Free checklist · Aerial & lifting
Rigging and sling inspection checklist (free, printable)
This rigging inspection checklist covers the daily check OSHA requires in 29 CFR 1910.184(d) for slings and "all fastenings and attachments": ID tags, wire rope, chain and synthetic web slings, shackles, hooks, latches and eyebolts, with OSHA's removal criteria where the rule gives numbers. A competent person does it each day before use. Free to print, or use it by QR code.
- How often
- Each day before use
- The rule
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.184(d)
- Items
- 19 checks
- Takes
- About 5 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Rigging and sling inspection checklist
Each day before use
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every sling and fitting | |||
| ID tagAttached and readable: rated load for each hitch, size and maker | |||
| Right gear for the liftRated load covers the load at the hitch and sling angle you'll use | |||
| Wire rope slings | |||
| Broken wiresFewer than 10 in one lay, and fewer than 5 in one strand in one lay | |||
| Kinks and crushingNo kinking, crushing, birdcaging or other distortion | |||
| Wear, heat and corrosionOuter wires not worn by a third; no heat damage or corrosion | |||
| Eyes and end fittingsEyes, sleeves and thimbles not cracked, deformed or worn | |||
| Chain slings | |||
| Chain linksNo stretched, bent, twisted, cracked or gouged links; links move freely | |||
| Master and coupling linksNo cracks or deformation | |||
| Thorough inspection dateLast thorough inspection recorded within the past 12 months | |||
| Synthetic and fiber slings | |||
| Cuts and snagsNo snags, punctures, tears or cuts; wear indicator yarns not showing | |||
| Burns and meltingNo acid or caustic burns, melting, charring or glazed spots | |||
| StitchingNo broken or worn stitches in the eyes or splices | |||
| Web sling fittingsNot distorted; no sharp edges that could cut the webbing | |||
| Fiber rope slingsNo powdered fiber, cut fibers, rot, discoloration or uneven strands | |||
| Shackles, hooks and eyebolts | |||
| ShacklesLoad limit marked; body not bent or worn; correct pin, straight, fully seated | |||
| HooksNo cracks; throat not opened over 15%; not twisted over 10° | |||
| Hook latchesPresent, close across the throat, not bent | |||
| EyeboltsShank straight; threads clean and undamaged; shoulder seats flush | |||
| Below-the-hook devicesSpreader bars, clamps and lifters marked with capacity; no damage | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on a sling, item by item
Every sling and fitting
- ID tag — Attached and readable: rated load for each hitch, size and maker
- Right gear for the lift — Rated load covers the load at the hitch and sling angle you'll use
Wire rope slings
- Broken wires — Fewer than 10 in one lay, and fewer than 5 in one strand in one lay
- Kinks and crushing — No kinking, crushing, birdcaging or other distortion
- Wear, heat and corrosion — Outer wires not worn by a third; no heat damage or corrosion
- Eyes and end fittings — Eyes, sleeves and thimbles not cracked, deformed or worn
Chain slings
- Chain links — No stretched, bent, twisted, cracked or gouged links; links move freely
- Master and coupling links — No cracks or deformation
- Thorough inspection date — Last thorough inspection recorded within the past 12 months
Synthetic and fiber slings
- Cuts and snags — No snags, punctures, tears or cuts; wear indicator yarns not showing
- Burns and melting — No acid or caustic burns, melting, charring or glazed spots
- Stitching — No broken or worn stitches in the eyes or splices
- Web sling fittings — Not distorted; no sharp edges that could cut the webbing
- Fiber rope slings — No powdered fiber, cut fibers, rot, discoloration or uneven strands
Shackles, hooks and eyebolts
- Shackles — Load limit marked; body not bent or worn; correct pin, straight, fully seated
- Hooks — No cracks; throat not opened over 15%; not twisted over 10°
- Hook latches — Present, close across the throat, not bent
- Eyebolts — Shank straight; threads clean and undamaged; shoulder seats flush
- Below-the-hook devices — Spreader bars, clamps and lifters marked with capacity; no damage
How often rigging has to be inspected
Slings and their fittings have to be inspected every day before they're used, by a competent person, and again during use when conditions call for it. OSHA's sling rule, 29 CFR 1910.184(d), says: "Each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Additional inspections shall be performed during sling use, where service conditions warrant."
On construction sites, 1926.251(a)(1) goes wider: "Rigging equipment for material handling shall be inspected prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use to ensure that it is safe." Alloy steel chain slings also need a thorough periodic inspection, which "shall in no event be at intervals greater than once every 12 months" (1910.184(e)(3)(i)).
The daily check is the competent person's look at each piece of gear before the first lift. Who counts as competent is covered in what a competent person is.
How to do the check
Lay the gear out, read the tag first, then go over every inch of each sling and fitting.
- Lay it out on a clean surface where you can see the whole length. Wear gloves for wire rope; broken wires cut.
- Read the tag. OSHA says employers "must not use slings without affixed and legible identification markings" (1910.184(c)(14)). No tag, no lift.
