Rigging equipment requirements

Rigging equipment must be inspected prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use, and any defective equipment must be removed from service.

• Employers must follow the requirement in 1926.251(a)(1) to ensure equipment is safe before each shift and during use.
• Make inspection checklists that cover wear, deformation, cracked welds, damaged markings, and other defects so defects are caught and the item is removed immediately.

Rigging equipment must have permanently affixed, legible identification markings from the manufacturer showing the recommended safe working load, and equipment without those markings must not be used.

• See the requirements in 1926.251(a)(2) and its subparts 1926.251(a)(2)(i), 1926.251(a)(2)(ii), and 1926.251(a)(2)(iii).
• If markings are faded or missing, do not use the item until it is re-marked or removed from service per the manufacturer’s guidance.

When not in use, rigging equipment must be removed from the immediate work area so it does not present a hazard to employees.

• Follow 1926.251(a)(3).
• Store slings, chains, and hooks in designated racks, lockers, or storage areas away from walkways, operating equipment, and material stacks to prevent tripping, crushing, or accidental lifting.

Special custom-designed lifting accessories must be marked to indicate their safe working loads and must be proof-tested to 125 percent of their rated load before use.

• This requirement appears in 1926.251(a)(4).
• Keep the proof-test documentation available and ensure marking is permanent and legible.

The rule covers slings made from alloy steel chain, wire rope, metal mesh, natural or synthetic fiber rope (three-strand), and synthetic webbing; each sling and its attachments must be inspected each day before use by a competent person designated by the employer.

• See the scope in 1926.251(a)(5) and the inspection requirement in 1926.251(a)(6).
• "Competent person" means someone the employer designates with the knowledge to identify sling damage and defects and to take defective slings out of service.

Damaged or defective slings must be immediately removed from service.

• The general removal requirement is stated at the start of the alloy chain section and throughout the standard; see the directive that "Damaged or defective slings shall be immediately removed from service" and removal criteria in 1926.251(b) and the synthetic webbing removal list in 1926.251(e)(8).
• Maintain a removal policy and clearly mark or destroy slings so they cannot be returned to service accidentally.

Welded alloy steel chain slings must have permanently affixed durable identification stating size, grade, rated capacity, and manufacturer, and must not be used with loads exceeding the rated capacity shown on those markings.

• See 1926.251(b)(1) and 1926.251(b)(4).
• If markings are illegible, take the sling out of service until the rated capacity can be confirmed by the manufacturer or qualified inspector.

No—job or shop hooks, links, or makeshift fasteners (for example formed from bolts or rods) must not be used with alloy steel chains.

• See 1926.251(b)(3).
• Always use rated, manufacturer-specified attachments (hooks, links, coupling links) whose capacity equals or exceeds the chain's rated capacity per 1926.251(b)(2).

If wear at any point of a chain link exceeds the maximum allowable wear shown in Table H-1, the chain assembly must be removed from service.

• See 1926.251(b)(5) and refer to Table H-1 in the standard for the specific allowable wear amounts.
• Inspect chain links against Table H-1 measurements and tag out or destroy any chain exceeding those limits.

Thorough periodic inspections of alloy steel chain slings must be performed on a regular basis determined by frequency of use, severity of service, nature of lifts, and experience—but in no event at intervals greater than once every 12 months—and the employer must record the most recent month each sling was thoroughly inspected.

• See 1926.251(b)(6)(i) and 1926.251(b)(6)(ii).
• Keep inspection logs showing the month (and details) available for examination; more frequent inspections may be necessary in severe service.

A wire rope must not be used if, in any length of eight diameters, the total number of visible broken wires exceeds 10 percent of the total number of wires, or if the rope shows other signs of excessive wear, corrosion, or defect.

• See 1926.251(c)(4)(iv).
• Measure an eight-diameter length and count visible broken wires; remove the rope immediately if limits are exceeded or other damage is found.

Wire rope must not be secured by knots (except haul back lines on scrapers), and eyes in wire rope bridles, slings, or bull wires must not be formed by wire rope clips or knots; eye splices must meet the splice requirements or use an equally efficient connection.

• See 1926.251(c)(3) and 1926.251(c)(4)(ii) and 1926.251(c)(4)(iii).
• Use approved splices or factory-made fittings; U-bolt clips may be used per 1926.251(c)(5) following the table spacing and orientation rules.

When using U-bolt wire rope clips to form eyes, apply the U-bolt so that the "U" section contacts the dead end of the rope, and determine the number and spacing of clips from Table H-2.

• See 1926.251(c)(5) and 1926.251(c)(5)(i), and use Table H-2 in the standard for the required number and spacing.
• Follow the table for drop-forged vs other-material clips and measure clip spacing carefully to meet the standard.

