All Blogs

Jamie England is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path. Tell us about your educational background? Jamie: I…

WAREHOUSE WORSHIP: HOW OUR CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION CENTRE IS LEADING THE INDUSTRY HERCULES CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION CENTRE: WHAT WE DO You’re probably reading this on a computer or mobile phone that at one point, was probably sitting somewhere in a warehouse. In…

CROSBY HOOK HOIST INSPECTION TAKE THE CROSBY QUIZ So you think you know how to inspect a hoist hook? Prove it. Take the Crosby Quiz and find out if you’re a  pro at inspecting hooks for hoisting, or if you…

COLUMBUS MCKINNON GUEST BLOG: How to Use Hoists & Cranes in Hazardous Areas This guest blog is reprinted with permission from the experts at Columbus McKinnon. Their specialists give you an overview of safe practices to follow to operate crane…

Amanda White is our Hercules Marketing Specialist. We sat down with her to find out more about her and how she decided to choose Marketing as a career path. Tell us about your background? Amanda: I’m a British immigrant to…

WHAT DO RIGGERS DO OFFSHORE? What do riggers do offshore? If the first word that comes to mind when you think of the words ‘riggers’ or ‘rigs’ is ‘offshore’, you’re on the right track. As we’ve covered in many of…

CROSBY SHACKLES  Crosby shackles are a popular option for lifting applications. Time-tested and work proven, Crosby has made their mark in rigging—they’ve produced the first wire rope clip, quench and temper fittings (this makes performance more reliable) and were the…

As someone who is involved in the selection of suppliers and, possibly, responsible for making purchasing decisions, you may have seen or used products and services that are promoted using reference to ISO 9001:2015, or, more simply, “ISO 9000”. What…

You likely know about a Fall Arrest System for your body–but what about your tools? Fall protection for tools is the ‘F’ of the ABCDE’s of Fall Protection. A fall arrest system for tools to prevent drops is essential for…

WHAT IS A RIGGER IN CONSTRUCTION? What is a rigger? A rigger in construction is a person responsible for securing a load to lift, pull, hoist or move in general. They’re responsible in making sure the right equipment and hardware…

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: A HERCULES SLR PRIORITY Mental health is like a sling. Load a sling beyond capacity, and it breaks. A sling must be maintained to work properly, and mental health in the workplace is similar.  Mental…

Quincy Warner is a qualified inspector at Hercules SLR in Hamilton, Ontario. Read on to learn more about his career path in safety and inspections and Hercules SLR.  We sit down with Quincy to talk about his duties as Inspector…

SLING INSPECTION CHECKLIST Sling inspection is an important part of a rigger’s daily routine – here’s a sling inspection checklist to make life easier. Check out our sling inspection checklist that includes removal criteria to know when your sling should be…

WHAT’S MODULAR CONSTRUCTION?  Modular construction allows significant portions of work to be completed, off-site and usually inside in a modular workspace. It doesn’t describe the building itself, but the way it’s built.  Many think of a mobile home or re-locatable…

Incidents that prevent workers from self-rescue can occur in confined spaces due to ill-conceived attempts to rescue and retrieve others, but planning for a rescue can help prevent tragic results.   Proper rescue and retrieval plans aren’t often created for…

The Hercules SLR branch in Hamilton, Ontario had a special visitor stop by – Kevin Richardson from the hit Discovery Channel show, Heavy Rescue 401. Read on to find out what he and the Hamilton branch in Hercules SLR got…

WEBBING SLING: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW If you’re a rigger or work in material handling, you likely encounter webbing slings often in your work. A synthetic webbing sling is fantastic to lift delicate or soft materials, since their soft…

Dwayne Fader’s been with Hercules SLR for over 30 years and recently, he decided to ditch the dark Canadian Winter for summery, sunny Florida—before he flies away, we sit down with Dwayne to ask him a few questions about rope…

Get to know your Quality Assurance & Safety Specialist – James Golemiec James Golemiec CRSP is our Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Assurance Specialist. We asked him some questions about himself and how he decided to choose this career path.…

BECOME A RIGGER. BECOME A RIGGER: YOUR CAREER MAP                                      BECOME A RIGGER: TRAINING & EDUCATION              …

