Daily pre-use check · 6 items

Lifting Equipment
pre-use check

The 6 things to look at before the key turns on lifting equipment (slings/shackles).

Every item below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or manufacturer's standard it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. That guidance is the difference between a tick and a check.

  1. 1.
    Slings / strops — no cuts, abrasion, or damage
    What to look forLay sling out fully and run through your hands end-to-end. For webbing/round slings: cuts to the sleeve, fluffing of the load-bearing yarns, hard spots (heat damage), discoloration (UV/chemical). For chain: stretched links (gauge with manufacturer's wear pin), nicks at the inner radius, twisted or bent links. For wire rope: broken wires, kinks, birdcaging.
    Acceptable whenNo cuts to load-bearing yarns. No exposure of red core warning yarn (round slings) — instant discard. Chain link wear ≤10% of nominal diameter. Wire rope broken wires within ISO 4309 limits. No knots tied in the sling.
    StandardLOLER 1998 reg.4 & reg.7. BS EN 1492-1/2 (web slings/round slings). BS EN 818 (chain). BS EN 13414 (wire rope slings). LEEA TSP guidance.
    Common defectsRed warning core visible through worn sleeve on a round sling — discardWebbing cut at edge from a sharp load corner without sleeves/edge protectorsChain stretched at inner radius — fail with the gauge pinWire rope birdcaged after a snatch — internal damage even if appearance okKnot tied into a webbing sling to shorten — discard, never tie
  2. 2.
    Shackles — pin secure, no deformation
    What to look forBody free of distortion, throat opening within tolerance (gauge), pin straight and turning freely, threads clean, cotter pin / split pin in place where required, body and pin matched (same maker, same SWL stamp).
    Acceptable whenThroat opening within 5% of nominal. Pin turns freely, doesn't bind. Body not opened (sprung). Pin and body markings match. Cotter pin (where used) intact.
    StandardBS EN 13889 / US Fed Spec RR-C-271. LEEA guidance. LOLER 1998 reg.7.
    Common defectsPin from a different shackle — mismatched SWL ratings, failBody sprung from overload — gap between pin and bodyPin won't turn — galled threads from cross-thread or gritSide-loaded — body bent out of planeCotter pin replaced with wire — non-compliant repair
  3. 3.
    Colour-coded identification tag current
    What to look forQuarterly site colour code system (e.g. blue / yellow / green / red rotation) — tag colour matches the current quarter. Tag legible, not rubbed off. Unique ID on the tag traces back to the site/depot register.
    Acceptable whenTag colour matches the in-force quarterly code. ID legible. Sling registered in the depot/site lifting accessories register.
    StandardLOLER 1998 reg.7 (visible inspection between thorough examinations). LEEA recommended practice. Site lifting plan / appointed person's scheme.
    Common defectsWrong colour — sling missed the inspection cycleTag worn off, no traceable IDTag from a different depot whose colour scheme is offsetTag attached to a sling that doesn't match the register entry (mix-up)
  4. 4.
    SWL clearly marked
    What to look forSWL/WLL marked on the sling (sewn label for webbing/round, stamped tag for chain/wire). Label legible, not faded. For multi-leg slings: rated leg-by-leg with included angle range (typically 0–45° and 45–60°).
    Acceptable whenSWL legible. For multi-leg, capacity at the lift's included angle exceeds the load with safety margin (factor of safety per the standard, typically 7:1 chain, 7:1 webbing).
    StandardLOLER 1998 reg.7. BS EN 1492 / 818 / 13414. LEEA Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment (COPSULE).
    Common defectsLabel faded to illegibility — discard until proved by examSWL stamp painted overSWL plate from a different (higher) sling crimped onto a smaller oneMulti-leg sling used at >60° from vertical, exceeding label range
  5. 5.
    LOLER thorough examination in date
    What to look forLifting accessories — thorough examination at intervals not exceeding 6 months (because they are accessories used to lift). Report references the unique ID of each piece. Defects either rectified or item discarded.
    Acceptable when6-monthly thorough examination in date. Report covers each piece by ID. No outstanding defects.
    StandardLOLER 1998 reg.9, reg.10 and Schedule 1. LEEA. INDG422.
    Common defectsCert in date but item not on the cert — replacement issued without paperworkAnnual exam used instead of 6-monthly for an accessoryDefect "for review" not closed outSling listed as "discarded" still in the lifting box
  6. 6.
    No signs of heat damage or chemical exposure
    What to look forWebbing slings: hard or glossy patches (heat fusion of fibres), discoloration, brittleness when flexed. Chain: heat tinting (blue/straw colours), pitting from acid splash, white deposits from caustics. Wire rope: heat tinting on outer wires.
    Acceptable whenNo heat damage. No chemical attack. No UV degradation (chalky webbing). If exposed to ≥80°C polyester / ≥100°C polyamide / ≥250°C chain — discard pending exam.
    StandardBS EN 1492 / 818 / 13414. LEEA guidance. Manufacturer's temperature limits.
    Common defectsWebbing sling used near welding without protection — burn-throughChain sling used in galv plating shop — acid pittingPolyester webbing brittle from UV after long outdoor storageWire rope blued near a hot work area — temper lostSling soaked in solvents in a depot bin — fibres degraded

Questions people ask

Who does the pre-use check, and when?

The operator, at the start of every shift and whenever a different operator takes over, before the machine does any work. It is recorded and signed, because a check nobody can prove happened is treated as a check that did not. Hired-in plant gets the same check as your own. Guidance, not legal advice.

What regulation requires it?

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998: regulation 5 (suitability), regulation 6 (maintenance and inspection) and regulations 8 and 9 (information and training). Lifting plant adds LOLER 1998. The manufacturer's daily check schedule in the operator's handbook is the detailed version of the list below.

What happens when a check fails?

The machine does not go to work. Tag it, report the defect, and get a fitter to it. The record of the failed check and the defect report is what protects the operator and the company if anyone asks later why the machine was, or was not, in use.

What competency does the operator need?

For the plant this checklist covers: Slinger / Signaller card. The card proves training; the pre-use check is where the training shows.

Is this the same as a LOLER thorough examination?

No. This is the daily look by the person about to use the machine. Lifting plant also needs a thorough examination by a competent person every 6 or 12 months. The two records sit side by side in the plant file.

Do the check on a phone, signed

The same 6 checks on the operator's phone, photos against each fail, defect reports raised automatically, and a plant register that knows when the LOLER is due. 14 days free.

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