Sharp edges. This sling has been cut due to contact with a sharp edge or corner. This can also be caused by movement or sliding of the sling along a sharp or rough edge as the sling orientates when the load is applied. This can be avoided by using an appropriate protective sleeve.

Overloaded. This sling has been loaded to beyond the safety factor at approximately 8 times the Working Load Limit. Note the fluffy nature of the fibres compared to a cut sling.

Cut induced breakage. This is a combination of the first two scenarios and is the most common form of sling breakage. The sling has slid or cut on a sharp edge, compromising the strength to such a point that the webbing breaks. Correct centering of the load and the use of appropriate protect sleeves can prevent this.

Inappropriate radius 1. Here the eye has cut through due to the radius of the connecting hardware being too small. A radius equivalent to at least twice the thickness of the webbing or sling is required ie: 10mm webbing requires a radius of 20mm or more, anything less than this is considered to be a sharp edge.

Inappropriate radius 2. Here the radius was too large for the eye of the sling and split the stitch pattern. The angle in the eye of the sling should not exceed 20 degrees.

Burns. Polyester melts and becomes brittle when subject to excessive heat. The most common source of heat is welding spatter but can also come from friction.

Chemical contamination. Synthetic slings can be susceptible to various chemicals often found in the workplace. SpanSet have technical data sheet covering a broad range of chemicals. The information on recommendations that we will require includes the type of chemical, the concentration of the chemical, the length of exposure, and the temperature.