YOKE Industrial Corp. was among headline presenters, as SGS Taiwan jointly hosted a lifting seminar at the GIS MOTC Convention Center in Taipei City, with the participation of representatives from the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA).
[Photo above: Matt Barber, Director of Membership at LEEA, addresses attendees.]
As offshore wind and large-scale construction continue to expand in East Asia, lifting safety has become a key issue for high-risk industries. The event brought together major stakeholders to share insights on safe lifting operations.
The seminar highlighted the importance of improving safety through digitalization, with LEEA delivering two well-received papers before SGS Taiwan and YOKE took to the stage. A presentation on the role of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), given by Matt Barber, Director of Membership at LEEA, set the tone for the event. William Ng, LEEA’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific, followed with a talk on the association’s mission in lifting equipment safety and risk management.
The program built towards a presentation by Ken Lee, Vice President at YOKE, on how digital tagging supports the development of lifting safety systems. YOKE supplies lifting chain fittings; swivel hoist hooks; shackles; angular contact swivels; wire rope clips; and lifting points. As Lee explained to delegates, YOKE works in collaboration with SGS Taiwan to implement BlueSupra digital chips, which can be pressure-fitted directly into steel or retrofitted to snatch blocks and other products using tags.
LEEA Inspection Standards
SGS, a leader in inspection, verification, testing, and certification services, is also a pioneer in the systemization of inspection and calibration workflows. The seminar therefore provided the perfect platform for SGS Project Engineer Nick Wei to explore key differences between Taiwan’s regulatory requirements and LEEA inspection standards.
LEEA’s Barber said: “I really enjoyed sharing the stage with presenters, each bringing incredible knowledge, expertise, and valuable perspectives on lifting safety and the challenges we face across construction, offshore, and beyond. Events like this highlight the importance of a global approach to raising standards, with organizations across different regions coming together to share knowledge and strengthen safe lifting practices.”
He added: “We’re passionate about supporting our LEEA members and the wider industry with the training, guidance, and community needed to make lifting safer worldwide.”
YOKE President Steven Hong said: “Overall, all parties emphasised that digitalisation, combined with the right processes — especially pre-use maintenance checks — can prevent many workplace accidents. Together with LEEA, SGS Taiwan and YOKE examined compliance, traceability, and lifecycle asset management.”
He added: “The spotlight has been brightened on Taiwan since the Mini stry of Labor signed [in 2019] an MoU with the UK’s HSE [Health and Safety Executive] to promote workplace safety and health — but this work continues through the joint efforts of organizations such as SGS Taiwan, YOKE, and LEEA.”
Notably, YOKE’s complete range of lifting and rigging products are now equipped with Digital Product Passports (DPP), as the industry conforms to the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) — another central seminar theme.
