A wire rope sling looks the same at 80% of its rated capacity as it does the day it breaks. The damage that causes a sling to fail — internal broken wires, core deterioration, corrosion fatigue — is often invisible from the outside. Systematic inspection before every lift is not optional. It is the only thing standing between a functioning lift and a dropped load.

• 10 randomly distributed broken wires in any rope lay, OR 5 broken wires in one strand of one rope lay
• Wear of 1/3 or more of the original diameter of the outer wires
• Kinking, crushing, birdcaging, or any other form of core damage
• Evidence of heat damage (discoloration, fused strands)
• Cracks, deformation, or wear in any end fitting (spelter socket, swaged fitting, or eye splice)
• Corrosion to a degree that makes the wire appear dull gray or pitted — inspect by opening the strands at multiple points to check internal wire condition

• Run the sling through your gloved hand along its full length, feeling for broken wire ends ("fishhooks") that protrude from the lay
• Lay the sling out straight for visual inspection — kinks and birdcaging are more visible when the sling is extended
• Mark inspected and passed slings with the inspection date — or use a color-coded tagging system per your site protocol
• Inspect fittings separately from the wire body: cracks in swaged sleeves, elongated holes in hooks, and bent shackle bows all require removal