Materials Handling - Metal Mesh Slings

Metal mesh slings:

• Are made from carbon steel, stainless steel or alloy steel.
• Can be coated or impregnated with elastomers (e.g., PVC, neoprene).
  • Those not impregnated with elastomers are temperature resistant (from - 29°C to 288° C).
  • Those impregnated with elastomer have narrower temperature work range (-18°C to 93°C).
• Are flexible.
• Are resistant to corrosion (carbon steel and stainless steel slings).
• Do not stretch extensively.

When the loads are:

• Hot.
• Abrasive.
• Have sharp edges that could damage the other slings.

• Visually check it every day before use.
• Periodically, as recommended by the manufacturer, or at least once a year.

• Missing or unreadable identification plate.
• Broken wires in any part of the mesh.
• Broken weld or joints along the sling edge.
• Distortion and reduced flexibility.
• Distortion of chocker fittings (slot longer by more than 10% of initial length).
• Distortion of end fittings that causes the width of eye opening to decrease by more than 10%.
• Reduction in wire diameter of 25% due to abrasion or 15% due to corrosion.
• Reduction of 15% or more of the initial cross-sectional area in any point around the hook opening of the end fitting.
• Cracked, corroded, pitted, bent, twisted or broken end fittings.
• Locked spirals without free articulation (movement).
• Slings with missing or illegible identification marks.

• Remove sling from use and discard or repair them.
• Do not try to repair the sling yourself by hammering it. Send the sling to be repaired by the sling manufacturer.
• Use only repaired slings that were proof tested by the sling manufacturer.
• Keep the certificates of the proof test.

• Use only slings that have the identification plate on them.
• Know the admissible safe load for the slinging configuration you want to use.
• Make sure that the load is balanced.
• In a chocker hitch, ensure that the female handle chokes on the metal mesh and not on the handle.
• Keep body parts away from the area between the load and the sling.
• Make a trial lift and a trial lower to ensure everything is working in a safe manner.
• Reduce sling stress with slow starts and stops.
• Wipe the dirt after use and store on racks as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Only use slings that are exposed to extreme temperatures as recommended by the manufacturer or qualified person.

• Do not use metal-mesh slings for loads heavier than the safe load.
• Do not use horizontal angles less than 30 degrees except as recommended by the sling manufacturer or a qualified person.
• Do not use damaged slings.
• Do not drag slings out from underneath a load.
• Do not use a fitting unless it is the correct shape and size to fit properly in the hook or lifting device.
• Do not use metal-mesh slings as bridles on suspended personnel platforms.
• Do not shorten metal-mesh slings with knots or bolts.
• Do not apply coatings that may lessen the sling's rated capacity.
• Do not store the slings in areas where they might be exposed to corrosive agents or subjected to mechanical stress.
• Do not use metal-mesh slings outside the temperature range recommended by the manufacturer.