l Wear or scraping on one third of the original
diameter of outside individual wires
. Kinking, crushing, bird caging, or any other
damage resulting in distortion of the wire rope structure
Evidence of heat damage
End attachments that arc cracked, deformed, or
worn
Hooks that have an obviously abnormal (usually
15 percent from the original specification) throat
opening, measured at the narrowest point or twisted
more than 10 degrees from the plane of the unbent hook
. Corrosion of the wire rope sling or end attach-
ments
To avoid confusion and to eliminate doubt, you must
not downgrade slings to a lower rated capcity. A sling
must be removed from service if it cannot safely lift the
load capacity for which it is rated. Slings and hooks
removed from service must be destroyed by cutting
before disposal. This ensures inadvertent use by another
unit.
When a leg on a multiple-leg bridle sling is unsafe,
you only have to destroy the damaged or unsafe leg(s).
Units that have the capability may fabricate replacement
legs in the field, provided the wire rope replacement is
in compliance with specifications. The NCF has a
hydraulic swaging and splicing kit in the battalion Table
of Allowance (TOA). The kit, 80092, contains the tools
and equipment necessary to fabricate 3/8- through
5/8-inch sizes of wire rope slings. Before use, all
fabricated slings must be proof-tested as outlined in the
COMSECOND/COMTHIRDNCBINST 11200.11.
Spreader bars, shackles, hooks, and so forth, must
also be visually inspected before each usc for obvious
damage or deformation.
Check fiber line slings for signs of deterioration,
caused by exposure to the weather. See whether any of
the fibers have been broken or cut by sharp-edged
objects.
Proof Testing Slings
All field fabricated slings terminated by mechan-
ical splices, sockets, and pressed and swaged terminals
must be proof-loaded before placing the sling in initial
service.
The COMSECOND/COMTHIRDNCBINST
11200.11 has rated capacity charts enclosed for
numerous wire rope classifications. You must know the
diameter, rope construction, type core, grade, and splice
on the wire rope sling before referring to the charts. The
charts will give you the vertical-rated capacity for the
sling. The test weight for single-leg bridle slings and
endless slings is the vertical-rated capacity (V. R. C.)
multiplied by two (V.R.C. x 2 = sling test weight).
The test load for multiple-leg bridle slings must be
applied to the individual legs and must be two times the
vertical-rated capacity of a single-leg sling of the same
size, grade, and wire rope construction. When slings and
rigging are broken out of the TOA for field use, they
must be proof-tested and tagged before being returned
to CTR for storage.
Records
A card file system, containing a record of each sling
in the unit’s inventory, is established and maintained by
the crane crew supervisor. Proof Test/Inspection Sheets
(fig. 13-41) are used to document tests made on all items
of weight-lifting slings, spreader bars, hooks, shackles,
and so forth. These records are permanent and contain
the following entries at a minimum:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Sling identification number (unit location and
two-digit number with Alfa designation for each
wire rope component)
Sling length
Cable body diameter (inches) and specifications
Type of splice
Rated capacity
Proof test weight
Date of proof test
Signature of proof test director
All the slings must have a permanently affixed, near
the sling eye, durable identification tag containing the
following information:
1. Rated capacity (in tons) (vert. SWL)
2. Rated capacity (in tons) (45-degree SWL)
3. Identification number
Spreader bars, shackles, and hooks must have the
rated capacities and SWL permanent]y stenciled or
stamped on them. OSHA identification tugs can be
acquired at no cost from COMTHIRDNCB DET, Port
Hueneme, California, or COMSECONDNCB DET,
GulfPort, Mississippi. Metal dog tags are authorized
providing the required information is stamped onto the
tags.
13-22
