the material used for the tool body should have a tensile strength of at least 80,000 psi.

• When installing, the mounting base of the hoist ring should be mounted directly to the tool body. Spacers, washers or similar devices should NEVER be used.

• Mounting screws should always be tightened to the recommended torque specifications.

• For long-term use, the torque of the screws should be checked periodically to make sure screws have not loosened in use.

• Once the hoist ring is installed, as a final check, always make sure the rings rotate and pivot freely in all directions.

DO:

• Always read safety precautions information prior to use or installation.

• Always inspect the hoist ring(s) before use.

• Regularly inspect all hoist ring parts.

• Always tighten the screws to the recommended torque.

• Make sure that the hoist ring is free to pivot in all directions.

• Choose a hoist ring with the proper load rating.

• Always make sure the thread engagement is at least 1.5 times the diameter of the hoist ring screw.

• Make sure that the hoist ring bushing sits flush against the object being lifted.

• Consider periodic load-testing as an added precaution.

DON'T:

• Never exceed the rated load.

• Never use a hoist ring that you believe might be damaged. 

• Do not use a hoist ring with damaged screw threads.

• Never use in an application that does not allow the hoist ring to pivot and swivel in every direction.

• Never use a hoist ring that is not tightened to the recommended torque.

• Never replace parts/components of the hoist ring with anything but parts from PS&E.

• Never utilize a hook larger than the diameter of the opening.

• Never shim or use washers between the hoist ring and the surface of the object being lifted.

Hoist Ring Load Example:

The load of each ring is not simply an equation of total weight divided by the number of hoist rings. The resulting force can be greater at shallow lift angles and with uneven loads. See the table below for examples.

L   = Load weight experienced by hoist ring
W = Total weight
N  = Number of hoist rings
A  = Lift angle

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