Most workers will have to work in a confined space at some point in their career – although common, many workers and employers don’t plan or account for common hazards found in them.  Read on to discover commonly-found dangers in…

CHAIN HOISTS Chain hoists (sometimes referred to as chain falls or their older term, ‘chain blocks’) are popular piece of equipment to lift heavy loads. A chain hoist is durable and allows heavy loads to be lifted with ease since…

Cranes have been used since the first century – in that time, they were powered by humans or animals to lift heavy loads. Cranes have adapted and come a long way since – they now use an assortment of crane…

Boris Satiric, is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path. Tell us about your background? Boris: I spent…

Shackles are typically used as connection points for lifting equipment in many securing and rigging applications. The type of shackle you use will depend on the lifting operation—Each has a slightly different design to suit them to various functions. There…

Read on to discover tips from rigging and load securing experts at Columbus McKinnon – today, they’re sharing their top three safety tips to remember when you install your CM trolley. Whether it’s a hoist, trolley or rigging equipment, proper…

Synthetic slings are generally available in two varieties – flat-woven web slings and round slings. Textile slings should perform in accordance with ASME standards B30.9-5. Synthetic Slings: flat-woven web sling (or webbing sling) Synthetic flat-woven web slings are usually made…

Today, we sat down with Quebec Hercules SLR Territory Manager, Marc-Antoine Nolin. We’re proud to have managers with a wide-array of industry experience and hands-on training. Marc has worked in both the mechanical and financial industries, and works at Hercules…

A SlingMaster sling lives a short,  but full life. We’ve covered the less-talked about non-destructive testing here  and here – but what exactly does destructive testing look like, and why do we use it? Destructive testing is the process used to…

Rigging Slang In the rigging and lifting industry, you’ll probably hear a lot of rigging slang thrown around – “don’t saddle a dead horse!”, bird-caging, cabling, diving, drum-crushing, end-for-ended, singing and more – but what do they all mean? Here’s…

Herc How-To: assemble a chain sling Chain is often used to tie down loads, for lifting applications and to tow loads – however, the rigging industry’s safety standards have developed in recent years, and chain used for lifting must meet…

How-To Calculate Load Weight: the basics An important aspect of rigging is measurement – there are a number of important things to determine and consider before you calculate load weight and proceed with the lift. Read on for basic tips…

Samson Rope K-100 Hoist Line: an industry leader Samson rope’s K-100 hoist rope is the first of its kind – a synthetic rope to be used with mobile cranes for hoisting applications. Traditionally, steel wire rope has been used for…

Underestimating the importance of equipment maintenance could be taking a toll on your bottom line. The saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is too often the way some view equipment maintenance. Why pay for service on your equipment…

Kim Reynolds is our dedicated, hardworking shipper/receiver at our Dartmouth location. We sat down with her to find out more about her and how she decided a career in Shipping was her calling. Tell us about yourself: Kim: I was…

Wire rope has many applications—today the focus is on Wire Rope slings. Read on for tips from our Brampton rigging experts to inspect your wire rope sling and prevent common wire rope damage, so your wire rope slings have a…

Risk Management: what is it? Risk management is the systematic process of assessing risk and acting in such a manner, or implementing policies and procedures in order to avoid or minimize loss associated with such risk. Essentially, risk management is…

Fall Protection Training: don’t get left behind Fall protection and training for is easy to overlook when there’s a job to be done—who has time to strap on a safety harness? You do. At Hercules SLR, safety is a priority…

Aamir Khan is our System Administrator at our Head Office in Dartmouth, NS. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided on a career in the IT (information technology) industry.  Tell us a…

As we mentioned in our previous blog on warehouse and forklift safety, the winter months are a busy time for warehouse personnel. There’s retail, inventory, and in these modern times, the hustle and bustle doesn’t stop on December 25 –…

Warehouse Safety: forklifts and lift trucks Warehouse Safety—why is it important? Warehouse work presents various short and long term heath and safety issues – these range from musculoskeletal injuries from awkward bending and lifting positions, to chemical and biological hazards…

Crane & Hoisting System Safety: guest post from CM Canada Overhead lifting operations, like a hoisting system or cranes, are necessary in workplaces around the globe. The ability to lift and move material safely is critical to the success of…

