Rigging & Material Handling
Lift Planning and Critical Lift Planning
Plan training lifts through load definition, rigging and crane capacity, geometry, ground and environmental controls, communications, contingencies, and capstone defense.
Who this is for
Intended audience
Lift planners, rigging supervisors, engineers, project personnel, and experienced rigging professionals developing planning competence.
Relevant industries: Construction, Oil & Gas, Maritime, Heavy Industry
Learning outcomes
What learners will work toward
- Explain lift-planning governance, roles, approvals and credential boundaries.
- Distinguish standard, complex and critical-lift classifications while recognizing that definitions vary.
- Establish scope, assumptions, exclusions, hold points and approval matrix.
- Verify load weight, dimensions, center of gravity, pick points and structural capacity basis.
- Calculate basic sling tension, load distribution and rigging geometry.
- Select training crane configuration and interpret an original load chart with all deductions.
- Determine operating radius, boom/jib configuration, reeving and capacity margin in course scenarios.
- Evaluate ground conditions, outrigger reactions, bearing pressure, mats and underground hazards.
- Plan clearances, tail swing, boom/load path, power-line controls and exclusion/fall zones.
- Establish weather, wind, visibility and dynamic limits, including vessel-motion awareness.
- Plan communications, signal methods, tag-line/load-control and crew roles.
- Explain multiple-crane load-sharing and 1926.1432 planning/review requirements.
- Develop sequence, inspections, pre-lift meeting, emergency/contingency and abort criteria.
- Apply management of change when any assumption or condition changes.
- Produce and defend a complete original capstone lift plan with independent checks.
Course outline
14 modules
Orientation, Authority, and Training-Only Controls
Separate planner education from actual lift authority. Introduce the hierarchy of regulation, manufacturer instructions, owner/client policy, employer program, engineering and project approval. All course drawings, charts and calculations are watermarked training-only and cannot be exported as approved field plans.
Lift Classification, Roles, and Planning Workflow
Teach that no single universal definition of critical lift controls every workplace. Use ASME P30.1's standard/critical planning framework, OSHA task requirements and configurable owner criteria. Map controlling entity, crane user, operator, lift director, qualified person, competent person, rigger, signal person, engineer, site supervisor and client reviewer.
Load Definition and Weight Verification
Gather drawings, nameplates, shipping data, vendor data, calculations and field measurements. Include contents, residuals, internal components, lifting devices, rigging and accessories. Distinguish verified weight from estimate and define contingency/escalation for uncertainty. Never rely on appearance alone.
Center of Gravity, Pick Points, and Load Stability
Calculate one- and two-dimensional center of gravity for composite training loads. Explain the relationship among center of gravity, hook, pick points and rotation. Evaluate spreaders, lifting lugs, trunnions and temporary attachments only from provided engineering data. An unverified pick point is a stop condition.
Rigging Geometry, Sling Loading, and Hardware
Apply vector concepts, sling angle, number of effective legs, unequal loading, hitch factors, load sharing, edge protection and hardware orientation. Use original capacity data. Explain why shallow sling angles increase force and why four legs do not automatically share equally. All actual rigging remains subject to qualified- rigger selection and manufacturer data.
Crane Selection, Configuration, and Capacity
Identify crane type, counterweight, boom, jib, reeving, parts of line, outrigger/stabilizer configuration, deductions, quadrant and operational mode. Read original load charts and distinguish gross, net and allowable capacity. The chart matching the exact configuration controls.
Geometry, Radius, Clearances, and Load Path
Plan initial, intermediate and final load/hook positions, radius changes, boom tip, headroom, obstructions, tail swing and landing tolerances. Include crane travel where applicable. A plan is not complete if it checks only the pick and set radii.
Ground Conditions, Outriggers, Mats, and Underground Hazards
Address firm, drained and graded conditions; voids, trenches, utilities, basements, recent backfill, slopes, marine structures and weather degradation. Use provided reaction data to calculate average bearing pressure and select training mat area, while explaining that real ground capacity and mat design require qualified engineering and manufacturer information.
Power Lines, Structures, Public Protection, and Exclusion Zones
Identify power-line work zones and required employer procedures without replacing the applicable rule. Address structures, scaffolds, process lines, vessels, traffic, rail, public areas and neighboring operations. Define exclusion, fall and swing zones, barricades, access control and emergency egress.
Weather, Wind, Visibility, and Dynamic Effects
Use manufacturer limits and owner policy for wind, lightning, visibility, temperature and precipitation. Consider sail area, gusts, load shape, tag-line control and sudden weather change. Maritime/offshore examples add vessel motion, list/trim, sea state and dynamic effects, but the course does not provide offshore engineering approval.
Communications, Signals, Load Control, and Crew Coordination
Define designated signal person, standard/nonstandard signals, radio channel/call sequence, emergency stop, blind-lift communication, tag lines and load-control methods. Everyone must understand stop authority and what happens if communication is lost or conflicting.
Multiple-Crane, Tailing, Upending, and Complex Lifts
Explain that multiple-crane lifts require a plan developed by a qualified person and directed/reviewed under 1926.1432. Teach training calculations for load sharing, geometry, sequencing, communication and differential movement. Tailing, upending and rotating introduce changing reactions and COG geometry. Engineering is often required.
Plan Package, Pre-Lift Meeting, Contingencies, and Change Control
The package includes scope, roles, load basis, crane/configuration, rigging, setup, ground, path, hazards, environment, communications, inspections, sequence, hold points, contingency, emergency, abort and approval records. A pre-lift meeting reviews the plan with involved workers. Any change to load, crane, setup, rigging, ground, path, weather or personnel triggers controlled reevaluation.
Capstone Lift Plan and Defense
Learners receive an original crane, load and site dataset. They submit the twelve-part plan specified in the authorization dossier, including calculations and drawings. A live or recorded defense tests source selection, assumptions, independent checks, critical controls and response to a changed condition. Critical errors require correction and a new defense.
Assessment and completion
Requirements stay explicit.
Assessment plan: 80-question protected staging QA assessment; 80% plus the critical-item rule. The 80-item draft seed bank must expand to 240 independently approved items before paid release.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is this an official OSHA or third-party certification?
No. IM Academi will identify the course provider and the exact completion outcome. It will not imply OSHA authorization, regulatory qualification, or another organization's certification unless the applicable authorization has been obtained and documented.
Does my employer still need to provide site-specific training?
Often, yes. Site hazards, procedures, equipment, emergency plans, supervision, and role authorization remain employer responsibilities. This page states course-specific boundaries but cannot replace an employer's hazard assessment.
What happens if a practical component is required?
The knowledge portion and practical evaluation are tracked separately. Final completion depends on the published course rules and a documented evaluation by an approved evaluator.
Need this course for a team?
Discuss assignments, delivery, practical coordination, and reporting needs.