Hoist Standards Explained (British & German BGV Standards)
In the UK we have British Standards BS7905–1 Specification for the design and manufacture of above stage equipment and more specifically BS7906-1 Code of practice for Installation of said equipment. In addition to our own British Standard our European counterparts also have adopted the German safety standards BGV- D8 / D8+ or C1.
We have highlighted below some points to consider when choosing the type of equipment required and have compared the relevant German and British standards that are generally followed;
A standard rigging hoist to BGV D8 specification or a standard hoist meeting the BS 7906-1 Category B may be used for static suspension of loads however it is essential to have secondary suspension via safety steel, inertia reel or load arrestor. A category B Hoist is a hoist that is not intended by the manufacturer for lifting or suspending loads over people.
A rigging hoist to BGV D8+ specification or a hoist meeting the BS 7906-1 Category A type hoists may be used for static suspension of loads over people. A category A Hoist is a hoist that is intended by the manufacturer for lifting or suspending loads over people.
Where the suspended load is required to move above people there are different requirements for mechanical and electrical safety. The British Standard BS 7906-1 adequately covers this situation for use in the UK although the German Standards BGV C1 will often be adopted within Europe.
The use of a standard BGV D8, D8+ or a category B hoist is not permitted in this application.
Hoists that comply with BGV-D8 / D8+ or C1 requirements must be clearly identifiable and should be marked as such.
Hoist Standards Explained
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Hoist Magazine Article on Standards
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