Beam clamp applications provide support and better load control. Today, we spoke with rigging experts from Brampton, Ontario to learn more about the three main types of beam clamps—they spoke with us about safe tips for use and how to…

There are many terms and definitions when it comes to the rigging and lifting industry, so we decided to break it down for you with a rigging glossary series—the ABC’s of rigging! On our last glossary we listed some common…

America’s Industrial Revolution and ingenuity brought about many important advances in worker safety and PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). At the start of the American Industrial Revolution, worker safety and health were nowhere near the priority they are today. As manufacturing…

Safe rigging practices are essential to get the job done and get home in one piece. Today, we spoke to our rigging experts from our Brampton, Ontario branch—some of their clients include IMAX, Siemens, GM and Bombardier. Read on to…

Hercules SLR is proud to have the ISO 9001:2015 certification—this means our quality management system is held to their international standards and helps us consistently provide products and services that meet our customers needs. What is ISO 9001? ISO 9001…

Lou Gould, CHSC is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path. Tell us about your educational background? Lou:…

PPE Fall Protection: the early lanyard PPE Fall Protection devices were used in the early 20th Century by many professionals, although they used rope lanyards made of natural fibers, such as manila hemp, and simple body belts with no shock-absorbing…

Chris Davies is one of our talented Inspection Technicians in Langley, British Colombia who conducts non-destructive examinations (NDE). He has a wide-array of industry experience in both aviation and the oil and gas industries. We sat down with Chris to…

LEEA – Lifting Standards Worldwide™ Hercules Inspectors are LEEA trained nationally. LEEA, the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association is the respected and authoritative representative body for those who work in every aspect of the industry, from design, manufacture, refurbishment and repair,…

The humble hoisting rope occupies a unique place in the history of vertical transportation. A simple hemp rope lies at the center of one of the best-known elevator stories — Elisha Graves Otis’ demonstration of his Improved Safety Device at…

Safety Inspection: don’t fear the inspector We get it—no one likes a safety inspection. However, having fall arrest and other PPE inspected is a reality everyone in the industrial trades must face. Part of this fear comes from the thought…

Elisha Graves Otis (August 3, 1811 – April 8, 1861) was an American industrialist, founder of the Otis Elevator Company and inventor of a safety device that prevents elevators from falling if the hoisting cable fails. Early years Otis was born in Halifax, Vermont, to…

What is Non-destructive Testing? Advantages of non-destructive testing are numerous. Non-destructive testing (commonly known as NDT) uses different methods to test, inspect and evaluate defects in materials or mediums without compromising the integrity of the product. Internal and external damages can…

Working at height? You have different options when it comes to connectors that aid in fall arrest and fall restraint—a rope grab is a popular option.  Rope grabs are a popular option because they’re often more cost-effective than SRLs (self-retracting…

This week, 7 technicians from Ontario and Nova Scotia participated in non-destructive testing at the Hercules Training Academy in Dartmouth, NS. They focused on learning and improving Magnetic Particle and Liquid Penetrant Inspections, two of the most commonly-used forms of…

Lifting and Rigging Equipment: select the right eye bolt There’s a lot of hardware to consider when researching lifting and rigging equipment. Links, hooks, swivels—today we’re talking eye bolts. Eye bolts are used to attach a securing eye to a structure,…

Hercules SLR knows rigging, A through Z! There are many terms and regulating bodies to know and remember when it comes to securing, lifting and rigging—some commonly used in the industry, some not. Hercules SLR is here to help you…

Proper Fall Protection Equipment: stay safe in confined spaces We’ve given you tips for remaining safe in confined spaces and preventing injury—but how do you choose the best fall protection equipment to keep yourself and others safe? Read on and…

Early Life Andrew Smith Hallidie was born Andrew Smith, later adopting the name Hallidie in honour of his uncle, Sir Andrew Hallidie. His birthplace is variously quoted as London in the United Kingdom. His father, Andrew Smith (a prolific inventor in his own right,…

We’ve discussed what to look for when assessing your synthetic round sling for damage—but how do you prevent damage from happening in the first place? Read on for essential tips to prolong the life of your synthetic round slings. First…

A safety harness is a necessary evil for many workers, working across many different industrial trades. We understand—nobody likes to be uncomfortable during their work day. However, proper equipment, like safety harnesses are key to getting the job one, reducing…

