Wire rope inspection requirements

A competent person must visually inspect wire ropes that are likely to be used during the shift for apparent deficiencies prior to or during each shift. See 1926.1413(a)(1).

• The inspection is visual only; untwisting (opening) the rope or booming down is not required.
• Both running and standing ropes likely to be used during the shift must be observed for defects.

Category I apparent deficiencies include significant distortion of the wire rope structure, significant corrosion, or electric arc/heat damage from non-power-line sources. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(i).

• Examples listed include kinking, crushing, unstranding, birdcaging, signs of core failure, steel core protrusion, and severe corrosion or heat/arc damage.

Visible broken wires in running ropes meet the Category II criteria when there are six randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay or three broken wires in one strand in one rope lay. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(ii)(A)(1).

• A rope lay is the distance along the rope in which one strand makes a complete revolution around the rope.
• If this condition is found, use of the rope must be prohibited until corrective action under 1926.1413(a)(4) is taken.

For rotation-resistant ropes, Category II criteria are met when there are two randomly distributed broken wires in six rope diameters or four randomly distributed broken wires in 30 rope diameters. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(ii)(A)(2).

• Measure the rope diameters along the rope to check the specified lengths for broken wires.
• If met, operations must be stopped until the employer follows the removal-from-service requirements in 1926.1413(a)(4).

A reduction in rope diameter exceeding 5% from nominal diameter is a Category II apparent deficiency and requires corrective action. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(ii)(B).

• Measure the rope’s diameter and compare to its nominal (manufactured) diameter.
• If loss exceeds 5%, the rope must not be used until actions in 1926.1413(a)(4) are completed.

Category III apparent deficiencies include rotation-resistant rope core protrusion or distortion, prior electrical contact with a power line, or a broken strand. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(iii).

• Wire rope that has contacted a power line must be taken out of service and may not be repaired for reuse (see 1926.1413(a)(4)(iii)(B)).

The competent person must pay special attention to rotation-resistant ropes; boom hoist and luffing hoist ropes (especially at reverse bends); ropes at flanges, crossover and pickup points on drums; ropes near terminal ends; and ropes in contact with saddles or sheaves where travel is limited. See 1926.1413(a)(3).

• These areas are prone to wear, broken wires, core issues, and other defects that develop from bending and abrasion.

If a Category I deficiency is found, the competent person must immediately determine whether the deficiency constitutes a safety hazard and, if so, stop operations involving that rope until it is repaired or replaced. See 1926.1413(a)(4)(i).

• If the deficiency is a safety hazard, the rope must be replaced under 1926.1417 or, if the problem is localized, sever the rope and use only the undamaged portion (no splicing).
• Ensure the drum will still have two full wraps of rope with the load/boom in its lowest position if shortened.

When a Category II deficiency is identified, use of that rope must stop until the employer either follows the manufacturer's removal-from-service criterion (or a written manufacturer-approved alternate), replaces the rope, or severs and removes the damaged section if the problem is localized. See 1926.1413(a)(4)(ii).

• If relying on manufacturer's criteria, it must be that rope’s established criterion or a written alternative from the manufacturer (see 1926.1417).
• Splicing of rope lengths is prohibited and shortened ropes must still leave two wraps on the drum at the lowest position.

If a Category III deficiency (other than power-line contact) is localized, the employer may sever the rope and continue to use the undamaged portion, but operations must be prohibited until the correction is made or the rope is replaced. See 1926.1413(a)(4)(iii).

• Repair of rope that contacted an energized power line is prohibited.
• Splicing is not allowed and the drum must retain two wraps after shortening.

When a rope is required to be removed from service, either the equipment or the hoist with that wire rope must be tagged out in accordance with [1926.1417(f)(1)]. See 1926.1413(a)(4)(iv).

• The tagged-out status must remain until the rope is repaired or replaced per 1926.1417.

Each month a competent person must conduct an inspection in accordance with the shift-inspection requirements in paragraph (a) and document the inspection per [1926.1412(e)(3)]. See 1926.1413(b).

• The monthly inspection must include deficiencies that the qualified person determined need monitoring during the annual inspection (see 1926.1413(b)(2)).
• Wire ropes must not be used until the monthly inspection shows no corrective action under 1926.1413(a)(4) is required.

Monthly inspection results must be documented in accordance with [1926.1412(e)(3)]. See 1926.1413(b)(4) and 1926.1412(e)(3).

• The documentation must show that the inspection was performed and that no corrective action under 1926.1413(a)(4) is currently required, or note the actions taken.

