The Green Pin Grade 8 eye swivel self locking hook swivels to align with the pull and locks positively under load.
A self locking hook locks positively under load and cannot be opened while the load is applied, needing a deliberate two-handed release once the load is down. BS EN 1677-3 is the standard for self locking hooks specifically, a different certification from the 1677-2 covering ordinary sling hooks.A swivel lets the hook be turned to the right orientation before the lift, relieving twist that has built up in the assembly. Note that a plain swivel does not rotate under load — it locks solid the moment weight comes on.
Green Pin is the white range. Cobra Grade 80 is red, Kito Grade 8 is red, Kito Grade 10 is grey and Kito Grade 10 chain is blue. The finish is how a rigger tells them apart on site, and it is why lifting fittings must never be repainted.
Key Features
- Positive self locking mechanism: Locks under load, deliberate two-handed release once down
- White painted finish: Identifies the Green Pin range on site — never repaint a lifting fitting
- BS EN 1677-3: The applicable standard for this fitting type
- -40 °C to +200 °C: Wider at the cold end than the Cobra range, narrower at the top than Kito
- Grade 8 alloy steel: Fully marked with grade, manufacturer’s ID, size and traceability code
- Supplied with a certificate: Traceable to its manufacturing batch
- Swivel for positioning: Turn the hook to the correct orientation before taking load. It does not rotate under load.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
W.L.L. (t) |
A (mm) |
H (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
| GPG8ESSLH6 |
1.12 |
122 |
192 |
0.78 |
| GPG8ESSLH8 |
2 |
148 |
231 |
1.39 |
| GPG8ESSLH10 |
3.2 |
183 |
282 |
2.56 |
| GPG8ESSLH13 |
5.4 |
214 |
336 |
4.56 |
| GPG8ESSLH16 |
8.2 |
269 |
416 |
9.37 |
| GPG8ESSLH20 |
12.8 |
303 |
480 |
12.7 |
Working Load Limits and full dimensional data for every size are in the Green Pin Grade 8 information sheet.
BS EN 1677-3 | Grade 8 | White Finish | -40 °C to +200 °C | LOLER Ready
Conforms to BS EN 1677-3. Grade 8 alloy steel with a white painted finish. Marked with material grade, manufacturer’s identification, size, product ID mark and traceability code, and supplied with a certificate. Rated -40 °C to +200 °C. Under LOLER 1998, thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
Used in building and repairing Green Pin Grade 8 chain sling assemblies across general lifting, fabrication, machinery handling, construction and plant maintenance. Keep the whole assembly to one grade.
More About This Product
Shackles are the most-handled component in any lifting operation, and that is precisely why they wear out first. A sling gets rigged and derigged; a shackle gets rigged, derigged, dropped, driven over, thrown into a box and picked up by whoever needs one. Most lifting gear fails from a single overload; shackles fail from accumulated inattention.
The grade markings matter more than most people realise. A Grade 6 high tensile shackle to BS EN 13889 and a Grade 8 alloy shackle look similar and share the same body shape, but the alloy version carries considerably more at the same size. Once a shackle is in a box with fifty others, the only way to tell them apart is the marking — which is why an unmarked shackle has to be scrapped no matter how good it looks.
Understanding the Load Path
A shackle has two distinct load-bearing elements and they do different jobs. The bow takes the sling; the pin takes the load. Reverse that — put the sling on the pin and the load on the bow — and two things happen. The sling bears on a smaller radius than it was designed for, and any movement in the sling starts to rotate the pin.
On a screw collar pin that rotation is the failure mechanism. A sling shifting under a settling load, or vibration transmitted from plant nearby, will slowly unscrew the pin over minutes or hours. It rarely happens quickly enough for anyone to see it happening.
The second consideration is angle. A shackle loaded in line with the pin carries its full rating. Loaded at an angle across the bow it carries substantially less, and published derating tables cover a limited range of angles — beyond that range no figure is published because none applies. On a multi-leg sling every leg is at an angle by definition, which is why the bow shackle exists and why putting a multi-leg sling into a dee shackle is a genuine mistake rather than a preference.
How to Use
- Confirm the mechanism locks: Engage the load and check the hook has locked before taking weight.
- Release only with the load down: Never force the mechanism open under load.
- Keep the assembly one grade: Mixing grades derates the whole sling.
- Seat the load correctly: Load bears in the throat, never on the tip.
- Check the temperature rating: -40 °C to +200 °C on this range.
- Do not modify: Never weld, heat, machine, drill or repaint.
Warning: A self locking hook that does not lock positively must be withdrawn immediately. Never force the mechanism open under load.
Safety Information
- Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit.
- Use components of the same grade throughout the assembly.
- Confirm the mechanism locks positively before every lift.
- Load must bear in the throat, never on the tip.
- Operating range -20 °C to +200 °C.
- Withdraw any fitting showing wear beyond the manufacturer’s stated limit, distortion, cracks or elongation.
- Never weld, heat treat, machine or repaint.
- Assemblies built or altered require proof testing and recertification.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
The locking mechanism is the whole point of the hook. Operate it repeatedly and confirm it locks positively and releases cleanly every time. Measure the throat opening against the original dimension at every thorough examination, since throat opening is the classic evidence of overload and develops progressively rather than suddenly. Check the tip and throat bearing surfaces for gouging and wear and withdraw at the manufacturer’s stated wear limit. Confirm the safety catch springs closed under its own tension and sits against the nose with no gap. Inspect the clevis pin for straightness, wear and full engagement, and the pin bores for elongation. Confirm the grade marking and traceability code remain legible.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Green Pin white?
Finish identifies the range on site: Green Pin white, Cobra red, Kito Grade 10 grey. It is also why lifting fittings must never be repainted — fresh paint destroys the identification and hides the cracks an inspection looks for.
Q: How does the temperature rating compare?
Green Pin Grade 8 runs -40 °C to +200 °C. Cobra Grade 80 is -20 °C to +200 °C, so Green Pin is better in the cold. The Kito ranges go to +400 °C, so they are the choice for hot work.
Q: Can I mix Green Pin with other Grade 8 fittings?
Physically the grades match, but assemblies should be built from one manufacturer’s range wherever possible, and any assembly built or altered requires proof testing and recertification.
Q: What does the traceability code do?
It ties the fitting back to its manufacturing batch and certificate. A fitting whose marking has become illegible must be withdrawn regardless of condition.