What is a Confined Space? Confined spaces are present in nearly every industrial trade, and most workers will encounter at least one confined space during their career. The OSHA states that nearly 90 deaths occur per year, across a range…

Hercules Training Academy: First Course Complete The Hercules Training Academy is open for training—last week Hercules was thrilled to have eight employees hailing from across Canada participate in our first ever training program. Employees from CSR, sales and management gathered…

Synthetic roundslings are an integral part of heavy-lifting and rigging. Similarly, proper sling inspection is integral to ensure the job is done safely and properly. Read on to find out how to inspect your roundslings for use. Look and Feel…

A Guide to Synthetic Slings Synthetic slings are made from soft materials, but are strong enough to lift heavy loads and protect expensive and sensitive loads from scratches and crushing. Synthetic slings may well be the answer if you are…

Keeping you safe during cannabis manufacturing, growing and processing operations With the legalization of cannabis manufacturing, growing and processing operations by the Canadian government, licensed operators and workers in cannabis manufacturing operations will need to obey relevant health and safety…

A shackle, also known as a gyve, is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a clevis pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism. Below are a few of the more common types of shackles:…

Leading and sharp edges, what you need to know when It comes to fall protection. Professional football players need the best protective equipment available to stay safe on the playing field, from helmets to pads to mouth guards and beyond.…

Quebec’s economy continues to boom, the number of residential construction projects in the province has increased by nearly 20 per cent since 2011. And it seems that more rental housing is being constructed than previous believed. For the first six…

The Forklift is an incredibly useful piece of equipment, used throughout many industries to enhance productivity, speed up processes and protect the health and safety of employees. But they can also be extremely dangerous, with thousands of forklift accidents every…

When Angela Penton returned to NSCC at 39, she’d already achieved success as a chef, a landscaper, a textile artist and a metalsmith. What she felt was missing, however, was a high school diploma. “I left high school a year…

Between scratches, dents, and replaced parts, a forklift can undergo a lot of changes and repairs throughout its lifetime. It’s also common for customers to want to add additional features to a forklift after it arrives. How do you know…

The government of Canada is taking additional measures to help enhance safety of navigation and emergency response in Canadian waters. The measures were announced by Minister of Transport, the Honorable Marc Garneau in May, and awarded as part of Canada’s historic US…

Heather Young is one of our Inspection Technicians here at Hercules SLR. We asked her some questions about herself and what made her decide to choose this career path. Tell us about your educational background? Heather: About 3 years ago…

Kevin Giles, CRSP is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists and Safety Consultants. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path. Tell us about your…

This October The Canadian National Institute of the Blind launched it’s CNIB Phone it Forward campaign, and Hercules SLR and Group of Companies was excited to be a part of it. Many people don’t realize the tremendous impact modern smartphones…

A crane operator can’t hear you. So when your team removes an old rooftop unit and positions a new one, the people on the ground and on the rooftop must use established hand signals to communicate safely with the crane…

Fall Protection for Tools. Everything you need to stop the drop. 3M™ DBI-SALA® Fall Protection for Tools makes work environments safer and more productive by drastically reducing falling object incidents resulting in personal injury, equipment damage, and tool loss.​​​​​ Their…

When it comes to rigging like ratchet straps, winch straps, and just about any other type of strap in the industry, working load limit (WLL) and breaking strength are commonly used measuring metrics. Every piece of load-bearing wire or rigging equipment carries…

Turnbuckles, stretching screws or bottlescrews are a device for adjusting the tension or length of ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eye bolts, one screwed into each end of a small metal frame, one with a left-hand thread and the other with…

Terry Young, president of Construction Safety Experts, in the US, discusses identification, inspection and removal criteria for wire rope slings. The ASMEB30.9-2006 Standard requires wire rope slings to show the name or trademark of the manufacturer, diameter or size, number…

Hercules SLR provides our employees with an array of specialized and diverse functional careers with a focus on each employee’s long-term learning and growth. We hire and keep the best, and continually improve the skills and capabilities of individuals and…

Steve Hache, CD is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path. Tell us about your educational background? Steve:…

