SUMMARY:
One piece of equipment most often used in the steel erection industry is the wire rope sling. It is also one of the most abused pieces of equipment. There are many ways wire rope slings are abused, including being laid in the dirt; pulled out from under a load by the crane; used without softeners when lifting heavy loads; or being straightened by an old-school choker straightener. Straightening your slings over and over weakens the wires and you lose the strength of your sling. These are all unacceptable practices. Wire rope slings must be visually inspected before each day’s use. During inspection, you must know and understand what to look for to determine whether you should continue to use or discard the sling.