Rigging lift plans help determine necessary rigging equipment.
Every successful heavy lift begins long before the crane arrives on site. A properly developed rigging lift plan helps contractors, rigging teams, and project managers understand exactly how a load will be lifted, rigged, and positioned before work begins—reducing uncertainty, improving safety, and helping projects stay on schedule.
As lifting applications become more complex, lift planning is becoming an increasingly important part of project preparation. This is particularly true for heavy equipment installations, multi-point picks, restricted-access jobsites, and non-standard load configurations.
Rigging configuration for a steam duct crane lift from LGH.
A lift plan is a technical document or engineered configuration that outlines exactly how a load will be lifted, rigged, and positioned during a crane operation. Trained lift planners use software such as AutoCAD to render the specified arrangement. Rather than relying on field adjustments, the plan defines the lifting configuration in advance so crews can execute the lift safely and efficiently on the first attempt.
A typical rigging lift configuration identifies:
• Load weight and center of gravity
• Rigging methods and pick points
• Required rigging equipment
• Site limitations such as access, headroom, and obstructions
As LGH Lift Planner Taylor Savage explains:
“When the rigging shows up on site, it’s essentially a map—showing where everything goes, how it connects, accounting for multiple pick points, offset center of gravity, things like that. The goal is for everything to pick level and correctly the first time.”
For more complex projects, a critical lift rigging plan may be required when loads are unusually heavy, involve multiple cranes, require specialized rigging, or present elevated safety risks.
Without proper planning, crews may encounter unexpected issues on site. This often includes incorrect sling lengths, rigging imbalances, insufficient headroom, or equipment that cannot safely achieve the required configuration. These challenges often lead to delays, additional costs, and last-minute rigging adjustments.
Heavy lift rigging planning helps prevent these issues by ensuring the lift configuration is reviewed before equipment arrives.
When lift plans are prepared early, contractors benefit from:
• Safer execution through clearly defined rigging configurations
• Faster mobilization with equipment selected in advance
• Fewer jobsite surprises related to access, geometry, or weight distribution
• Better coordination between crane operators, rigging crews, and project teams
Many customers also find that lift planning helps identify rigging equipment rental solutions they may not have previously considered, improving both efficiency and cost control.
Rigging equipment rentals can help execute a complex crane lift plan.
While many lifts can be performed using standard rigging practices, a crane lifting plan is especially valuable when projects involve:
• Restricted-access jobsites
• Multi-point picks or offset loads
• Heavy mechanical installations such as a chiller lifting plan
• Projects involving tight schedules or critical-path lifts
• Lifts requiring specialized equipment lift rental configurations
In these situations, early planning helps crews visualize the lift before mobilization and prepare the correct rigging configuration in advance.
Rigging configuration for a chiller lift from LGH.
Traditionally, contractors seeking lift plans would work separately with engineering firms before sourcing equipment from a rental provider. Today, many projects benefit from a more integrated approach, where planning and equipment selection are coordinated together.
LGH Lift Planner Taylor Savage
Lift planning services from LGH allow customers to submit load drawings from their project and receive rigging configurations from LGH. These rigging configurations help crews understand the rigging layout, visualize the lift sequence, and prepare the jobsite accordingly. This service is now available as an additional expenditure at LGH on qualifying projects where added planning support delivers measurable value. As Taylor Savage explains,
“Instead of customers going to an engineering firm first, then coming to us to rent equipment, they can send us their load, and we provide a rigging configuration along with the quote. If the configuration is followed correctly on-site, the lift should pick level without having to set it down, add shackles, or reconfigure things.”
By connecting heavy lift rigging planning with equipment availability and application expertise, contractors can streamline project preparation and execute lifts with greater efficiency and confidence.
Rigging and lifting equipment rentals provide much more flexibility when lift planning.
As lifting operations continue to grow in complexity, lift planning is becoming an essential part of modern project execution. Developing a clear rigging lift plan before equipment mobilization helps crews reduce uncertainty, improve coordination, and ensure that lifts are performed safely and correctly the first time.
For contractors preparing complex lifts, early planning can make the difference between reactive jobsite adjustments and a controlled, predictable lifting operation.
Interested in learning more about Lift Planning Services from LGH Canada? Contact us today.
LGH is North America’s largest single organization devoted exclusively to the provision of lifting and moving equipment for rent. LGH Canada holds the most comprehensive inventory for hoisting, rigging, jacking, pulling, material handling, and safety equipment. Discover your next project solution at RentLGH.ca
