Having been in use for more than 60 years, synthetic fiber rope slings have recently become more widely accepted for use in overhead lifting due to advancements of high-performance synthetic fibers. These high-performance synthetic fibers are extremely strong, light weight, flexible and versatile. The unique construction of synthetic fiber rope slings makes them ideal for use in the following industries:

• Construction
• Shipyard
• Offshore and Deepwater

Synthetic fiber ropes can be made from a variety of synthetic materials, which all offer different properties and characteristics. This means that synthetic fiber rope slings can be a great solution for almost any overhead lifting application, but it is important to make sure you pick the correct fiber rope for the lift.

If you are unable to locate what you are looking for, or don’t know exactly what you are looking for, call or email our sales team to speak with a rigging product specialist.

Synthetic Rope Sling Advantages

• Significantly lighter in weight than steel slings of the same capacity
• Do not experience kinking, crushing, or bending fatigue
• Synthetic rope lifting slings are neutrally buoyant making them suitable for freshwater and saltwater applications
• Some types of synthetic fiber can be used in rough outdoor environments and can withstand:
  • Rain
  • Snow
  • Freezing temperatures
  • UV exposure

Synthetic Rope Sling Disadvantages

• Less durable than steel slings, and if used to lift loads with sharp or protruding edges can experience:
  • Cutting
  • Fraying
  • Abrasion wear
• The need for additional sling protection can increase the cost of synthetic rope lifting slings
• Some fiber rope materials are not suitable for chemically active environments
• Some fiber rope materials cannot be excessively exposed to UV light

Synthetic Rope Sling Inspection

It is important to inspect synthetic fiber rope 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 synthetic rope sling inspection are OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9. Sit is recommended that synthetic fiber rope 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 fiber rope 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 fiber rope 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 rope sling inspections are as follows:

• Sling identification that is missing or illegible
• Gouges, cuts, considerable fiber deterioration, and abraded areas on the rope
• Reduction in the effective diameter of the rope by more than 10%
• Fiber breakage that is uniform along the length, making the entire rope look as though it is covered in whiskers
• Interior fiber deterioration and fused/melted interior fibers that make up 10% or more of the synthetic fiber in any one strand or the whole rope
• Stiff, brittle or discolored areas
• Excessive dirt and grit inside the rope structure
• Presence of permeating grime or foreign matter that attracts and holds grit, and/or makes the rope hard to handle
• Kinks or distortion in the rope
• Melted, hard, or charred areas that affect more than 10% of the diameter of the rope or affect several adjacent strands along the length that affect more than 10% of strand diameters
• Cracks, corrosion, distortion, localized wear, or sharp edges on thimbles or any other component
• Any other visible damage that calls into question the continued safe use of the synthetic fiber rope sling

If your synthetic fiber rope 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 a synthetic rope sling is as follows:

1. Cut into 3’ to 4’ sections
2. Destroy any eye of the sling
3. Make sure a new eye cannot be formed with the scraps
4. Remove any labels or tags from the sling

The purpose of daily and periodic synthetic fiber rope 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 fiber rope sling. The most important reason to perform daily and periodic fiber rope 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 fiber rope 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.