Best practice when using slings

Use this page as a guide to best practice when working with chain slings.

When using alloy chain slings, lifting and shortening hooks should always face outwards. This loads up the spine or back of the hook, which is the strongest point.

Always make sure slings are evenly loaded into the hook bowls. This is to avoid overload. All hooks should be fitted with safety latches facing outwards to allow the slings to seat against spine of hook. This is to reduce risk of "tip loading".

Facing inwards towards the load is what can create “tip loading”. The hooks can elongate well below their Working Load Limit (WLL). This creates risk for the operators.

If a sling leg is twisted to get a hook to face inwards, the chain links will ride up on each other. That leg length will become shorter than others if in a multileg assembly. This could create overload on the shorter leg.

Which way to face hooks?

Using slings correctly will give you greater load stability. Let the sling find its own centre. Do not hammer a sling.

Hammering of sling legs (shown below) only increases the included angle between chain legs and subsequent force at the nip point of the choke.

The correct way to use a sling

Deration guide for corner loading

Consider a derating in load capacity when placing a chain sling around a corner.

Deration guide for corner loading

Inline shorteners

Requirements for inline shorteners are in accordance with AS3775.

Inline shorteners must be tested and tagged as a separate chain assembly.

Locking hooks must be fitted for chain sizes from 8mm to 16mm.

Two types of self-locking shortener hooks

Example of inline shorteners in use

Methods of lifting for chain slings

A Working Load Limit (WLL) is the maximum you can lift in a straight/direct configuration. It must never be exceeded.

The WLL may be derated (reduced) under certain conditions. This applies to all lifting slings. This chart explains what happens when you change how a sling is used:

The methods of lifting for alloy chain slings