No single hands-off tool covers a rig floor. Push/pull poles keep hands off suspended loads and tubulars, pipe-sized tools capture a joint during stabbing and racking, and a slide hammer takes the swinging sledge out of hammer-union and pin work. This guide maps each rig task to the tool built for it, using the manufacturers’ own specifications, ratings and use limits, and OSHA’s drilling guidance for the hazards. No prices are quoted; every figure traces to a document listed at the end.
Quick answer: which hands-off tool fits which rig task?
| Rig task | Tool type | Example | Manufacturer limit to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guiding winch-line loads, tailing hoisted equipment, moving subs, grabbing slings and tag lines | Push/pull pole with grab hooks | ShoveIt (21 to 90 in) or Stiffy SHT2 (42, 50, 72 in) | Push, pull, guiding and rolling only; not a pry bar |
| Stabbing and tripping 4.5 or 5.5 in OD pipe | Pipe-sized guide | TwistIt 4.5 or TwistIt 5.5 | Guiding only |
| Racking back stands | Rack-back tool | RackIt (4 to 8 in OD) | Guiding only |
| Capturing round loads | Clamp or snare | GrabIt (2 to 10 in) or Stiffy NST-60 snare (2.5 to 21 in) | GrabIt 300 lb push / 300 lb pull; not at a high angle |
| Hooking flange holes on suspended wellheads or valves; rigid tag line | Hook tool | HookIt (24 or 44 in) | Lifting items up to 50 lb per tool |
| Hammer unions, strike wrenches, pins | Slide hammer | Slide Sledge Multi-Head with a hammer union or strike wrench tip | Conductive; can spark near flammable vapors; ANSI Z87.1 eyewear |
Sources: The Hand Safety Tool Company, Billy Pugh Company and Slide Sledge product pages, technical sheets and manuals listed at the end.
ShoveIt vs Slide Sledge: which hazard does each one remove?
They are not substitutes. A ShoveIt puts distance between the worker and a load that is moving or hanging; a Slide Sledge removes the free swing and the hand holding the punch. OSHA’s drilling eTool names both hazards separately. For loads it says: “Use a tag line to guide equipment, rather than positioning yourself under suspended loads.” For the mud system its rigging-up page lists “Being struck by hammer when connecting mud line unions” as its own hazard, with the advice to stand clear of workers swinging hammers.
The manufacturer documents also put them in different electrical and fire categories. The ShoveIt shaft is plastic-coated FRP, and The Hand Safety Tool Company’s usage guide states: “Passed third-party high voltage ASTM F3121 Section 6.3 75 kV/ft. 60Hz test”. The Slide Sledge Multi-Head manual says the tool “is constructed of materials that could act as a conductor of electrical current” and warns against use near flammable liquids or vapors because sparking or static discharge could occur. One is a fiberglass pole for load handling; the other is a steel striking tool. A crew that does both jobs needs both.
Who makes the ShoveIt: LHR or The Hand Safety Tool Company?
Today The Hand Safety Tool Company, LLC of Missouri City, Texas, owns the SHOVEIT trademark (registration 5959086) and its sheets say “Designed and Manufactured By” over the HST logo. LHR Safety sells it as a distributor: its product page credits The Hand Safety Tool Company and its brochure carries a “Distributed By” stamp.
The history explains the mixed labels you see online. The ShoveIt began as an LHR tool: an early LHR flyer calls it the “new Hand Safety Tool from LHR!”, US Patent 8,376,430 for the V-shaped head is assigned to LHR Services and Equipment, Inc., and the SHOVEIT registration was filed by LHR before an ownership transfer was recorded on 2021-10-13. The Hand Safety Tool Company also owns the TWISTIT, RACKIT and GRABIT marks. Our ShoveIt pages name Hand Safety Tool Co. as the manufacturer, and PE Energy appears on its where-to-buy list.
Which ShoveIt length and insert fits which job?
Choose length by stand-off distance and insert by surface. The ShoveIt comes in 21, 42, 50, 72 and 90 inch lengths, each with a rubber insert for grip, a plastic insert for glide or an aluminum insert for high heat. Up to 50 inches the tool has one hand guard and a D-handle; the 72 and 90 inch tools have two hand guards and an end grip.
| Model | Length | Insert | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHST21R | 21 in | Rubber | 2.0 lbs. |
| SHST50R | 50 in | Rubber | 3.0 lbs. |
| SHST72R | 72 in | Rubber | 3.8 lbs. |
| SHST90A | 90 in | Aluminum | 4.3 lbs. |
Source: The Hand Safety Tool Company ShoveIt technical sheet (15 models; four shown).
