The practice of rigging can be traced back to prehistoric times. Back then leverage was used to pry stones and roll logs. The inclined plane or ramp was used to move heavy objects to higher elevations. The modern rigger has refined his tools and works with an assortment of blocks, pulleys, wire rope, slings, shackles, dollies, gantries, chain falls, jacks, and hydraulic systems to move heavy objects to their desired location.
The first and most important step in any rigging project is to determine the forces that will affect the job and then select the equipment that will move the load safely both horizontally and vertically. Mathematics is very much a part of rigging as formulas are used to calculate safe loads, stress on slings at varying angles, shear forces, tensile strengths and a magnitude of other information required to plan a rigging operation. A person who has studied these principles and their practical applications and has proven his competence in the industry is referred to as a “master rigger”. There are master riggers in most major markets and Long Island Riggers require the same credentials as you will find across the nation.
An experienced Long Island Rigger will always determine the center of gravity of an object before attempting to move it. Knowing the center of gravity of an object will allow the rigger to predict the outcome when forces are applied at different locations on the object that is being moved. Due to the nature of the work, safety and planning for safety are critical components of the process. Every member of a rigging crew is expected to understand basic rigging principles, terminology, and hand signals and must have the required training. C.R. Hamilton Inc. got its introduction into rigging in the early 1900’s and has owned many different cranes over the years in a wide range of capacities including lattice boom and hydraulic boom designs.
