Do you work in an environment where lifting bundles of materials is common? Do you feel you’re struggling to safely and securely move these bundles at your job site? You are not alone.
Multiple industries deal with this issue. And without the proper equipment in place to safely move bundles of product, you risk damaging your load and injuring your workers. But thankfully, there are below-the-hook lifting devices that can help, including a basket lifting beam.
You can find basket beams in facilities nationwide, regardless of the industry. But what are their best applications, and what industry standards do they need to follow?
In this article, we will cover the fundamentals of basket lifting beams, including:
What Is a Basket Lifting Beam?
A basket sling lifting beam is a below-the-hook lifting device that has hooks or lifting lug points underneath it to run a sling in a basket configuration underneath a bundle or a load. With a basket lifting beam, you can hook the eyes of a lifting sling to create a basket configuration around the load. (They are also called basket beams, basket sling lifting beams, or basket spreader beams.)
Outside of picking up bundles, the biggest benefit to using one is creating more stabilized loads. Any sling you use that can be put in a basket hitch configuration can be used with a bundle lift. However, synthetics or twin paths are probably the best to use.
Depending on the diameter you use, it can be harder to use a wire rope sling as opposed to synthetic lifting slings. 7-part wire rope slings are also a good option.
While you can use chains, our engineers feel that you’re putting unnecessary pressure points on your chain links compared to using a lifting sling.
Where Can You Find a Basket Lifting Beam?
Basket beams have proven to be versatile tools, making them an ideal fit for multiple environments. Some examples of what they could pick up include:
- A bundle of pipes or rods
- Steel rolls at a mill
- Generators at a power plant
- Logs or trees at a construction site or lumber yard
- Turbines for windmills
According to our below-the-hook specialists, they are very common at:
- Construction sites
- Lumber yards
- Manufacturing facilities
- Shipyards
- Steel producing and processing plants
Basket beams thrive in heavy lifting applications. Let’s say you’re lifting a tractor trailer. If you pull inward on the trailer, you can easily crush the load and damage your lifting slings. However, having a basket beam that spans the trailer’s width allows you to keep the slings vertical, giving you increased leverage and creating a more stabilized load.
What Is the Capacity, Width, and Price Range for a Basket Lifting Beam?
One of the positives of a basket beam is the wide range of customization offerings. Everything from the length to the number of connection points can be customized to fit your lifting application.
Width
While there is no set limit for a basket beam’s width, we commonly see them fall anywhere between 1’ to 12’. Those beams in the 10’ to 12’ range are used to lift heavier, larger objects, like cargo containers, turbines, metal coils, and cement pipes.
Capacity
The capacity range for basket sling lifting beams can range anywhere between a few hundred pounds to 15 tons and beyond, with 5 tons being popular with our customers.
Price
The biggest factors determining your price are the capacity length and the number of connection points. Larger, more complex basket beams require more material and labor—driving up your cost.
Because of their versatility, the price range for basket beam spans greatly, ranging anywhere from $2,000-$20,000.
What are the Industry Standards for Basket Spreader Beams?
All basket spreader beams are dictated by ASME B30.20 standards and ASME BTH-1.
ASME B30.20 includes:
“…provisions that apply to the marking, construction, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and operation of below-the-hook lifting devices, other than components addressed by other ASME B30 volumes or other standards, used for attaching loads to a hoist. The requirements in this Volume also apply to clamps used for positioning and anchoring.”
ASME BTH-1 provides:
“…minimum structural and mechanical design and electrical component selection criteria for ASME B30.20 below-the-hook lifting devices.”
Why Shouldn’t You Build Your Own Basket Lifting Beams?
One of the biggest issues our below-the-hook experts find at facilities is the rampant use of homemade below-the-hook devices—and basket lifting beams are no exception.
While you may have full confidence in your experienced and qualified in-house engineering department, it’s always best to seek a non-biased industry expert to inspect and manufacture your basket beams. And from our experience, we rarely see homemade basket beams comply with ASME standards.
Additionally—without proper tagging, load testing, or inspection criteria—homemade below-the-hook devices pose a serious threat to worker safety. And in our previous article on die horses, organizations caught using homemade below-the-hook devices can be held liable in court if an employee is injured using one.
While you may pay more for a custom engineered basket beam, removing a potential hazard for your workers is worth the investment.
What are the Benefits to Using a Basket Spreader Beam?
From increasing workplace safety, boosting productivity, to their diverse application settings, basket spreader beams are a must-have below-the-hook device if you routinely pick up loads in a basket configuration.
Furthermore, investing in a properly manufactured basket lifting beam removes the chances of damaged loads, workplace injuries, or even fatalities.
Before you purchase one though, talk with your team to see if it’s a good fit for your application.
At Mazzella, we take pride in designing, manufacturing, and installing top-tier below-the-hook devices for various industries. Whether you work in lumber yards or steel mills, our team’s industry knowledge and decades of experience can help your organization create faster and more efficient processes.
Download our Below-the-Hook Lifting Devices at a Glance Guide to learn more about our vast product offerings.
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