- Check the rating against the lift. The rated load depends on the hitch and the sling angle, so check it for the way you'll rig it.
- Go along each sling. Wire rope: count broken wires in one rope lay (the length along the rope in which one strand makes a full turn) and look for kinks, crushing, birdcaging and heat damage. Chain: look for stretch, twists, gouges and cracked links. Synthetic: cuts, burns, melting and stitching.
- Check the hardware. Shackle pins, hook throats and latches, eyebolt threads and shoulders. Compare a hook's throat with its original opening if you've recorded it.
- Sort it. Good gear goes back in service; anything doubtful comes out.
When a sling must be removed from service
OSHA's rule is simple: "Damaged or defective slings shall be immediately removed from service." For some defects it gives exact numbers.
| Remove it if you find | Sling type | 1910.184 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay, or 5 broken wires in one strand in one lay | Wire rope | (f)(5)(i) |
| Wear or scraping of one-third of the original diameter of outside wires | Wire rope | (f)(5)(ii) |
| Kinking, crushing, bird caging or other distortion | Wire rope | (f)(5)(iii) |
| Heat damage, or corrosion of the rope or end attachments | Wire rope | (f)(5)(iv), (vii) |
| Hook opened more than 15% at the throat or twisted more than 10° | Chain and wire rope | (e)(9)(ii), (f)(5)(vi) |
| Cracked or deformed master links, coupling links or other components, or links worn below the minimum size table | Chain | (e)(8), (e)(9)(i) |
| Acid or caustic burns, melting or charring, snags, punctures, tears or cuts, broken or worn stitches, distorted fittings | Synthetic web | (i)(9) |
| Missing or unreadable ID tag | All slings | (c)(14) |
What to do when something fails
Take the defective gear out of use straight away: tag it, and either lock it away or destroy it so it can't be picked up again. Don't improvise a repair. OSHA bans shortening slings "with knots or bolts or other makeshift devices" (1910.184(c)(2)); damaged web slings may only be repaired by the manufacturer or an equivalent entity and proof tested; repaired fiber rope slings may not be used at all; and chain slings repaired by welding must be proof tested before use.
Label it with an out-of-service tag, and see what to do when equipment fails inspection for the rest.
Keeping the record
The daily inspection doesn't have to be written down, but alloy steel chain slings need a record of their thorough inspection. OSHA says "The employer shall make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected" (1910.184(e)(3)(ii)). Proof test certificates for new or repaired chain slings and repaired web slings must also be kept. A dated daily record is the only way to show the before-use check was done. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
Put one QR sticker on each rigging box or gang box rather than on every sling, and make this checklist that box's daily check. The rigger scans it with their own phone, marks each item in the browser, and anything marked Problem emails you with photos. See QR code equipment checklists.
Skip the clipboard
Put this rigging and sling inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Sling 1
Rigging and sling inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
How often should slings be inspected?
Every day before use, by a competent person designated by the employer, and again during use where conditions call for it (29 CFR 1910.184(d)). Alloy steel chain slings also need a thorough inspection at least every 12 months.
Who is allowed to inspect rigging?
A competent person designated by the employer: someone trained to recognize sling and hardware defects and authorized to take damaged gear out of service. On many sites that's the rigger or crane operator.
When should a wire rope sling be removed from service?
When it has 10 randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay or 5 in one strand in one lay, outer wires worn by a third, kinking, crushing or birdcaging, heat damage, corrosion, damaged end attachments, or a hook opened more than 15% or twisted more than 10° (1910.184(f)(5)).
Can you use a sling without a tag?
No. OSHA says employers must not use slings without affixed and legible identification markings (1910.184(c)(14)), and the construction rule says the same for rigging equipment (1926.251(a)(2)). A sling with no readable rating comes out of service.
Do sling inspections have to be documented?
The daily inspection doesn't, but alloy steel chain slings need a record of the most recent month they were thoroughly inspected (1910.184(e)(3)(ii)). A dated record of daily checks is still the only proof they were done.
Keep reading
- Overhead crane inspection checklistFree overhead crane daily inspection checklist from OSHA 1910.179: hook, latch, rope or chain, pendant, e-stop, upper limit switch and brakes. Print or use QR.
- Mobile crane inspection checklistFree mobile crane shift inspection checklist built on OSHA 1926.1412(d): controls, hydraulics, hooks, wire rope, tires, ground, level, cab and safety devices.
- Crane inspection requirementsOSHA crane inspections: shift checks by a competent person, documented monthly inspections kept 3 months, and annual ones by a qualified person kept 12 months.
- What is a competent person?OSHA defines a competent person as one who can spot hazards and has authority to fix them. Compare competent, qualified and authorized, and who inspects what.
- ConstructionConstruction equipment inspections on a QR sticker per machine. Operators and subs scan with their own phone, no app or login. Defects email you with photos.
- ManufacturingMachine pre-use checklists for manufacturing: a QR sticker on each press, saw, crane and forklift. Operators scan with their phone; problems alert you at once.
Do your sling checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.