At least every 12 months a qualified person must perform a complete, thorough inspection of wire ropes in use that covers the entire length of the ropes and checks for the deficiencies listed in paragraph (a)(2). See 1926.1413(c)(1) and 1926.1413(c)(2).

• The inspection must pay particular attention to critical review items (see 1926.1413(a)(3)), normally hidden sections, reverse bends, and rope passing over sheaves.

If an annual inspection under 1926.1413(c)(2) is not feasible due to equipment set-up, configuration, or site conditions, the inspection must be done as soon as feasible but no later than an additional six months for running ropes and, for standing ropes, at disassembly. See 1926.1413(c)(2)(iii).

• The employer must document and schedule the inspection to occur within that extended window.

The qualified person must immediately determine whether the deficiency is a safety hazard and, if so, prohibit use of the rope until it is replaced or corrected (or severed if localized); if not presently hazardous but requires monitoring, it must be checked monthly. See 1926.1413(c)(3).

• If hazardous, the rope must be replaced under 1926.1417 or severed and the undamaged portion used, following the two-wrap drum requirement.

Annual/comprehensive inspection documentation must be prepared and maintained in accordance with [1926.1412(f)(7)]. See 1926.1413(c)(4) and 1926.1412(f)(7).

• These records must be available to all persons who conduct inspections under this section for the applicable retention period.

Rope lubricants that hinder inspection are not allowed. See 1926.1413(d).

• Employers must use lubricants that still allow visual detection of broken wires, corrosion, or other defects during required inspections.

All documents produced under 1926.1413 (shift, monthly, and annual inspections) must be available during the applicable document retention period to all persons who conduct inspections under this section. See 1926.1413(e).

• Maintain records per the referenced documentation rules in 1926.1412(e)(3) and 1926.1412(f)(7).

No. Joining lengths of wire rope by splicing is prohibited. See 1926.1413(a)(4).

• If a localized defect is severed out, the undamaged portion may be used provided the drum still has two wraps at the lowest load/boom position.

Inspectors should look for improperly applied end connections and end connections that are significantly corroded, cracked, bent, or worn from severe service; these are Category I deficiencies that may require removal from service. See 1926.1413(a)(2)(i)(D) and 1926.1413(a)(2)(i)(E).

• If such a deficiency is deemed a safety hazard, the rope must be replaced or corrected per 1926.1413(a)(4).

Boom hoist and luffing hoist ropes experience high bending stresses at reverse bends, which increases risk of broken wires, fatigue, and core problems; therefore, competent persons must inspect these areas closely. See 1926.1413(a)(3)(ii).

• Reverse bends concentrate wear and may hide defects that can progress quickly under load.

Flange points, crossover points, repetitive pickup points on drums, and locations where rope contacts saddles or equalizer sheaves (especially where travel is limited) are high-risk because they concentrate abrasion, crushing, and localized wear. Inspectors must give these spots particular attention. See 1926.1413(a)(3)(iii)-(v).

• Repetitive bending and limited travel can cause accelerated damage that may not be obvious in general inspections.

It means the annual inspection must include parts of the wire rope that are not normally visible during shift or monthly checks—such as portions under drum wraps, inside sheave grooves, or other concealed runs—so the entire rope surface is examined. See 1926.1413(c)(2)(ii)(B).

• The qualified person should arrange disassembly or access as needed to view these hidden sections.

Ropes subject to reverse bends and those passing over sheaves undergo concentrated bending and contact stresses that increase wear and risk of broken wires or core failure; annual inspections must give these areas particular attention. See 1926.1413(c)(2)(ii)(C)-(D).

• Detecting defects early in these stress points prevents sudden failures during service.

If an annual inspection is infeasible due to the equipment set-up or site conditions, the inspection must be completed as soon as feasible but no later than six additional months for running ropes, and for standing ropes at disassembly. See 1926.1413(c)(2)(iii).

• Employers must document the reason for the delay and schedule the inspection within the extended timeframe.

No. Wire ropes on equipment must not be used until a monthly inspection demonstrates that no corrective action under 1926.1413(a)(4) is required. See 1926.1413(b)(3).

• This ensures ropes with developing deficiencies are identified before they can be used in operations.

If a qualified person determines a deficiency is not currently a safety hazard but needs monitoring, the employer must ensure the deficiency is checked during the monthly inspections. See 1926.1413(c)(3)(ii).

• Document the monitoring decision in the inspection records and verify the condition at each monthly check.