1-4 | 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 wire rope will be removed from service, we suggest cutting it down into more manageable sizes before discarding. This extra effort will help to accommodate the needs of most recycling facilities that will accept the damaged wire rope and also help to make sure that it cannot be used any further.

Keep the following in mind when disposing of wire rope slings and wire rope cable:

• Cut into approximately 3’ to 4’ sections
• Use a chop saw or torch to cut, or destroy, the eyes of the wire rope sling to prevent any further use of the sling
• If the sling body is long enough to allow for an eye to be reformed by other means, the wire should be cut down to shorter lengths
• Use proper PPE when handling the pieces of cut wire—cut or frayed ends of the wire rope will be sharp
• Remove, or separate, any tags and labels from the sling
• Place scrap into your facility’s metal recycling bins and coordinate pickup or delivery