Whether it’s lifting steel rolls, I-beams, bundles of steel, pieces of equipment, or lumber, there are many situations where workers can experience serious injuries.
While traditional rigging methods are always a great choice, a custom-engineered below-the-hook lifting device can go a long way in improving efficiency and safety in your daily operation.
The market is filled with below-the-hook devices, so how can you figure out which one best fits your application? One of the more popular options is a lifting tong. We’ve seen these diverse, ergonomic devices in a variety of industries. This raises the question: what makes lifting tongs such a great fit for so many industries?
To help you pick the best lifting device for your organization, our article will break down the key components of lifting tongs, including:
- Should You Pick a Pressure- or Support-Style Lifting Tong?
- What Industry Standards Affect Lifting Tongs?
What are Lifting Tongs?
Lifting tongs (also called lifting grabs), are scissor-like below-the-hook lifting device meant to lift and move objects without a designated rigging point.
They are used to pick up loads via pressure, where you come around the load and apply pressure onto it, or through supporting. This entails getting underneath the load and supporting it from the bottom. Which option you choose will depend on your application.
Most lifting tongs include lifting rings for easy use with an overhead crane and can replace the need to put loads in a basket or choke configuration. Lifting tongs can also be used in similar applications to lifting clamps.
Because of their multiple design configurations, customizations options, and wide capacity range, lifting tongs have found a home in multiple industries and applications.
What are the Best Applications for Lifting Tongs?
As mentioned, lifting tongs are great for loads without designated rigging points.
They’ll be used on, for instance, steel rolls at processing facilities, where you need to move around a slick surface and there’s nowhere to attach rigging to unless you put the load in a basket or choke configuration.
They can be used to lift:
- Steel rolls
- Logs
- Heavy slabs of stone or concrete
- Polished sheets
- Pipes
- Steel beams
- Heavy pieces of machinery
- Engine parts
- Miscellaneous equipment and components
Tongs can also be used in steel mills to lift the electrodes that power the mill’s furnaces.
What Industries Use Lifting Tongs?
Our below-the-hook experts have seen lifting tongs in just about every work environment and industry.
Lifting tongs are incredibly popular in steel mills and steel processing facilities to lift and transport steel rolls—which can weigh up to several tons and remove manual labor as an option.
Contractors and construction companies use lifting tongs in building or bridge construction projects to handle large beam sections and piping and position stone slabs.
We have seen them on assembly lines in the automotive industry to lift engines, transmission parts, car doors, and other heavy objects. Lifting tongs are known for being ergonomic, which makes them a great fit in any general manufacturing environment, too.
Lifting tongs can also be used in lumber yards to pick up logs.
What are the Biggest Benefits of Lifting Tongs?
Many Customization Offerings
The multiple customization offerings are one of the biggest benefits to lifting tongs.
One of the more popular customization offerings is the automatic latch. This feature holds the tong in an open position, so workers don’t have to manually spread the tong apart as it drops over the load.
Once the tongs spread in the open position and drops down onto the piece, it will activate the auto latch. Then, when you pull up again, it’s now allowing the arms to close. Then, as you set it back down and reengage, the arms will lock back in the open position.
Another popular customization offering is attaching rubber or brass load protection pads.
An Ergonomic Option
Our below-the-hook team has made tongs as small as 250 lbs., making them a reliable, ergonomic option for environments where traditional rigging tools won’t fit. The ergonomic design will also make it easier to transport around your facility.
Increased Efficiency
Having an engineered below-the-hook lifting device removes the need for riggers to manually rig the load. Now, all workers have to do is line the tong on top of the load, saving them time and energy.
Increased Safety
Workers are at serious risk when tasked with rigging and moving steel rolls and slabs that can weigh several tons. Plus, consistent manual labor can cause serious muscle and tissue damage.
Easy to Operate
Any experienced crane operator or rigger can easily operate a lifting tong. But, just like any other below-the-hook device, additional training for that specific tool is encouraged. Lifting tongs can remove a lot of unnecessary downtime and allows your workers to focus on other strategic projects.
Should You Pick a Pressure- or Support-Style Lifting Tong?
Picking between a pressure- or support-style tong is an important decision to make, as each one has their advantages and disadvantages.
Pressure-style lifting tongs allow you to lift a load that is flat on the ground, a situation where traditional rigging practices would be difficult and dangerous for the workers.
The load plays a big part in this decision. Can your load handle the compression force against it with a pressure style tong? Some loads may be too fragile where the compression could dent, damage, or collapse it.
If your load is more delicate, you will want a support-style tong that comes from underneath the load to avoid compression.
What Affects Their Pricing?
The lifting tongs’ capacity, size, and customization add-ons are the biggest factors regarding price. Larger tongs require more material and labor, which will drive up expenses. Lifting tongs also have a wide price range due to their wide capacity range—from 250 lbs. to 75 tons and beyond
Regarding customization offerings, our Below-The-Hook Specialists report that adding a standard automatic latch will significantly increase your final cost. A custom automatic latch on larger tongs could also increase the price. A double tong will also cost more than a single tong.
Double Lifting Tongs Vs. Single Lifting Tongs
A single tong is the standard, single piece model with the bottom linkage, scissors, and the upper linkage. A double tong is two of those spread apart by either a spreader beam or a built-in beam that will set the two tongs apart. Whether it’s 10 inches apart or 10 feet apart, this is done to stabilize a load when lifting it.
What Industry Standards Affect Lifting Tongs?
Lifting tongs are subject to both ASME B30.20 and ASME BTH-1 standards. ASME B30.20 lumps tongs and lifting clamps together, and both have similar guidelines regarding:
- Inspection cadence
- Construction
- Welding
- Operational tests
- Removal criteria
Some of the biggest takeaways from ASME B30.20 include:
20-6.3.9.1 Operational Tests
“(a) New clamps shall be tested by a qualified person, or a designated person under the direction of the manufacturer or a qualified person, prior to initial use to verify compliance with applicable provisions.”
“(2) Locking Mechanisms: Clamps with manually operated or automatic locking mechanisms shall be tested to determine that the locking mechanism operates in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.”
“(b) Altered or repaired clamps shall be tested by a qualified person, or a designated person. This test may be limited to the components affected by the alteration or repair, as determined by a qualified person with guidance from the manufacturer.”
Are There Bad Applications for Lifting Tongs?
While lifting tongs are an ergonomic and dynamic tool, they do have limitations.
Lifting tongs are not ideal for low headroom applications, because they require a good amount of headroom. Since the tongs need a lot of clearance on either side of the load to open the tongs, they are not a good fit in confined spaces where room is limited.
You may want to use traditional rigging methods with lifting slings if you work in that environment.
Which Below-The-Hook Lifting Device is Right for You?
Whether you purchase lifting tongs or not, we hope that you picked up some valuable information about their best application, biggest benefits, and the industry standards that affect them.
We also hope that you understand the applications where lifting tongs may not be a good fit. In both cases, reach out to one of our Below-The-Hook Lifting Specialists to learn more about what option is best for your environment.
Mazzella has been a leader in designing, manufacturing, and installing below-the-hook lifting devices for organization of any size and industry. Check out our Custom Lifting Device Checklist and Design Sheet to learn more.
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