Tried rigging with synthetic slings instead of wire rope and I think I'm switching

I did a big job last month at a construction site in downtown Portland where they wanted us to be careful with the beams because of the existing facade. So I swapped out my usual wire rope slings for some synthetic round slings. Night and day difference. The synthetics were way easier to handle by hand, they didn't scratch anything, and they wrapped around the load a lot better. My only worry is how they hold up in the long run with cuts and UV. Has anyone else made the switch and stuck with it?

3 comments

3 Comments

holly_reed5522d agoTop Commenter

Biggest thing with synthetic slings is keeping them off sharp edges. You gotta use edge protection or softeners on any beam with a sharp corner. I had one get a cut from a bolt head I didn't notice and it was done. For UV, just don't leave them in direct sun for weeks at a time, store them inside and you'll be fine. I switched two years ago for facade work and haven't looked back.

angela58721d ago

That bolt head thing is exactly what scares me. Had a job last spring where we were lifting some precast panels and I got a little too casual about checking the sling path. A tiny burr on a stud welded to a beam sliced right through the cover and into the inner strands before I even noticed. Whole thing was trash after one lift. Now I run my hand over every single edge and welding spatter before anything touches the sling. That UV stuff people worry too much about, you'd have to really abuse it for it to fail that way. You ever try those neoprene pads for edge protection? They're a pain to keep in place but they work better than anything else I've used.

david_jones3821d ago

My crew ran two full seasons on a set of nylon slings that got dragged across god knows what, never had one give out on us. Not saying you're wrong about the burrs, but I've seen guys baby those things like they're made of glass and still snap them on clean steel. I think you can overthink it, honestly. Those neoprene pads you mentioned? Tried them once, spent more time chasing them around the job site than actually lifting. Slings are tough, they take a beating if you're not totally careless with them.