The employer shall ensure compliance with the following requirements

1. (a) Each day before being used, all rigging equipment and attachments shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Additional inspections shall be performed during use, where service conditions warrant. Damaged or defective equipment shall be immediately removed from service;

2. (b) Employers shall ensure that all rigging equipment used in a rigging system:

   1. (1) Have permanently affixed and legible manufacturer identification markings that indicate the recommended safe working load; and
   2. (2) Not be loaded for more than its recommended safe working load;
3. (c) Special custom design grabs, hooks, clamps, or other lifting accessories shall be marked to indicate the safe working loads and shall be proof tested prior to use to 125 percent of their rated load. The employer shall retain a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination;

4. (d) In addition to the inspection requirements in (a) above, a thorough periodic inspection of alloy steel chains used in rigging equipment or sling systems shall be made at least every 12 months as follows:

   1. (1) The alloy steel chain inspection shall determine:

      1. a. Frequency of chain use;
      2. b. Severity of service conditions;
      3. c. Nature of lifts being made; and
      4. d. Experience gained on the service life of chains used in similar circumstances;
   2. (2) The employer shall make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain was thoroughly inspected and shall make such record available for examination;
   3. (3) Job or shop hooks and links, makeshift fasteners, or other such attachments, shall not be used with alloy steel chains; and
   4. (4) Whenever wear at any point of any chain link exceeds that shown in Table 1400.8, the assembly shall be removed from service;

5. (e) The following limitations shall apply to the use of wire rope:

   1. (1) An eye splice made in any wire rope shall have not less than 3 full tucks. However, this requirement shall not operate to preclude the use of another form of splice or connection which can be shown to be as effective;
   2. (2) Except for eye splices in the ends of wires and for endless rope slings, each wire rope used in rigging equipment shall consist of one continuous piece without knot or splice;
   3. (3) Eyes in wire rope bridles, slings, or bull wires shall not be formed by wire rope clips or knots;
   4. (4) Wire rope shall not be used if, in any length of 8 diameters, the total number of visible broken wires exceeds 10 percent of the total number of wires, or if the rope shows other signs of excessive wear, corrosion, or defect;
   5. (5) When U-bolt wire rope clips are used to form eyes, Table 1400.9 shall be used to determine the number and spacing of clips. When used for eye splices, the U-bolt shall be applied so that the “U” section is in contact with the dead end of the rope;
   6. (6) Slings shall not be shortened with knots or bolts or other makeshift devices;
   7. (7) Sling legs shall not be kinked;
   8. (8) Slings used in a basket hitch shall have the loads balanced to prevent slippage;
   9. (9) Slings shall be padded or protected from the sharp edges of their loads;
   10. (10) Body parts shall not be placed between the sling and its load while the sling is being tightened around the load;
   11. (11) Shock loading is prohibited;
   12. (12) A sling shall not be pulled from under a load when the load is resting on the sling;

   13. (13) Slings shall have a minimum length as follows:

       1. a. Cable laid and 6 × 19 and 6 × 37 slings shall have a minimum clear length of wire rope 10 times the component rope diameter between splices, sleeves, or end fittings;
       2. b. Braided slings shall have a minimum clear length of wire rope 40 times the component rope diameter between the loops or end fittings; and
       3. c. Cable laid grommets, strand laid grommets, and endless slings shall have a minimum circumferential length of 96 times their body diameter;
   14. (14) Fiber core wire rope slings of all grades shall be permanently removed from service if they are exposed to temperatures above 200 °F. When non-fiber core wire rope slings of any grade are used at temperatures above 400 °F or below minus 60 °F, recommendations of the sling manufacturer regarding use at that temperature shall be followed;
   15. (15) Welding of end attachments, except covers to thimbles, shall be performed prior to the assembly of the sling;
   16. (16) All welded end attachments shall not be used unless proof tested by the manufacturer or equivalent entity at twice their rated capacity prior to initial use. The employer shall retain a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination; and
   17. (17) Wire rope slings shall have permanently affixed, legible identification markings stating size, rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one;

6. (f) Employers shall utilize natural and synthetic fiber rope as follows:

   1. (1) All splices in natural rope and synthetic fiber slings provided by the employer shall be made in accordance with fiber rope manufacturer’s recommendations and the following requirements:

