Chain slings and shackles are heavy-duty lifting accessories used for lifting steel, precast concrete, and heavy mechanical components. They must be inspected before every use and undergo thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding six months. Worn, stretched, or damaged chain links can fail under load without warning, dropping the entire load. Shackle pins must be correctly sized, fully engaged, and secured to prevent them working loose during the lift.
Key Hazards
Chain link failure dropping the load from height onto workers below
Shackle pin working loose during the lift causing the sling to disconnect
Overloading chain slings by exceeding the safe working load for the configuration
Using damaged or stretched chain links that have lost their rated capacity
Control Measures
Inspect every chain sling visually before each use checking for stretched, worn, or cracked links.
Verify the chain sling has a current thorough examination certificate dated within the last six months.
Check the safe working load marking on the sling tag matches or exceeds the load being lifted.
Ensure shackle pins are the correct size, fully screwed home, and secured with split pins where fitted.
Never use a chain sling that shows signs of corrosion, heat damage, or weld repair.
Select the correct sling configuration and apply the angle reduction factor for multi-leg lifts.
Remove any chain sling from service immediately if a defect is found during pre-use inspection.
Store chain slings on designated racks off the ground and away from corrosive substances.
Record all pre-use inspections and maintain thorough examination certificates on site for every sling.
Remember
Chain slings must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least every six months.
A single worn or stretched link can fail under load causing the entire load to drop without warning.
Check the safe working load on the tag matches the actual load weight including lifting accessories.
Shackle pins must be fully engaged and secured — a loose pin can disconnect under vibration.
The safe working load reduces significantly as the sling angle increases in multi-leg configurations.
If any defect is found during inspection, the sling must be removed from service immediately.
Applicable Legislation: LOLER 1998 · BS EN 818 (Short Link Chain for Lifting) · CDM Regulations 2015 · Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974