Lifting Lugs, Pad Eyes & Welded Lifting Points

Many pieces of equipment, tanks and steel members are lifted by lugs or pad eyes that are welded to them. If a lug is badly designed, badly welded or loaded from the wrong direction, it can break and drop the load.

• Riggers
• Welders
• Engineers

What they are

• Lifting lug or pad eye: a steel plate with a hole, welded to a structure to attach a shackle or hook.
• Lifting points on equipment are designed by the manufacturer or an engineer and shown on drawings and nameplates.
• Lugs are different from eyebolts or hoist rings, which screw into a threaded hole. See Eyebolts & Hoist Rings.

Design points

• Designed by a qualified engineer to a standard such as ASME BTH-1 (below-the-hook lifting devices), with a design factor for strength and a rated capacity.
• Consider the load angle, the size of the shackle pin and the hole, the plate thickness and weld size and type.
• The lug is designed for loads in the plane of the plate. Side loading or out-of-plane loading can bend or break it unless designed for it. See Shackles.
• Weld quality and base metal matter. Welds must be done by qualified welders using proper procedures, and often inspected by nondestructive testing. See AWS Welding Codes.
• Capacity should be marked on or near the lug.

Safe use

• Use only lugs that are rated and identified for the load. Do not use unknown lugs, hooks cut from plate, or "homemade" ones.
• Check the pin diameter and shackle size fit the hole snugly, with the pin free of the plate edges.
• Inspect before each use: cracks near welds, elongated holes, corrosion, bent plate, damaged paint indicating movement.
• Make sure the sling angle and direction of pull match the design. Use spreaders when needed to keep loads vertical.
• Do not weld near existing lifting lugs on the load; heat can weaken them.
• Do not drag, side-pull or shock-load lugs.
• Remove and repair damaged lugs by qualified personnel. Cut off temporary lugs after use if required and finish the area.

Checklist

• The lift plan lists the lifting points, their capacity and the sling angles. See Lift Planning
• Load weight and center of gravity are known
• Rigging hardware is rated for the lift. See Rigging Basics
• Crew is clear of the load path

Last updated: October 8, 2026