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Why Should You Strictly Follow Lifting Magnets Compliances?

Posted on April 7, 2017

Armstrong Lifting Magnets

Since the development of lifting magnets based on neodymium magnet materials and although they are wildly applied for many years in metal fabricating workshops, it is increasingly important for workers to obey the safety rules putted in place. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has come up with compliance standards ASME B30.20 for manufacturing and operating magnetic lifting equipment.

ASME establishes a full set of rules for below-the-hook lifting devices, both permanent and electric, used for hoisting and rigging, from design/fabrication, marking, installation, inspections, testing, maintenance, training/qualification to handling operation. For lifting magnets operated in close proximity, ASME specifically considers plans for those who need to manually position the magnet on the load and guide them during transportation. It also addresses the lifting operation that can be performed remotely in a distance.

It is crucial and the responsibility of operational leaders to enforce workers to follow the ASME compliance guidelines and avoid any personal injuries or equipment damages. With improper maintenance and operation, possible accidents can be crushing fingers or smashing plasma cutting tables leading to severe bodily injury, significant operational downtime, and/or capital loss. Thus, it is the greatest interest for any company to protect their workers and comply to ASME B30.20 standards. Metal workers should immediately stop their job and contact us if they have any questions or requiring assistance on creating detailed job-specific training, safety precautions and standard operation practices.

To ensure the safety of themselves and others when they use the lifting devices to move heavy metal sheets, ASME requires lifting magnet operator to:

  • read and understand all guidelines,
  • identify lifting capacity for material weight, thickness, surface, compositions, dimension and temperature being lifted,
  • ensure lifting capacities information label is attached and visible on the device,
  • precautious using other iron materials close to the lifting magnets and be aware of their surroundings,
  • Properly examine before each use and store after each use.
Besides the compliances listed in ASME B30.20, we have a few additional common safety practice suggestions:
  • Wear steel-toe boots, safety glasses and heavy duty gloves
  • Always keep good communications with co-workers in the area and stay alert of surrounding environment
  • Put up safety posters and warnings in your workshops for accurate operation guidance and steps of action in case of accidents
  • If any modifications are made to the lifting magnets, make sure that it is still compliant to the ASME B30.20 design and fabrication requirement. Keep in mind that any changes would not be covered by original manufacturers and sellers.
In no circumstances should operators stand below a lifting magnet or any lifting device carrying a load due to the potential for a dropped load as it transports loads from one location to another.