5 Rigging Disasters in Cape Town (And How to Avoid Them)

Disaster #1: The Collapsed Crane at Cape Town Harbour (2023)

What Happened: A 50-ton load slipped due to improper sling rigging, causing R2.5M in damages.

How We Prevent It:

• 3-Point Load Checks (Weight distribution + center of gravity analysis)

• Daily Equipment Inspections (Certified rigging gear only)

Disaster #2: The Paarl Factory Machine Crash

What Happened: An unsecured lathe machine fell through a weak floor during relocation.

Our Protocol:

• Laser Leveling Tech (Precision placement)

• Structural Load Testing (Before any move)

Disaster #3: The Stellenbosch Construction Site Near-Miss

What Happened: Wind gusts swung steel beams dangerously close to workers.

Our Solution:

• Real-Time Weather Monitoring (Automatic work stoppages if winds > 30km/h)

Why 87% of Cape Rigging Accidents Are Preventable

1. Untrained Teams (All our riggers are SAMTRAC-certified)

2. Outdated Equipment (We use 2024-model spider cranes)

3. Rushed Planning (We mandate 72-hour pre-job assessments)

“62% of rigging failures stem from improper load calculations.”

“Would Your Current Provider Pass This Checklist?”

✅ SAQA-accredited riggers?
✅ Public liability insurance?
✅ 5+ verifiable client references?

Case Study: How We Saved a Rooftop AC Installation in Sea Point

Challenge: Lift 15 HVAC units onto a 12-story building with 4m pedestrian clearance.

Innovation:

• Custom Mini-Crane Rigging (Avoided street closures)

• Night Work (Minimized public disruption)

Result: Completed 2 days ahead of schedule with zero incidents.