Chain Sling Inspection Australian Standard AS3775 Lifting Slings
One question we get asked a lot at LiftQuip Australia is how often do you need to inspect your chain slings. The correct and obvious answer is before each lift. There must also be periodic inspections as part your maintenance regime. This is not as simple as a time factor of ‘6 or 12 monthly’. The requirements of the standard for periodic inspections relate to how many lifts those chains do:
Periodic Inspection Guide for Alloy Chain Slings – Grade 80 (T) & 100 (V)
01-05 Lift Cycles per Week – Periodic Inspection required 12 monthly
06-25 Lift Cycles per Week – Periodic Inspection required 6 monthly
26-200 Lift Cycles per Week – Periodic Inspection required 3 monthly
201 plus Lift Cycles per Week – Periodic Inspection required monthly
1 lift cycle is equal to lifting and lowering a load once.
What is a competent person? AS3775.2 defines a competent person as ‘a person who through a combination of training, education and experience, acquired knowledge and skills enabling that person to correctly perform a specific task’. The standards go further in Section 4.1 to state the requirements of a competent person saying that they ‘shall be suitably trained, qualified by knowledge and practical experience, and with the necessary instruction to correctly use or make assessments of Grade T(80) and V(100) chain slings. They shall be able to detect and evaluate defects and weaknesses that may affect the intended performance of the equipment’
If you would like clarification on the above or help in formulating an inspection regime for your lifting equipment assets, the team at LiftQuip Australia will be happy to help.
