Rigging Inspection and Sling Safety

Talking points

1. Inspect all slings before each use. For wire rope slings, look for 10 or more broken wires in one rope lay, kinking, crushing, corrosion, heat damage, or bird-caging.
2. Synthetic web slings: look for cuts, burns, melting, acid or alkali damage, and worn or broken stitching. Remove from service if any are found.
3. Chain slings: check for stretch (links elongated by more than 5%), gouges, nicks, corrosion, cracks, or bent links.
4. Always use softeners or corner protectors on sharp edges. A single lift over an unprotected edge can destroy a synthetic sling.
5. The rated capacity on the tag is for a vertical hitch. As the sling angle decreases, the capacity decreases — at 60 degrees from horizontal, capacity is reduced to 87%; at 45 degrees, to 71%.

Ask the crew

Pick up the nearest sling and inspect it right now — does it pass inspection, or should it be taken out of service?

Standards this talk is built on

• 29 CFR 1926.251

A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.

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