Endless round slings, both nylon and polyester, are constructed using load-bearing fiber or core yarns, protected by a woven outer jacket. Due to their relatively low price, high flexibility and replaceability, synthetic endless round slings are very popular in the construction industry, as well as other general industries. These lifting slings can be used in any industry looking for super flexible, super strong and super easy to rig slings, that lift a variety of loads. In addition to endless designs, round slings can be configured in an eye-to-eye design.

Due to their strong, flexible and soft construction, synthetic round slings are especially useful for picking up loads with very smooth or polished exteriors that may be crushed, scratched or dented by steel slings.

Synthetic round slings are known for their ease of use thanks to their color-coded outer jacket. Different colors indicate different capacities and are for the most part universal. Synthetic slings come in many standard capacities and lengths, and can be used in vertical, choker and basket hitches. This makes endless round slings perfect for picking up tubes and pipes.

If you cannot find what you are looking for or if you don’t know exactly what you need, call or email our sales team to talk with a rigging product specialist.

Endless Round Sling Advantages

• Synthetic slings do not experience crushing, bending fatigue or kinking due to their ultra-strong and flexible high-performance synthetic materials
• Suitable for virtually any industry or overhead lifting application due to their lightweight and inexpensive design
• Synthetic round slings mold to and securely grip loads with their soft flexible materials

Endless Round Sling Disadvantages

• Can’t be exposed to certain chemicals or excessive UV light
• Low heat-resistance — cannot be used in environments that are below -40° F or above 194° F
• Lower cutting and abrasion resistance than rigging slings made of steel
• Corner and edge protectors must be used to protect the sling from sharp and/or protruding edges, and can add to the cost of synthetic round slings
• Different synthetic sling materials have different resistance properties regarding chemically active environments:

Exposure Type	Nylon	Polyester
Acids	✖	*
Alcohols	✔	✔
Aldehydes	✔	✖
Strong Alkalis	✔	**
Bleach Agents	✖	✔
Dry Cleaning Solvents	✔	✔
Ethers	✔	✖
Halogenated Hydrocarbons	✔	✔
Hydrocarbons	✔	✔
Ketones	✔	✔
Oils (Crude)	✔	✔
Oils (Lubricating)	✔	✔
Soaps and Detergents	✔	✔
Water and Seawater	✔	✔
Weak Alkalis	✔	✔
*Disintegrated by concentrated sulfuric acid **Degraded by strong alkalis at elevated temperatures

Endless Round Sling Inspection

It is important to inspect synthetic round lifting slings regularly and to keep a record of all sling inspections. At Tri-State Rigging Equipment we offer a full range of rigging inspection and repair services. The standards that govern endless round sling inspection are OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9. It is recommended that synthetic round slings first undergo an initial inspection when you receive the lifting sling from the manufacturer. The purpose of this initial inspection is to:

1. Check sling tag for correct capacity
2. Check the length of the sling
3. Make sure the sling is made from the correct materials in the correct configuration
4. Make sure the lifting sling meets any other lifting specs or requirements you may have

Synthetic endless round slings should also be inspected by a designated and qualified individual every day before use to make sure that the sling is in working condition and will lift its rated capacity. The person performing the inspection should examine the entire sling, as well as any attachments. The inspector is looking for visual indications of any defects, or general damage that might affect the integrity of the sling.

Depending on your application, you might want to perform these visual inspections more than once a day. If the endless round lifting sling is used many times throughout the day, by multiple individuals, across multiple shifts, it is imperative that the sling be inspected before every shift change and before any change in lifting application.

ASME standards further require a thorough periodic inspection to be performed at least once a year by either a professional service provider, or by a Qualified Person. In addition, written records must be kept until the next periodic inspection. The rejection criteria for periodic synthetic round sling inspections are as follows:

• Illegible or missing sling identification tag
• Knots
• Fittings that are:
  • Pitted
  • Corroded
  • Cracked
  • Bent
  • Twisted
  • Gouged
  • Broken
• Caustic or acid burns
• Any evidence of heat damage
• Exposed core yarns due to tears, cuts, holes, abrasive wear or snags
• Core fibers that are broken or damaged
• Stiff, brittle, or discolored areas on any part of the sling
• Any visible damage that causes doubt as to the continued safe use of the sling

If your synthetic round sling shows any of the rejection criteria above, you must remove the sling from service, and it must be destroyed. Properly destroying rigging equipment is imperative because you can be held accountable for damage done by people who find and use your discarded slings. Therefore, slings deemed not suitable for service must be either repaired or destroyed beyond use and beyond repair. The process for destroying an endless round sling is as follows:

1. Cut in half and/or cut any eyes
2. Remove any labels or tags

The purpose of daily and periodic synthetic round sling inspections is not to get anyone in trouble but rather to gain knowledge of the frequency of use, severity of conditions, and nature of lifts, and consider how all these factors affect your endless round sling. The most important reason to perform daily and periodic endless round sling inspections, however, is to keep you and your coworkers safe.

Tri-State Rigging Equipment is a custom manufacturer, service provider and distributor for all synthetic endless round slings serving clients from coast to coast, Canada, Mexico and especially focused in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma.