Chain slings need both a quick visual check before every lift and a documented periodic inspection by a competent body. Knowing what kind of damage to look for — rather than a fixed wear percentage — is what keeps an operator from putting a compromised sling into service.
A flat webbing sling is a load-bearing band of woven synthetic fibre, usually polyester, finished with reinforced loop eyes at each end. It is one of the most common lifting accessories on a crane site because it is light, flexible, and gentle on the load surface compared with chain or wire rope.
A lifting beam has a single top attachment point and carries the load in bending, while a spreader beam is suspended from two separate slings and is loaded mainly in compression. The two are frequently confused, but choosing the wrong one for a given load geometry changes how the beam — and the slings under it — actually behave under load.
Flat webbing slings are produced with different eye configurations — standard soft eyes, twisted (reverse) eyes, and endless loop constructions — each suited to particular hitch methods and connection points. Choosing the wrong eye type or connecting it incorrectly to a hook or shackle can concentrate load on a small area of webbing and reduce real capacity below the marked WLL.