Four-leg chains are a set of four chains attached to a ring at the top called a master link. At the end of each chain is a carabiner. A hook with a safety catch. These hooks get attached to a load via a number of methods.
- They can go directly on to a load’s lifting points.
- The chain can wrap around the load and hook onto itself. This is called choking.
- The chains attach to other accessories that will apply the lift. Such as lifting beams, forks cages, block and tackles, etc.
One, two, three, or all four legs can be used for lifting at any one time, as long as the load doesn’t exceed what the combined legs can lift. The most commonly used on building sites are 6.7t chains. Sites will often have 11.2te chains available for bigger lifting.
Whatever chains aren’t being used for the lift should be hung up out of the way.
Chains should be stored off the ground, either on a chain rack or in a chain box. They should be checked for faults at the start of each shift. Things like squashed, cut, or stretched links should be looked for. As well as broken, seized or bend carabiners. They safety should move freely and lock in position.
Every set of chains should have a tag on that shows the chain identification, SWL, slinging angles, etc.
Four leg chains lifting shutters with a spreader beam. Two legs are hooked up out the way, rather than leaving them swinging around.
Here, two legs are being used for the lift on one point. The other two are hooked up out the way.
If there is only one point to hook onto on a heavy load, for example, the two legs give extra lifting capacity.
Below are example of tags that you’ll find on chains.