The rubber insert is nitrile and the plastic insert is UHMW-PE, per LHR’s copy of the technical sheet; HST’s 2021 sheet marks the rubber and plastic inserts as non-marring and warns that the aluminum insert may mar or scratch. The grab hooks are sized: suspended vertical tubing of 1.5 inch diameter or less, and cargo basket rims up to 5 inches wide. Listed rig tasks include moving subs, tailing equipment being hoisted and manipulating wire rope while slipping and cutting.
Ask for the force rating in writing, because the published figure has changed. An early LHR flyer, which also describes the tool as having no metal parts, lists push 600 lbs. / pull 350 lbs. HST’s 2021 sales sheet and the LHR Marine brochure list a push rating of 2,300 lbs and a pull rating of 600 lbs. HST’s current sheets print no rating, and none of these documents splits the rating by length. Both older figures still circulate in answers online.
ShoveIt vs Stiffy: how do the two push/pull poles differ?
Both are fiberglass push/pull poles with opposing grab hooks; they differ in head, rating and electrical wording. Billy Pugh Company acquired Stiffy Safe Hand Tools from Fibertex Supply in April 2025 and now makes the line.
| Feature | ShoveIt (HST) | Stiffy SHT2 (Billy Pugh) |
|---|---|---|
| Head | V-head with opposing grab hooks; rubber, plastic or aluminum inserts | Nylon head with opposing grab hooks on a fiberglass reinforced pipe |
| Lengths | 21, 42, 50, 72, 90 in | 42, 50, 72 in (SHT2-72 is 81 in overall, 3.75 lbs) |
| Published rating | None on current sheets (see above) | Static pull 400 lbs / compression 600 lbs |
| Electrical wording | Passed ASTM F3121 Section 6.3, 75 kV/ft, 60 Hz | “Safe for use in electrically charged environments” |
| Variants | D-handle or end grip by length | SHT2HD with a solid 1-inch fiberglass rod; SHT3 with a 7/16-14 NC threaded end for custom heads |
Sources: HST ShoveIt technical sheet and usage guide; Billy Pugh SHT2 data sheet and product pages.
Read the electrical line word for word before it goes into a JSA. One manufacturer cites a named test with a voltage gradient; the other makes a general statement. Before either pole is used near energized equipment, ask the manufacturer in writing what that test or statement covers. Billy Pugh’s data sheets also state: “OUR TOOLS ARE NOT LIFTING/LOAD BEARING TOOLS”.
Which tool for stabbing, racking and capturing tubulars?
Match the tool to the pipe OD, because these tools are sized. OSHA’s tripping guidance says to keep hands and fingers from between pipe stands, and its drilling-ahead page says to keep hands away from the end of the stump or the inside of the pipe.
- Stabbing and tripping: the TwistIt is made for 4.5 inch or 5.5 inch OD tubulars (one model each), weighs 3.2 lbs and captures the pipe between opposing C hooks on a 3/16 inch aluminum base. HST limits it to guiding and offers custom configurations on request.
- Rack-back: the RackIt covers 4 inch to 8 inch OD tubulars in one model, 3.2 lbs, again for guiding only.
- Positive capture of a suspended tubular: the GrabIt closes around the pipe; GRABIT0206 covers a 2 to 6 inch diameter range at 5.6 lbs and GRABIT0210 covers 2 to 10 inches at 6.2 lbs, rated 300 lb push and 300 lb pull. Its usage guide warns against using it at a high angle. Note that HST’s own product page describes the task range as 3-10 inches.
- Snaring larger round loads: the Stiffy snare comes in 24 to 60 inch lengths; the NST-60 handles 2.5 to 21 inch loads, and Billy Pugh rates the snare at 600 lb pull and 400 lb push capacity.
From our catalog: we list both TwistIt sizes, the RackIt and all four Stiffy NST snare lengths, plus the wider Hand Safety Tool Co. range. If your drill pipe is neither 4.5 nor 5.5 inch OD, the TwistIt is the wrong tool unless HST builds a custom configuration.
Which tool for hooks, tag lines and suspended wellheads?
Use a hook or a tag line so that nobody stands under the load. OSHA’s drilling-ahead guidance is blunt: never stand or walk under suspended loads, and stand clear of suspended, hoisted or moving loads, including tubulars coming through the V-door.
- HookIt: Standard 44 inch (2.4 lbs) or Short 24 inch (1.7 lbs) overall length, with angled, J, L or T steel hooks on a fixed or swivel head. HST lists hooking into a flange hole to maneuver suspended wellheads or valves, and says it can also be used as a rigid tag line.
- ShoveIt and Stiffy hooks: both poles carry opposing grab hooks for slings and tag lines, so a crew can retrieve a line without walking toward the load.
Two manufacturers, the same lifting ceiling: HST’s HookIt usage guide limits lifting to items up to 50 lbs. per tool, and Billy Pugh’s Stiffy grating hook says pull, drag or lift grating up to 50 lbs per tool. Anything heavier belongs on rated rigging, not on a hand tool.
