# Presentation: 572711

## Shoulder Eyebolts

* *

***May 2004***

***Mike Goriup***
***Facility Representative***
***Test Reactor Area (TRA)***

## Improper use of rigging gear can result in equipment damage, personnel injuries, and even death
So-called “experts” sometimes aren’t
Guidance and standards can be misleading
When in doubt, stop work and start asking questions

(and a little bit about proper use of shouldered eyebolts, too)

*So-called “experts” sometimes aren’t*
*Guidance and standards can be misleading*
*When in doubt, stop work and start asking questions*
*(and a little bit about proper use of shouldered eyebolts, too)*

***Lessons to be Shared***

## What is a Shouldered Eyebolt?

*	*

***SHOULDER PATTERN EYEBOLTS PREFERABLE***
*In theory, plain pattern and shoulder pattern eyebolts are equally suitable for vertical lifts.  But since there is no guarantee that a load will never be subjected to an angular lift, shoulder pattern bolts are recommended for use wherever possible.  When a shoulder pattern eyebolt is property seated in the receiving hole, the shoulder bears against the seat and reduces bending stress on the shank.*

**Notes:**
Eyebolts all around. Today’s discussion mainly with regard to shouldered eyebolt pictured at right. Shoulder spreads bending moments over wider area. Used (carefully) when lifting loads at an angle. More to follow.

*	*

***What’s the big deal?***

** **
**EYE BOLT FAILURE**
**IN RIGGING AND HOISTING HAZARD SUMMARY:**
**In the first incident, two workers were injured, one fatally, when an eye bolt failed during an attempt to hoist a mould weighing about 65,000 lbs. Four shoulderless eye bolts, 21⁄2" inches in diameter, had been screwed in close to the four corners of the 7' x 7'6" x 6' mould. Four chains 6'10" long were hooked into the eye bolts and attached to the hook of a 40-ton overhead travelling crane.**
**One eye bolt snapped before the mould lifted off the floor. The chain, with part of the eye bolt attached, swung up and struck the first worker, then hit the second worker as it came down.**
**The second accident resulted in the death of a worker who was attempting to lift a motor/pump assembly, weighing 440 lbs. with a one ton manual chain hoist. The hook was inserted through the eye of a shouldered eye bolt threaded into the electric motor. The location of the centre of gravity of the pump set in relation to the eye bolt resulted in a force being applied to the eye bolt outside the plane of the eye. The eye bolt failed, fatally injuring the worker.**
**© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1998. Permission is granted to photocopy Ministry of Labour Alerts. Please distribute them widely and post them where people will see them. **

**Notes:**
Alert out of Canada from 1995. 

*	*

***Can it happen to us?***

- Four events in ORPS where loads were dropped due to improper eyebolt use. (One injury – broken leg)
- One “non-reportable” load drop at INEEL (no injuries or serious damage)
- Two improper lifts at ATR
- 	Green Room Lift of Coolant Pump
- 	ATR Canal In-pile Tube Storage rack

**Notes:**
Events involving eyebolts do occur at DOE facilities, may be under-reported. 

## Many sources of guidance on the use of eyebolts 
Sometimes conflicting or misleading
		DOE STD 1090 2001
		ASME B18.15  1985
		Manufacturer Manuals
		Local instructions
		Interpretations by Subject Matter “Experts”

*Sometimes conflicting or misleading*
*	**	**DOE STD 1090 2001*
*	**	**ASME B18.15  1985*
*	**	**Manufacturer Manuals*
*	**	**Local instructions*
*	**	**Interpretations by Subject Matter “Experts”*
*	*

***Why so many problems with something so simple?***

**Notes:**
Especially between manufacturer manuals with regard to angles of loading. DOE std had INEEL confused.

## Example: DOE STD 1090 2001

- _[DOE STD 1090 2001](file:///1-2-ID_Goriup_1090_2001.ppt)_

- Is it acceptable to load an eye in _any_ direction?

## NO.

**NO.**

- Loads must always be applied “in the plane of the eye.”
- Loading out of the plane of the eye voids the load rating of the eyebolt.
- Generally, lifts should be within 45o of vertical.

**Notes:**
Riggers, rigging engineer, and SME all believed lifting out of the plane of the eye was ok.

***Proper Use of Eyebolts***

- Given that we are not all hoisting and rigging experts, and that the rules can get a bit confusing, what are some simple checks that an FR “on patrol” can perform to see if an eyebolt is being used correctly?

**Notes:**
After several problems at the INEEL, the contractor compiled the most conservative guidance from several sources and came up with their own INEEL specific guidance.

## Proper Use of Eyebolts

- Look at the eyebolt for such conditions as:
- A. Elongated or bent eye section
- B.  Elongated or bent shank
- C.  Nicks and gouges
- D.  Obvious wear
- E.  Worn, corroded and/or distorted threads
- F.  Cracks found by non-destructive testing /visual inspection.
- G.  Absence of sufficient identifying markings

**Notes:**
After several problems at the INEEL, the contractor compiled the most conservative guidance from all available sources and came up with their own INEEL specific guidance.

## Proper Use of Eyebolts

*Check that the shoulder of the eyebolt is firmly seated on the load*
*One washer may be used to orient the plane of the eye to the direction of load.*
*A stack of washers is a clear STOP warning*
*At least 90% of the threads must be engaged with at least 1 thread diameter of engagement in steel (probably not something you’ll easily see)*

**Notes:**
After several problems at the INEEL, the contractor compiled the most conservative guidance from all available sources and came up with their own INEEL specific guidance.

## Proper Use of Eyebolts

*Check that the load is applied less than 45 degrees from vertical and in the plane of the eye. *
*Be sure that the lifting hook is not attached directly to the eye. A shackle should be used between hook and eye.*
*When in doubt, stop the work and look for paper*
*Is there a lift plan?*
*Look at the work documentation*
*Manufacturer documents*

**Notes:**
After several problems at the INEEL, the contractor compiled the most conservative guidance from all available sources and came up with their own INEEL specific guidance.

## Proper Use of Eyebolts

**Watch out for this type of rig.**

## Swivel Eyebolts

- Swivel eyebolts such as those shown here are beginning to replace standard eyebolts in many applications.  Concerns over the “Plane of the Eye” and angle of loading are almost eliminated.

*	*

***For More Information***

- DOE STD 1090-2001 Hoisting and Rigging (Former DOE Hoisting and Rigging Manual
- ASME B18.15 1985 Forged Eyebolts (A revision is in the works)
- “Guidelines for the Proper Use of Eyebolts – A ‘How To’ Manual”  can be found at:
- 	http://www.ewdaniel.com/PDFs%5Cguidelines.pdf
- “Forged Eyebolt Warnings and Application Instructions” can be found on page 154 in The Crosby Group catalog at:
- 	http://catalog.thecrosbygroup.com/maininterface.htm

## Eyebolts

**QUESTIONS???**