Safe Steel Beam Lifting: Key Tips for Construction Sites

Share a Useful Tip for Lifting Steel Beams on Construction Sites to Boost Your Know-How!

The video shows an octogenarian grandma in the countryside operating an ancient stone mill. She puts soaked beans into it and grinds them to make soybean milk or tofu. In the countryside, this kind of human-powered mill was very common in the past. People would turn the millstone to grind the softened beans into soybean milk, which would then flow down into a bucket through a spout-like stone channel. The soybean milk or tofu made this way tastes really good.

The Situation in the Video Is Extremely Risky!

It basically violates all the taboos of lifting objects on construction sites. Let’s use plain language to sort out what’s wrong and what the correct approach should be:

1. Why Was That Method "Life-Threatening"?

1. The steel cable is too thin: This is just like using a thin hemp rope to lift a large bucket of water— the rope could break at any moment. The thickness of the steel cable used is strictly calculated based on the weight of the steel beam. Under no circumstances should you replace it with a thinner one just because it’s "inconvenient to use"; this is literally gambling with lives.
2. Tying only the two ends: The center of gravity of the steel beam is in the middle. If you only tie its two ends, it will act like a seesaw— light on one end and heavy on the other. It will definitely sway back and forth in the air and is very likely to lose balance and topple over.
3. The cables are too short, leading to an excessively large angle: This is the most easily overlooked hazard. You can demonstrate this with your hands:
The longer the rope, the smaller the angle between your outstretched hands, and the less effort it takes.
The shorter the rope, the wider you have to spread your hands (resulting in a larger angle), and you will feel particularly strained.
The same principle applies to lifting steel beams. When the angle is too large, the actual tension on the cables multiplies exponentially. A cable that can originally lift 10 tons may snap when lifting just 5 tons simply because the angle is too big!
4. The steel beam is too slippery: A smooth, polished steel beam makes it easy for the cables to slip. Once the cables slide from their tied positions, the steel beam will tilt immediately.

2. What Is the Correct Approach?

1. The cables must be "thick enough": You must use standard steel cables that have been calculated to withstand the weight of the steel beam— no compromises.
2. The tying method must prioritize "balance": When tying the cables, find the right positions (for example, about a quarter of the beam’s length from each end) to ensure the steel beam remains horizontal and stable when lifted.
3. The cables must be "long enough": Use longer cables to keep the angle between the two cables small (preferably less than 60 degrees). This way, the cables can truly bear the load effectively and are less likely to be overloaded.
4. Anti-slip measures must be in place: Place wooden blocks or special corner protectors at the points where the steel cables come into contact with the steel beam. This not only prevents slipping but also protects the cables from being cut.

Brief Summary

Getting through this incident unscathed was purely a matter of luck. When working on a construction site, safety is always the top priority— you must never cut corners for convenience. Before lifting operations next time, you must: choose the right cables, tie them in the correct positions, use long enough cables, and place proper padding at the corners. Additionally, you should first lift the beam slightly to test its balance, and only proceed with the formal lifting once you are absolutely certain everything is safe.

This incident is truly hair-raising and must be taken as the most serious warning!

If you need, I can help you adjust the wording of this translation to make it more suitable for training materials or safety notices on construction sites. Would you like me to do that?