Which Slide Sledge size and tip fits rig maintenance work?
Pick the hammer by space and force, then the tip by the job. Slide Sledge makes three families: the yellow Multi-Head, the blue Pull Hammer and the red Precision Hammer, all manufactured in the USA.
- Multi-Head: 9 lb / 30 in for tight areas, 13 lb / 46 in for most standard applications, 14 lb / 30 in for the biggest force into tight areas, and 21 lb / 46 in for the biggest maximum force. Kits ship with one 2 inch pin driver or six pin drivers from 1/2 to 3 inches, and any Multi-Head tip fits any of the four hammers.
- Hammer unions: the Hammer Union Tip gives a flush fit and impacts all wing tabs in the same spot; the brass hammer union tip threads onto a steel base and is softer, to reduce surface damage.
- Strike wrenches: the Large Strike Wrench Tip has a 2.1 inch inside dimension and the Small Strike Wrench Tip a 1.6 inch one.
- Pulling: the Pull Hammer is 7 pounds and 25 inches long and is aimed at the slap hammers commonly used in oil and gas.
One claim to check before a classified area: Slide Sledge describes the Pull Hammer as “intrinsically safe”, while its Multi-Head manual warns that sparking or static discharge could occur near flammable vapors. Ask which test or certificate supports the Pull Hammer wording before you rely on it.
What do the manufacturers say these tools must not be used for?
Every manufacturer here limits its tool to guiding, positioning or striking, and none of them sells it as a lifting device.
- ShoveIt: use only for push, pull, guiding and rolling applications; not as a pry bar; do not overreach.
- TwistIt and RackIt: use only for guiding.
- Stiffy: designed for safe guiding, not heavy lifting or prying.
- Slide Sledge Multi-Head: never use without a tip, never strike it with another striking tool, never use it as a pry bar, keep the hand behind the plunger housing to avoid a pinch, wear ANSI Z87.1 eye protection (user and bystanders), and retire a tip at the first sign of chipping, mushrooming or cracking.
The published push/pull ratings side by side: GrabIt 300 lb push / 300 lb pull; Stiffy SHT2 and SHT3 poles static pull 400 lbs / compression 600 lbs; Stiffy snare 600 lb pull / 400 lb push; ShoveIt none on current sheets (2,300 lbs push / 600 lbs pull on the 2021 sheet). HookIt and the Stiffy grating hook cap lifting at 50 lbs per tool. If your JSA asks for a rating, these are the numbers the manufacturers have put in writing.
What should a crew kit and quote request include?
- The task list from your JSA: load handling, stabbing, racking, flange work, hammer unions, strike wrenches.
- Pipe ODs in use, which decide TwistIt, RackIt, GrabIt and snare sizes.
- Stand-off distance needed, which decides pole length (21 to 90 inches).
- Surface and heat: rubber for grip, plastic to avoid marring, aluminum for high heat.
- Any energized-equipment or classified-area exposure, so the electrical and sparking statements can be checked before purchase.
- Number of crews and stations.
Send the list to pesales@pe-energy.com or call 281-310-0628 and we will put the kit together from the ShoveIt, TwistIt, RackIt, HookIt, Stiffy and Slide Sledge lines we carry. Our hands-free safety tools page lists the full range.
Where do these specifications come from?
- The Hand Safety Tool Company: ShoveIt, TwistIt, RackIt, GrabIt and HookIt product pages with their technical sheets and usage guides.
- LHR Safety ShoveIt page and the LHR Marine ShoveIt brochure; USPTO patent 8,376,430; SHOVEIT trademark registration 5959086.
- Billy Pugh Company: Stiffy safe hand tools, SHT2 data sheet, Stiffy snare.
- Slide Sledge: which hammer works best, Multi-Head operating manual, Hammer Union Tip.
- OSHA Oil and Gas Well Drilling eTool: rigging up, drilling ahead, tripping out and in.
Summary: hands-off rig tools by task
- ShoveIt vs Slide Sledge is not a choice: the pole keeps hands away from moving and suspended loads, the slide hammer removes the swing and the held punch on hammer unions, strike wrenches and pins.
- Size the pipe tools to the OD: TwistIt 4.5 or 5.5 inch, RackIt 4 to 8 inch, GrabIt 2 to 6 or 2 to 10 inch, Stiffy NST-60 snare 2.5 to 21 inch.
- The ShoveIt is made today by The Hand Safety Tool Company (trademark transferred from LHR in 2021); pick 21 to 90 inches and a rubber, plastic or aluminum insert.
- Published ratings differ by tool: GrabIt 300/300 lb, Stiffy poles 400 lbs pull / 600 lbs compression, hook tools lift no more than 50 lbs per tool, and the current ShoveIt sheet prints none.
- None of these tools is a lifting device, and OSHA still says never stand or walk under suspended loads.