Pad Eye Pull Test Inspection

DIV carried out proof load testing of all steel fabricated pad eyes, welded onto each end of a fabricated lifting beam. This was done at the customer’s site.

Proof load testing is done by loading the bearing points with a force greater than the safe working load (SWL), by a percentage depend on the type of lifting equipment and various standards. The proof load test is to ensure the integrity of the welds and load bearing point and should be carried out prior to the lifting equipment’s first use or if any modification has been carried out.

DIV Lifting’s engineers carried out the proof load testing of the lifting eyes by fabricating metal plates, which sat behind the lifting eye against the end of the beam, which gave a platform to hold the hydraulic rams used to exert the force for the test.

A calculation was carried out to determine what tonnage was exerted by the rams by the pressure showing on the gauge. Once the correct pressure was reached, the hydraulic system was held at pressure for five minutes whilst the welds and eyes were checked for any faults. The test was repeated for the second eye at the other end of the beam. Once the test was complete, LOLER test certificates were issued to the customer.