Industrial facilities commonly use slings, often in conjunction with hoists or overhead cranes to move heavy objects.  Due to the possibility of slippage, slings can be the source of potentially serious workplace injuries.  OSHA’s standards on use of slings, including inspection and replacement requirements are found at 29 C.F.R. §1910.184.  Last week, OSHA released a new guidance intended to supplement and update these safety standards.

The current OSHA safety standard for slings is based on an ANSI standard dating back to 1971.  The new safety guidance focuses on synthetic round slings and other new materials not in existence when the safety standard was adopted.  These include new grades of materials used in alloy steel chains and wire rope slings.  Although the new guidance is not a regulation upon which citations can directly be based, it will be used by inspectors in evaluating an employer’s adherence to sling safety standards.  The guidance can be found at www.osha.gov/dsg/guidance/slings/sources.html.