19.1 FOREWORD

There are, in the main, three types of shackle used for lifting: the bow, dee and grab types. They are normally forged from various grades of steel, the higher quality alloy steels giving, size for size, a higher working load limit than those made in higher tensile steels, and correspondingly higher tensile steel shackles have a higher working load limit than those made in mild steel.

Some manufacturers continue to make shackles to old now withdrawn standards, whereas many have now adopted the current standards. Also shackles often have a long service life so this section continues to include designs no longer produced but known to still be in service.