October 22, 2007—New guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will help employers select and safely use the appropriate slings when handling and moving materials.
“Guidance on Safe Sling Use” replaces OSHA’s current general industry standard, which is more than 30 years old, says OSHA. It will aid users in the safe selection and use of slings, including synthetic round slings and the newer grades of materials being used in alloy steel chain and wire rope slings, neither of which is covered in the current standard.
According to OSHA, improper selection or use of slings can result in sling failure or load slippage, which in turn can lead to injuries or death. OSHA accident data for the years 1994 through 1996 show that there were four fatalities in general industry involving the misuse or failure of slings.
OSHA intends to format the final product for use on the Web to facilitate the search for specific information within the document. “Guidance on Safe Sling Use” is available on OSHA’s Web site.