Important driving tips as peak season approaches Fall brings beautiful autumn colours and more wildlife onto Ontario’s roads – and a need for drivers to be extra vigilant. The number of animal strikes on Ontario roads has increased from 8,964…

The Town of Oakville Marina in Ontario had a reoccurring problem raising and lowering the masts and sails of the vessels as they handled the boats. Due the large volume of craft, the variations in size and space, they needed…

Aerial Work Platforms (AWP’s) are generally used for temporary, flexible access purposes such as maintenance and construction work or by firefighters for emergency access, which distinguishes them from permanent access equipment such as elevators. They are designed to lift limited weights — usually less than a ton, although…

There will be less of a background hum in the Sewing Department at Hercules Dartmouth after tomorrow, as we bid farewell to a long serving, much valued employee Sylvia Marchand as she embarks on her well-earned retirement. By the end…

Steel wire rope is several strands of metal wire twisted into a helix forming a composite “rope”, in a pattern known as “laid rope”. Larger diameter wire rope consists of multiple strands of such laid rope in a pattern known…

Toronto has more tower cranes decorating its skyline than New York City and Los Angeles combined. This summer, real estate consultant Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) released its third quarter crane index. The report is generated by counting cranes in major…

Huge Liebherr mobile crane may have been tallest ever seen in city In May, the skyline of downtown Winnipeg was changed significantly with the removal of the last tower crane on site at True North Square. Phase 1 of the…

SUPPLIER NEWS – Columbus McKinnon Corporation has expanded its offering of the unique CM Hurricane 360° hand chain hoist and introduces its new Yale® YK™ and Shaw-Box® SK™ electric wire rope hoists. The CM Hurricane 360° Hand Chain Hoist The…

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, announced that a 1,990 kW GE Solar PV power system is now online and generating power at its 430,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Trenton, N.J. The solar…

The early skyscrapers were a range of tall, commercial buildings built between 1884 and 1939, predominantly in the American cities of New York City and Chicago. Cities in the United States were traditionally made up of low-rise buildings, but significant economic growth after the Civil War and increasingly intensive use of…

When it comes to hoisting HVAC and other heavy rooftop components onto downtown Toronto office towers, the lifts themselves take just a day or two. What makes it all work, however, is months of planning. A case in point: In…

Effective immediately, (Aug 16, 2018) new MSA CSA Z259.11-17 V-Series Energy-Absorbing Lanyards are replacing the Workman® and Sure-Stop® Energy-Absorbing Lanyards. The V-Series Lanyard is the latest addition to the MSA V-Series family of Fall Protection products.  With its new look, smaller energy…

Work on Port Saint John’s modernization project is underway with the initial tenders for the project released this summer. The massive project will expand the port’s annual container yard handling capacity from 125,000 TEU to 330,000 TEU. The project will…

Ontario projects to address mobile equipment hazards, mental health Ontario is partnering with universities, professional associations and research groups on projects that will help support workplace mental health, advance our understanding of occupational diseases and prepare workers to deal with…

Wire rope and cranes are joined at the hip when endeavoring to lift, move or transport materials. For centuries the combination of rope (sisal, manila, vegetable, steel, synthetic…) and a winching system have stirred the imagination of engineers and other…

Since 1975, Hercules MMS (formerly Fundy Grinding) has been providing customers with quality machining and millwright services. Over time, the company has grown exponentially from providing these services locally to working across Canada and around the globe. We have the…

Did you know that our new Training Academy is just a few weeks away from opening its doors? Construction is underway! Brand new classrooms and specialized training equipment will enable us to provide an even higher quality of service than…

At Hercules SLR we are always innovating and expanding our marketing to keep you better informed. We now have a wide range of marketing collateral that you can download and use as reference as to find out more about us…

CM Hoist Technical Bulletin CM SERIES 622 HAND CHAIN HOIST REDESIGNED FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE WITH DECREASED HEADROOM, EASIER LOAD ATTACHMENT AND LOWER PULL FORCE Columbus McKinnon is excited to announce the redesign of the CM Series 622 hand chain hoist. A simple,…

BACKGROUND As part of the Maersk Group of companies, Svitzer A/S is the largest towage and salvage company in the world, operating more than 430 vessels and employing over 4,000 associates globally and has adopted Samson Ropes. From Europe, the…