How to Choose the Right Lifting Sling for Your Workplace

Posted by Ilana Camp on March 26th, 2020

Lifting slings are a standard in a variety of industrial workplace environments. Commonly used in mines, docks, warehouses, construction sites, factories, storage facilities and more, lifting slings are a necessary cog in the machine of industrial rigging. This is largely because lifting slings, be it round slings, flat slings or chain slings, help safely lift and support loads without risk of damage. Synthetic slings in particular handle delicate loads, cushioning them and keeping them intact. On the other hand, alloy chain slings are suitable for more heavy duty lifting applications, resulting in them being commonly used in foundries, steel mills and heavy machine shops. With all these lifting sling variations to choose from, it is important to select one that best suits your workplace’s conditions.

Round slings, flat slings and chain slings all come in a myriad of sizes, lengths, working load limits and configurations. They also function differently depending on the environment; for instance, chain slings are especially ideal for lifting skip bins, concrete slabs, pipes and building materials. They also have a high resistance to cuts, abrasion and most weather conditions, ensuring you can use them in all kinds of work settings. When it comes to choosing a lifting sling for your workplace, we recommend tailoring it to your environment.

Before implementing lifting slings in your workplace, you should keep in mind the following precautions. Firstly, once you start using your lifting slings, it is vital that they are checked by a certified inspector at least once every 12 months, and that your personnel look for signs of damage before each use. Since polyester slings (i.e. flat slings and round slings) cannot be repaired in most cases, you should replace them once they have begun to deteriorate. Secondly, bear in mind that synthetic slings have a low heat resistance and you should opt for chain slings for high-heat operations. Finally, we recommend that you avoid lifting loads over other people and leaving suspended loads unattended. By following these safety measures, you’re one step closer to safely using lifting slings in your workplace.

Round Slings

Round webbing slings are known in material handling industries for being soft and flexible. This versatility allows it to mould around configurations of irregular loads, providing adequate protection of your loads. Round slings also have high quality constructions using dense fabric to preserve their internal fibres, making for longer operational lives.

You can find round slings in a number of variations, available in working load limits between 1 tonne and 10 tonnes, and lengths ranging from 0.5m to 10m. For example, the 5 Tonne Rated Round Slings 1.0m – 10.0m are made to the highest quality and are supplied with robust tags and a safety factor of 7 to 1. Additionally, they are fully compliant with Australian Standards AS4497-1997, ensuring your security when you use them.

Flat Slings

Flat webbing slings are great all-purpose slings that similarly protect loads, particularly those that are delicate. Flat slings are manufactured by polyester webbing being sewn into a continuous length with an eye either end, enabling these slings to cover a broad support area and reduce slippage.

Flat slings like the 8 Tonne Rated Flat Slings 3.0m – 10.0m are perfect for all heavy lifting. Like round slings, they are made with super bright dense fabric, and are equipped with robust safety tag. Furthermore, they have reinforced eyes, a safety factor of 8 to 1 and exceed Australian Standards AS1353-1997. You can select a flat sling in a working load limit between 1 tonne and 10 tonnes, and in a length ranging from 1m to 10m.

Chain Slings

Fitted with shortening grab hooks and self-locking hooks, chain slings such as the Two Leg Chain Sling 6mm – Made to Order – 1.0m are made to be convenient and reliable. Each assembly is inspected and proof tested in an accredited laboratory, and they come with their own test certificate, working load limit tag and individual serial numbers. Moreover, these lifting chain hoists are supplied in storage pails with the resellers’ contact details on the label, and are fully certified to comply with Australian Standards AS3775.1. This two leg chain sling is available in chain sizes between 6mm and 13mm, lengths between 1m and 6m and W.L.L between 1900kg and 9200kg @ 60 degrees.

Choosing the right lifting sling for your workplace is imperative to ensuring the safety of your employees is preserved. Furthermore, it can help boost productivity and the longevity of your slings. For more information, check out Equip2Go’s full selection of lifting equipment.