Testing
of the hardware, slings and hoist are commonplace before making a
lift. However, testing the connection from which the hoist is
hanging is rarely part of the pre-lift testing. This pad eye
tester weighs forty pounds and attaches directly to the pad eye in
the ceiling, deck, or bulkhead. Test with up to twenty tons of
force to verify that the pad eye will hold to the surface. The
riggers told us that they could use one and now they have one to
use. This idea came from a discussion with riggers in a shipyard
who had been involved in accidents when pad eyes broke from their
welds and the rigging gear and load dropped.
1. Turn the handle on the
threaded rod counter-clockwise until the jaws and pin are exposed.
2.
Remove the pin and slip the jaw over the pad eye.
3. Replace the pin and turn the handle on the threaded rod
clockwise until the jaw retracts and the cylinder is tight against
the pad eye base.
4. Tighten the valve on the hydraulic cylinder and pump the handle
until the pressure on the gauge is at the desired tons. Use the
indication on the inside ring of the gauge which shows up to 20
tons.
5. After test, release the valve on the hydraulic cylinder which
will release the tension.
6. Turn the handle on the top of the threaded rod in a
counter-clockwise direction until the jaws and the pin are
exposed.
7. Remove the pin and the tester is ready for the next pad eye
test.
