Magic Glasses: When Lifting Gear Becomes a Time Bomb
- Feb 16
- 4 min read
At first glance, towing a stuck Hiab looks like a quick fix. The truck is out, the job continues, and nothing appears damaged. Put on the Magic Glasses, and you see the hidden risk: once lifting gear has been used for towing, it carries unknown damage forward into the next lift. The failure does not have to happen today. It can be waiting.
Quick Scene-Setter
A Hiab truck is bogged on site.
A tractor or another truck arrives to help:
No tow rope or recovery strap on board.
Chains or slings are taken from the Hiab truck.
The vehicle is pulled free and work resumes.
The gear is returned to the Hiab.
On the surface, the problem is solved.
What Most People See
“We were only towing, not lifting.”
“The chain or sling is rated well above the truck weight.”
“It was a short pull and nothing broke.”
“It looks fine.”
The assumption is that visible damage is the only thing that matters.
What the Magic Glasses Show You
1) Towing applies forces that the lifting gear is not designed for
Lifting gear is designed for:
Controlled load take-up.
Predictable load paths.
Known configurations and ratings.
Towing introduces:
Horizontal forces.
Slack take-up followed by sudden loading.
Wheel spin, grip, and break-free events.
These forces are dynamic, irregular, and often severe.
2) Shock loading creates unknown peak stresses
When a stuck vehicle breaks free:
The force does not increase gradually.
A short-duration peak load can occur.
That peak load is rarely measured or estimated.
The problem is not the steady pull.
The problem is the forces you cannot see or quantify.
3) The Hiab’s own lifting gear is often used
In many recoveries:
A quickly improvised tow vehicle supplies the pull.
The Hiab has gear so supplies the gear.
Chains, slings, shackles, or hooks are taken directly from a lifting service and repurposed for towing.
Once the tow is complete:
The improvised recovery vehicle leaves.
The Hiab continues work.
The same gear is reused for lifting without formal inspection.
4) The lifting gear now has an unknown load history
After towing:
You do not know the peak force applied.
You do not know whether shock loading occurred.
You do not know whether permanent stretch or internal damage exists.
Damage may include:
Chain stretch beyond limits.
Hook throat opening.
Internal fibre damage in synthetic slings.
Micro-cracking or distortion not visible in a quick check.
From a lifting assurance perspective, that gear is no longer “known good”.
5) This is how lifting gear becomes a time bomb
The failure does not need to happen during the tow.
Instead:
The gear survives the recovery.
It is put back into service.
It is used later in a normal lift.
When it fails:
The lift looks routine.
The load is within the chart.
The cause is no longer obvious.
The failure appears unexpected, but the conditions for failure were set earlier.
This is how organisations unknowingly set themselves up to fail.
The Controls That Matter
Separate towing systems from lifting systems
The rule must be clear and enforced:
Tow ropes and recovery straps are for towing.
Lifting gear is for lifting.
Each system is designed, rated, and inspected for different force profiles.
Do not improvise recoveries
Treat recovery as a task:
Assess resistance and ground conditions.
Select recovery-rated equipment.
Control the line of pull and establish exclusion zones.
If lifting gear is used in a tow, quarantine it
If any lifting gear from the Hiab is used during towing:
Remove it from service immediately.
Tag it out.
Do not return it to the HIAB lifting gear storage.
Before reuse:
Complete a competent inspection.
Confirm traceability and condition.
Re-certify or discard if there is any doubt.
Make gear ownership explicit
Ask one question before any pull:
Whose gear is being used?
If it is Hiab lifting gear, the responsibility for its condition does not end when the truck is free.
Magic Glasses Checklist - Towing and Hidden Failure
Is this task towing or lifting?
Is the equipment designed for that task?
Are tow ropes or recovery straps available?
Has lifting gear been used for towing?
Was there slack take-up or a sudden release?
Can the peak load be confirmed?
If not, has the gear been quarantined?
Has a competent inspection been completed before reuse?
Towing with lifting gear rarely fails immediately. That is what makes it dangerous.
The real risk is delayed failure, during a later lift that looks routine and controlled.
The Magic Glasses lesson is simple and practical: tow ropes for towing, lifting gear for lifting.
If lifting equipment is used during a tow, tag it out and have it inspected before using it again, as it is likely no longer safe for lifting.
Magic Glasses: The magic glasses come from the concept of - when I look at my books, I don't see a problem. But when my accountant looks at the books, it's a whole different story. He must have a special set of glasses.
As PCBU's, Officers and Workers, we have an obligation to learn what we are up to and the risks. Our actions and the standards we accept also affect those around us. This magic glasses post is made to help others see what we see.
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