      1. a. In manila rope, eye splices shall contain at least 3 full tucks, and short splices shall contain at least 6 full tucks with three on each side of the centerline of the splice;
      2. b. In synthetic fiber rope, eye splices shall contain at least 4 full tucks, and short splices shall contain at least 8 full tucks with four on each side of the centerline of the splice;
      3. c. Strand end tails shall not be trimmed short, flush with the surface of the rope, immediately adjacent to the full tucks. This requirement shall apply to both eye and short splices and all types of fiber rope. For fiber ropes under 1 inch in diameter, the tails shall project at least 6 rope diameters beyond the last full tuck. For fiber ropes of one inch diameter and larger, the tails shall project at least 6 inches beyond the last full tuck. In applications where the projecting tails might be objectionable, the tails shall be tapered and spliced into the body of the rope using at least 2 additional tucks which will require a tail length of approximately 6 rope diameters beyond the last full tuck;
      4. d. For all eye splices, the eye shall be sufficiently large to provide an included angle of not greater than 60° at the splice when the eye is placed over the load or support;
      5. e. Knots shall not be used in lieu of splices;
      6. f. Fiber rope slings shall have a minimum clear length of rope between eye splices equal to 10 times the rope diameter; and
      7. g. Clamps not designed specifically for fiber ropes shall not be used for splicing;
   2. (2) Natural and synthetic fiber rope slings, except for wet frozen slings, may be used in a temperature range from minus 20 °F to plus 180 °F without decreasing the working load limit. For operations outside this temperature range and for wet frozen slings, the sling manufacturer's recommendations shall be followed;
   3. (3) Natural or synthetic fiber rope slings shall not be used if end attachments in contact with the rope have sharp edges or projections;

   4. (4) Natural or synthetic fiber rope slings shall be immediately removed from service if any of the following conditions are present:

      1. a. Abnormal wear;
      2. b. Powdered fiber between strands;
      3. c. Broken or cut fibers;
      4. d. Variations in the size or roundness of strands;
      5. e. Discoloration or rotting; or
      6. f. Distortion of hardware in the sling;

7. (g) Employers shall utilize synthetic webbing in accordance with the following:

   1. (1) The employer shall have each synthetic web sling marked or coded to show:

      1. a. Name or trademark of manufacturer;
      2. b. Rated capacities for the type of hitch; and
      3. c. Type of material;
   2. (2) Synthetic webbing shall be of uniform thickness and width and selvage edges shall not be split from the webbing’s width;

   3. (3) Fittings shall be:

      1. a. Of a minimum breaking strength equal to that of the sling; and
      2. b. Free of all sharp edges that could in any way damage the webbing;
   4. (4) Stitching shall be the only method used to attach end fittings to webbing and to form eyes. The thread shall be in an even pattern and contain enough stitches to develop the full breaking strength of the sling;

   5. (5) When synthetic web slings are used, the following precautions shall be taken:

      1. a. Nylon web slings shall not be used where acidic or phenolic fumes, vapors, sprays, mists, or liquids are present;
      2. b. Polyester and polypropylene web slings shall not be used where caustic fumes, vapors, sprays, mists, or liquids are present; and
      3. c. Web slings with aluminum fittings shall not be used where caustic fumes, vapors, sprays, mists, or liquids are present;
   6. (6) Synthetic web slings of polyester and nylon shall not be used at temperatures above 180 °F. Polypropylene web slings shall not be used at temperatures above 200 °F;

   7. (7) Synthetic web slings shall be immediately removed from service if any of the following conditions are present:

      1. a. Acidic or caustic burns;
      2. b. Melting or charring of any part of the sling surface;
      3. c. Snags, punctures, tears, or cuts;
      4. d. Broken or worn stitches; or
      5. e. Distortion of fittings;
8. (h) For shackles and hooks, the manufacturer's recommendations shall be followed in determining the safe working loads of the various sizes and types of specific and identifiable shackles or hooks. All shackles or hooks for which no applicable manufacturer's recommendations are available shall be tested to twice the intended safe working load before they are initially put into use. The employer shall maintain a record of the dates and results of such tests;

9. (i) Employers shall use Table 1400.8 to determine maximum allowable wear; and

   Table 1400.8 – Maximum Allowable Wear.

   Chain size, (inches)

   Maximum allowable wear (inch)

   1/4"

   3/64"

   3/8"

   5/64"

   1/2"

   7/64"

   5/8"

   9/64"

   3/4"

   5/32"

   7/8"

   11/64"

   1"

   3/16"

   1 - 1/8"

   7/32"

   1 - 1/4"

   1/4"

   1 - 3/8"

   9/32"

   1 - 1/2"

   5/16"

   1 - 3/4"

   11/32"

10. (j) Employers shall use Table 1400.9 to determine number and spacing of U-Bolt wire rope clips:

    Table 1400. 9 – Number and Spacing of U-Bolt Wire Rope Clips.

    Number of Clips

    Improved Plow Steel, Rope Diameter (inches)

    Drop Forged

    Other Material

    Minimum Spacing (inches)

    1/2"

    3

    4

    3"

    5/8"

    3

    4

    3 - 3/4"

    4-Mar

    4

    5

    4 - 1/2"

    7/8"

    4

    5

    5 - 1/4"

    1

    5

    6

    6"

    1 - 1/8"

    6

    6

    6 - 3/4"

    1 - 1/4"

    6

    7

    7 - 1/2"

    1 - 3/8"

    7

    7

    8 - 1/4"

    1 - 1/2"

    7

    8

    9"

Source. #10809, eff 4-9-15 (from Lab 1403.65); ss by #14431, eff 11-22-25, EXPIRES: 11-22-35