Glossary

A lifting lug (often called a padeye) is a load-supporting attachment point that is integrally attached to a load—most commonly a welded plate “ear” with a hole—so the load can be picked by a shackle, hook, or sling. It is not the lifting device itself; it’s part of the equipment or structure being lifted and is designed specifically for that load and lift scenario.

Lifting lugs are engineered to carry a rated load and to transfer that load safely into the base material through the lug plate and its attachment (typically welds). Key design/selection considerations include the Working Load Limit (WLL), the expected load direction and sling angle, and the lug’s resistance to common failure modes such as plate tearing, shear at the hole, bearing/crushing at the pin, weld failure, and bending/prying. Because lifting is safety-critical, lugs (and other lifting accessories) are commonly marked/identified with their rated capacity and must be used and inspected per rigging rules; OSHA requires rigging equipment to have legible identification markings indicating recommended safe working load.

In standards terminology, lifting lugs fall under the broader concept of a “lifting attachment”—a load-supporting appurtenance attached to the item being lifted (examples include lifting lugs/padeyes and trunnions).

AKA: Padeye