2-4 | Disposal of Damaged / Failed Slings

The best lifting and rigging inspection program is of no value if slings, which are worn out and have been retired, are not properly disposed of.

When it is determined by the inspector that a sling is worn out or damaged beyond use, it should be tagged immediately DO NOT USE.

If it’s determined that the web sling will be removed from service, we suggest cutting the eye in most circumstances to render the sling as unusable. When the sling body is long enough, the webbing should be cut into shorter sections, and the sling should be disposed of as general waste or trash.

Keep the following in mind when disposing of web slings:

• Cutting or destroying of the eyes prevents any further use of the sling
• As an additional step, if the sling body is long enough to allow for an eye to be reformed by other means, the sling should be cut into shorter lengths of 3-4 feet
• Best practice is to remove, cut, or separate any tags or labels from the sling
• Place scrap into your facility’s recycling bins