Chain Sling Inspection Guide
How often to inspect Grade 100 alloy chain slings, what to look for link by link, and when a chain sling must come out of service, based on OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9. A sling that is worn or damaged can fail without warning, so a quick, consistent inspection before every use is the best protection for your crew and your load.
Safety first: Inspect every sling, with all its fastenings and attachments, each day before use, and remove damaged or defective slings from service immediately. This guide is a summary; always follow the sling manufacturer’s instructions and the current OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9 requirements.
On this page: When to inspect · Who inspects · How to inspect · Removal criteria · Tags · Rejected slings · Records · FAQ
When to Inspect
ASME B30.9 sets three levels of inspection for Grade 100 alloy chain slings. OSHA also requires a thorough inspection of alloy chain slings at least every 12 months.
Initial
Before first use, inspect every new, altered, modified or repaired sling to confirm it is correct, undamaged and properly tagged. No written record is required.
Frequent (daily)
Each shift, before the sling is used, do a visual check for damage. Slings in severe or special service should be checked before each use. No written record is required by ASME.
Periodic
A complete inspection of the entire sling, including splices and fittings, at least once a year. ASME guideline intervals: normal service yearly; severe service monthly to quarterly; special service as recommended by a qualified person. Document the most recent periodic inspection.
Slings in storage or sitting idle do not need periodic inspections, but if more than a year has passed since the last one, give the sling a full periodic inspection before putting it back in service.
Who Should Inspect
OSHA requires daily inspections by a competent person designated by the employer: someone trained to recognize sling damage and authorized to take a sling out of service. ASME B30.9 says inspections are performed by a designated person, and any deficiency is evaluated by a qualified person, who decides whether it is a hazard and approves any sling before it goes back into service.
How to Inspect, Step by Step
- Check the tag first: it must be present and legible, and show the size, grade, rated capacity and reach. Confirm the rating suits the load and hitch.
- Lay the sling out straight on a clean surface in good light, with no twists in the legs.
- Examine each link and fitting individually, turning the chain so you see every surface, including the inner link surfaces where links bear on each other.
- Look for stretch: links that are longer or narrower than the rest, or links that no longer hinge freely. Compare the reach with the tag.
- Check for nicks, gouges, wear, cracks, bends, twists, heat discoloration, weld splatter, pitting and corrosion.
- Inspect the master link, coupling links and hooks. Remove the sling if a hook is cracked, opened more than 15%, or twisted more than 10°.
- If you find any removal condition, tag the sling “Do Not Use” and take it out of service.
Removal Criteria
During the periodic inspection, examine each link and fitting individually, including the inner link surfaces where links bear on each other. OSHA requires this thorough inspection to check for wear, defective welds, deformation and increase in length.
Remove the sling from service if you find:
- Missing or illegible sling identification
- Cracks or breaks
- Excessive wear, nicks or gouges. Link thickness at any point must not be below the minimum allowed by the chain manufacturer and ASME B30.9 (OSHA Table N-184-1 also lists minimum sizes)
- Stretched chain links or fittings
- Bent, twisted or deformed chain links or fittings, including cracked or deformed master links and coupling links
- Evidence of heat damage. OSHA requires permanent removal of an alloy chain sling heated above 1000°F; follow the manufacturer’s working load reductions for high-temperature service
- Excessive pitting or corrosion
- Links or fittings that will not hinge (articulate) freely
- Weld splatter
- Hooks that are cracked, opened more than 15% of the normal throat opening, or twisted more than 10° from the plane of the unbent hook (OSHA); see ASME B30.10 for hooks and B30.26 for other rigging hardware
- Any other condition, including visible damage, that causes doubt about continued use
New, repaired or reconditioned alloy chain slings must be proof tested by the manufacturer or an equivalent entity before use, and the employer keeps the proof test certificate. Never repair a chain with mechanical coupling links or low-carbon repair links.
Before you replace a sling, check the rating you need: see our Grade 100 chain sling capacity chart or shop chain slings.
Missing or Illegible Tags
Every sling must carry permanently affixed, legible identification. OSHA prohibits using a sling without it, and ASME B30.9 lists a missing or illegible tag as the first removal criterion. Without the tag, nobody can confirm the rated load. For alloy chain slings, OSHA requires the tag to state size, grade, rated capacity and reach.
What to Do With a Rejected Sling
- Remove it from service immediately and tag it “Do Not Use.”
- Store it apart from slings in service so it cannot be picked up by mistake.
- A qualified person decides whether the sling can be repaired. It may not return to service until a qualified person approves it.
- Chain slings must be repaired only by the manufacturer or an equivalent entity and proof tested before reuse (OSHA).
- If the sling will not be repaired, destroy it so it cannot be used again.
When in doubt, take it out.If you are not sure a sling is safe, do not use it. Remove it from service and set it aside for a qualified person.
Record Keeping & Printable Checklist
- OSHA: keep a record of the most recent month each chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and make it available for examination. Keep proof test certificates for new, repaired or reconditioned chain slings.
- ASME B30.9: keep documentation that the most recent periodic inspection was performed. Written records are not required for initial or frequent (daily) inspections, and individual inspection records for each sling are not required.
- Good practice: give every sling an ID, and log daily checks so removed slings are tracked. Our one-page printable checklist lists every removal criterion with a code and has a daily log.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do chain slings need to be inspected?
Every day before use by a competent person designated by the employer, plus a thorough periodic inspection at intervals set by use and service conditions, never more than 12 months apart (OSHA 1910.184). Keep a record of the most recent month each chain sling was thoroughly inspected.
When does heat damage mean a chain sling must be scrapped?
OSHA requires an alloy chain sling to be permanently removed from service if it is heated above 1000°F. Above 600°F in service, the working load limit must be reduced per the chain or sling manufacturer. Any evidence of heat damage is a removal criterion under ASME B30.9.
Can a damaged chain sling be repaired?
Only by the sling manufacturer or an equivalent entity, and the repaired sling must be proof tested before use. Mechanical coupling links and low-carbon repair links must never be used to repair broken chain.
What should a chain sling tag show?
OSHA requires permanently affixed, durable identification stating the chain size, grade, rated capacity and reach. A sling with a missing or illegible tag must be removed from service.
Other inspection guides: Synthetic web slings · Wire rope slings · Round slings
Questions about a sling or need a replacement? Call (706) 750-9099.
Sources: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.184, Slings; ASME B30.9-2021, Slings. This guide summarizes those requirements and does not replace them.