All welded end attachments (except covers to thimbles) must be proof-tested by the manufacturer or equivalent entity at twice their rated capacity prior to initial use with a retained certificate of the test, and wire rope slings must have permanently affixed, legible markings stating size, rated capacity for the hitch(es) and angle, and number of legs if more than one.

• See 1926.251(c)(15)(ii) and 1926.251(c)(16).
• Keep the manufacturer’s proof-test certificate available for inspection and ensure all sling tags are durable and legible.

Manila rope eye splices must have at least three full tucks (short splices six full tucks), and laid synthetic fiber rope eye splices must have at least four full tucks (short splices eight full tucks), with tails left long enough as specified in the standard.

• See 1926.251(d)(2)(i), 1926.251(d)(2)(ii), and the splicing details in 1926.251(d)(4).
• For ropes under 1 in. diameter, tails must project at least six rope diameters beyond the last full tuck; for ropes 1 in. and larger, tails must project at least six inches.

Natural and synthetic fiber rope slings must be immediately removed from service if they show abnormal wear, powdered fiber between strands, broken or cut fibers, variations in strand size or roundness, discoloration or rotting, or distortion of hardware in the sling.

• See the removal criteria in 1926.251(d)(6)(i)–(vi).
• Train employees to identify these signs and tag out slings immediately when any condition is observed.

Synthetic web slings must be marked or coded with the manufacturer name, rated capacities for the hitch type, and type of material, must not be loaded beyond rated capacity, and employers must avoid using certain web slings where incompatible fumes, sprays, or liquids are present per the material; for example, nylon must not be used where acids or phenolics are present.

• See 1926.251(e)(1), 1926.251(e)(2), and 1926.251(e)(6)(i)–(iii).
• Match sling material to the environment (acids, caustics, temperatures) and follow the manufacturer’s guidance.

Polyester and nylon web slings must not be used above 180 °F (82.2 °C) and polypropylene above 200 °F (93.33 °C); synthetic web slings must be immediately removed from service for acid/caustic burns, melting or charring, snags/tears/cuts, broken or worn stitches, or distortion of fittings.

• See 1926.251(e)(7) and the removal list in 1926.251(e)(8).
• Inspect webbing for chemical damage or heat effects and remove any sling that shows the listed defects.

Shackles and hooks must have permanently affixed, legible identification markings of rated capacity and must not be used with loads exceeding those markings; hooks for which no manufacturer's recommendations exist must be tested to twice the intended safe working load before initial use and records of the tests kept.

• See 1926.251(f)(1) and the testing requirement and recordkeeping in the standard text describing hook testing (see the hooks/testing paragraph on the same standard page).
• Keep test certificates and records available for inspection.

Minimum clear length requirements vary by sling type: cable laid and 6×19 and 6×37 wire rope slings must have a minimum clear length of 10 times the rope diameter between splices or fittings; braided slings need 40 times the component rope diameter; cable-laid grommets and endless slings require a circumferential length of 96 times body diameter; fiber rope spliced slings must have a minimum clear length of 10 times rope diameter.

• See wire rope minimums in 1926.251(c)(13)(i)–(iii) and fiber rope minimums in 1926.251(d)(4)(iv).
• Verify sling lengths during inspection to ensure safe splices and fittings.

Fiber-core wire rope slings of all grades must be permanently removed from service if they are exposed to temperatures in excess of 200 °F (93.33 °C).

• See 1926.251(c)(14).
• For non-fiber-core wire rope used above 400 °F or below -60 °F, follow the sling manufacturer's recommendations as stated in the same paragraph.

Yes—employers must assess the workplace to determine whether hazards are present that require personal protective equipment and provide the appropriate PPE.

• While this rigging standard specifies inspection and equipment requirements, OSHA's PPE rules require a hazard assessment and written certification when PPE is required; see OSHA's interpretation on PPE hazard assessments at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28 which explains the employer obligation under 29 CFR 1910.132(d).
• Use that assessment to select PPE (gloves, hard hats, eye protection, etc.) appropriate for rigging tasks and document the assessment per OSHA guidance.

No—shock loading is prohibited and a sling shall not be pulled from under a load when the load is resting on the sling.

• These prohibitions are found in 1926.251(c)(11) and 1926.251(c)(12).
• Train rigging crews to avoid shock-loading practices (sudden snatch or drop) and never remove a sling while it supports load weight.

Slings must be padded or protected from sharp edges of their loads, and hands or fingers must not be placed between the sling and its load while the sling is being tightened around the load.

• See 1926.251(c)(9) and 1926.251(c)(10).
• Use edge-protecting sleeves, pads or corner protectors and employ tools or taglines to adjust sling position instead of placing hands under tensioned slings.