Sling Inspection Checklist

General Requirement and Inspection Criteria for Slings

A. In accordance with (OSHA 1910.184) Safe Operating Practices (SOP’s) - Whenever any sling is used the following practices shall be observed:

Any slings that are even minor damaged or defective shall not be used.
Slings shall not be shortened with extra and or unnecessary knots or bolts or other makeshift devices/equipment.
Sling legs shall not be kinked.
Slings shall not be loaded more than their rated capacities.
All those slings utilized in a basket hitch shall have the loads balanced to prevent slippage of the load and or any object.
Slings shall be accurately and securely attached to their concerned loads.
Slings shall be protected from the sharp edges of their loads and or objects.
All suspended loads shall be kept clear of all obstructions and or blockage.
All workforce/employees shall be kept clear of loads about to be lifted and of suspended loads.
Hands or fingers shall not be placed between sling and its load while the sling is being tightened around the load.
Shock loading is prohibited.
Don’t try to pull sling under a load when the load is resting on the sling.
Employers must not load a sling over its recommended safe working load as prescribed by the sling manufacturer on the identification markings permanently affixed to the sling.
Workforce/Employers must not use slings without affixed and legible identification markings.

Inspections – Every time and each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments shall be inspected and examined very carefully for the detection of any damage or defects by a skilled, competent and designated by the employer. Always remember that any additional inspections shall be conducted during sling use where service conditions warrant. For any minor damaged or defective slings shall remove from service ASAP.

B. Wire Rope Slings - shall be removed from service if conditions such as the following are present:

Any Broken, missing or illegible sling/wires recognition.
Severe localized abrasion or scraping.
Trapping, crushing, or any other damage-causing damage to the rope structure.
Any mark of heat damage.
In case of any end, attachments are cracked, deformed, reshaped or worn to extent that strength of sling is considerably affected.
Extreme and or Severe corrosion of the rope, end attachments, or fittings.
For hooks, removal criteria.
For rigging hardware, removal criteria as mentioned in ASME B30.2.6
Other circumstances, including visible damage

C. Nylon Web Slings (ASME B30.9) An American National Safety Standard for Cableways, Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Hooks, Jacks, and Slings.) - shall be removed from service if conditions such as the following are present:

Missing or illegible sling identification.
Acid or caustic burns.
Melting of any part of the sling.
Holes, tears, cuts, or snags.
Damaged or worn stitching in load bearing splices.
Excessive abrasive wear.
Knots in any part of the sling.
Blotch & breakable or rigid areas on any sling part may mean chemical or sunlight damage.
Fittings that are corroded, cracked, bent, twisted, gouged or broken.
For hooks, removal criteria.
For rigging hardware, removal criteria as mentioned or described in ASME B30.26.
Other conditions, including seeable damage & deterioration that cause doubt as to the continued use of the sling.

D. Polyester Round Slings - shall be eliminated from service if circumstances such as the below present:

Missing or illegible sling identification.
Acid or caustic burns.
Evidence of heat damage.
Any holes, cuts, abrasive wear, or snags that expose the core yarns.
Broken or damaged core yarns.
Weld splatter that exposes core yarns.
Knots in the round type of slings, except for core yarns inside the cover.
Fittings that are pitted, with a severe amount of corrosion, cracked, bent, twisted, or broken.
For hooks, removal criteria as per ASME B30.26.
For rigging hardware, removal criteria as per ASME B30.26.
Other circumstances, including seeable damage, that may cause doubt as to the continued use of the sling.

E. For Alloy Steel Chain Slings Types- shall be extracted from service if circumstances such as described below:

Missing or illegible sling identification.
Cracks or breaks.
Excessive wear, nicks, or gouges.
Stretched chain links or components.
Bent, twisted, or deformed chain links or parts.
Evidence of heat damage.
Excessive pitting or corrosion.
Lack of ability of chain or parts to hinge freely.
Weld splatter.
For hooks, removal criteria as per the ASME B30.10.
For rigging hardware, removal criteria as mentioned and described in ASME B30.26.
Other circumstances, including visible damage, that cause doubt as to the continued use of the sling.

F. For Wire Mesh Type Slings (as mentioned in ASME B30.9) shall be removed from service if circumstances such as below described are:

Missing or illegible sling identification.
Broken weld or a broken cling jointly along the sling edge.
Broken wire/slings in any part of the mesh.
Reduction in wire diameter of 25% due to abrasion or 15% due to corrosion.
Lack of flexibility due to the resilience of the mesh.
Twist of the choker fitting so the depth of the slot is increased by more than 10 per cent.
Distortion of either end fitting so the width of the eye-opening is decreased by more than 10 per cent.
A 15 per cent reduction of the original cross-sectional area of any point around the hook opening of end fitting.
Clear seeable twisting of either end fitting out of its plane.
Cracked end fitting.
Slings in which the spirals are locked or without free diction shall not be utilized.
Fitting that is corroded, cracked, bent, twisted, or broken.
Other circumstances, including visible damage, that cause doubt as to the frequent use of the sling.