How to Control Suspended Loads Without Putting Hands on the Load

The three-tool system that riggers and dogmen are using to guide, position and land loads without entering the line of fire — and how to match the right tool to the right stage of the lift.

The problem with conventional load guidance

Ask any experienced rigger or dogman how they guide a load into its final position and the answer is usually honest: they hold it. They put a hand on the load, or they grab the sling, or they walk into the area beneath it and push it those last few centimetres with a shoulder or an elbow if both hands are full. They do this because it works, because it is fast, and because every crane operator they have ever worked with expects it.

They also know it is the part of the job that worries them most. A load that shifts unexpectedly, a sling that pops, a crane operator who misreads a signal at the wrong moment — all of these are most dangerous when a person is in close physical contact with the load. The hand that is guiding the beam is the hand that gets trapped between the beam and the structure.

The NSW Resources Regulator received 50 reports of hand and finger injuries from NSW mining operations over two years, with 12 resulting in serious injuries (SB24-04, July 2024). Hand and finger injuries consistently account for the largest share of serious injuries in NSW mining — 33% in 2024–25. The tools and methods described in this article exist specifically to remove the hand from that zone.

Understanding what the hand is doing — and why

Before choosing a tool to replace hand contact, it helps to be clear about what function the hand is performing. In most lifting operations, hands perform one or more of the following roles during load control:

• Rotation control — stopping a load from spinning on the hook by exerting rotational force
• Swing control — arresting the pendulum movement of a suspended load as it travels or descends
• Directional positioning — pushing or pulling the load into precise alignment with a landing point
• Tagline management — catching, holding, and maintaining tension on a rope attached to the load

Each of these functions can be performed by a tool instead of a hand. The question is which tool is suited to which function, and in which circumstances.

Tool 1: The tagline — and why design matters

A tagline is the first line of defence against hand contact with a suspended load. When used correctly, it keeps the worker at a distance from the load throughout the lift, providing rotation and swing control through rope tension rather than direct physical contact.

A tagline is defined in Australian rigging practice as a rope attached to a load during a lifting operation to allow control of swinging and/or rotation. Multiple taglines may be required depending on the load and the lift geometry.

The problem with conventional rope taglines is not the concept — it is the behaviour under load. A rope tagline in typical conditions will hang vertically from the attachment point on the load. In the real conditions of a mine site or construction job — wind, an uneven landing area, a load that is still rotating — the tagline does not hang calmly. It swings, wraps around the load, drags along the ground, or falls vertically beneath the load itself.

When that happens, the rigger has to retrieve it. To retrieve a tagline that has fallen beneath the load, the worker typically has to walk toward the load and reach under or near it — which is precisely the position the tagline was supposed to prevent.

This is why the design of the tagline matters, not just its presence. A tagline engineered to resist kinking and tangling during the lift maintains its usability from a distance.

Australian rigging guidance notes that taglines must be of adequate length for the task and allow the worker to remain outside the exclusion zone. Ranger, one of Australia's specialist lifting and rigging suppliers, notes that taglines should be at least 16 mm in diameter and made from non-conductive material for standard applications.

Tool 2: The push/pull pole — for when the load needs physical guidance

Even with a good tagline, there are situations where direct physical force must be applied to the load — to push it the last few centimetres onto a landing point, to rotate it against residual twist, or to hold it steady while rigging is detached. In these situations, a push/pull pole is the tool that replaces the hand.

A push/pull pole is a rigid or semi-rigid pole, typically fitted with a rubberised push pad at one end and a hook or retrieval point at the other. The push pad provides a broad contact surface against the load, distributing force without slipping. The length of the pole determines the working distance between the operator and the load.

Push/pull poles are available in fibreglass, nylon and engineered plastics. Selection should be based on the requirements of the specific task and environment. Using a push/pull pole correctly is a practical skill — maintain a two-handed grip, keep feet outside the exclusion zone even while using the pole, and communicate with the crane operator before applying force.

Tool 3: The magnetic positioning tool — for ferrous steel loads

For loads made of or containing ferrous steel — structural steel, plate, pipe, fabricated assemblies — a magnetic positioning tool provides a third option that is qualitatively different from a push/pull pole.

A magnetic positioning tool uses a permanent magnet head mounted on an extendable handle. The magnet attaches directly to the steel surface of the load. Because the attachment is magnetic rather than mechanical, the operator does not need to apply constant pressure — the tool holds itself against the load, freeing the operator to focus on direction rather than contact.

A magnetic tool is not suitable for all situations. The load must be ferrous steel with a reasonably clean surface for the magnet to achieve its rated pull. Non-ferrous materials — aluminium, timber, concrete, plastics — will not accept the magnetic attachment.

When the tools are not the answer

Hands-free tools address the hazard of hand contact with a suspended or moving load. They do not address a load that is inadequately rigged, a crane operating beyond rated capacity, an exclusion zone that is not enforced, or a worker who has not been trained in the use of the tool.

Hands-free tools sit within a system of controls — they do not replace the system. Used correctly, as part of a properly planned lift with trained personnel and adequate equipment, they change the most dangerous moment of a lifting operation from a hand-contact event to a tool-contact event. That is a meaningful change to the risk profile of every lift on a mine site or heavy industrial operation.