Synthetic Web Slings
Inspect Condition
Check each sling individually for the following conditions: wear, broken stitches, heat damage, chemical damage, holes or tears, cuts or snags, or damage to the end fitting.
Special precautions are needed for web slings when working in confined spaces.
- Mark any damage on the inspection form.
- Mark the damaged sling and remove it from use.
- Start with the end eye or fitting.
- Inspect the chaff guard inside the eye if the sling has one.
- Look the eye over carefully to determine if it has been stretched or pulled over a large object.
- See if there is any evidence of knotting or twisting of the eye.
- Move to the body of the sling looking for signs of snagging, broken threads, tears, or cuts.
- Make sure the sling has not been tightened around a sharp corner that would cut the fabric.
- Synthetic web slings are manufactured with a red “tattle tale” yarn woven inside the strap itself. If you can see this red string, it means that the sling has been stretched or otherwise damaged and it should be taken out of service and destroyed.
- Check for burn marks or melting that may have occurred around welding activities. Slings that are used around welding should be protected from the heat and the sparks and should never be installed on hot iron. Chemical exposure can also burn or harden synthetic slings.
Some companies use a color code system to identify what year a sling was inspected. Some larger slings may last for many years and would need to be inspected, recorded, and color coded for the current year. Use only marking paint recommended by the sling manufacturer to color code slings. Other paints may damage the sling and render it useless.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-8. What does it mean if you see a red thread or string while inspecting a synthetic web sling?
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