B30.9 requires three inspection levels: initial on receipt, frequent every day or shift the sling is used (no record needed), and periodic inspections with written records at yearly, monthly-to-quarterly, or qualified-person-set intervals depending on service. Most compliance gaps come from treating the daily check as the whole program and skipping the recorded periodic inspection.
OSHA is the law; B30.9 is the playbook
Two OSHA regulations govern slings: 29 CFR 1910.184 in general industry and 29 CFR 1926.251 in construction. Both say the same core thing: the sling and all fastenings and attachments must be inspected for damage or defects each day before being used, with additional inspections during use where service conditions warrant, and damaged or defective slings immediately removed from service.
ASME B30.9 is the voluntary consensus standard that fills in everything OSHA's 1970s-era text leaves open: inspection levels, per-sling-type removal criteria, record expectations. The current edition is B30.9-2021. OSHA regulations are enforceable law; B30.9 is how the industry (and, in practice, OSHA inspectors) judge whether your sling program is adequate. If you run an inspection business, B30.9 is the standard your reports should reference.
What OSHA 1910.184 actually requires, clause by clause
1910.184 is short, and most of it is about how slings are used rather than how they are inspected. Everything in it that touches inspection or records fits in one list:
- (c) Safe operating practices. Eleven rules: damaged or defective slings shall not be used; no shortening with knots, bolts, or makeshift devices; legs not kinked; never loaded above rated capacity; basket-hitch loads balanced against slippage; slings securely attached; padded or protected from sharp edges; suspended loads kept clear of obstructions; employees kept clear of loads about to be lifted; no hands or fingers between sling and load while tightening; shock loading prohibited.
- (d) Inspections. "Each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer." Additional inspections during use where service conditions warrant; damaged or defective slings immediately removed from service.
- (e)(1) Identification. Alloy steel chain slings carry permanently affixed, durable identification stating size, grade, rated capacity, and reach.
- (e)(3) Alloy steel chain periodic inspections. Interval set by frequency of use, severity of service conditions, nature of the lifts, and experience with similar slings, and "in no event at intervals greater than once every 12 months." The employer must make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each sling was thoroughly inspected, available for examination. The thorough inspection is done by a competent person designated by the employer and covers wear, defective welds, deformation, and increase in length.
- (e)(4) Proof testing. Each new, repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling is proof tested by the sling manufacturer or an equivalent entity before use; the employer retains the certificate of proof test and makes it available for examination.
- (e)(6), (e)(8), (e)(9) Chain removal triggers. Permanent removal if heated above 1,000°F; removal if link size at any point is below the minimum in Table N-184-1; removal for cracked or deformed master links, coupling links, or other components.
The removal-from-service criteria for the other sling types are also in the regulation itself, not just in B30.9:
| Sling type | Clause | Remove from service when |
|---|---|---|
| Wire rope | 1910.184(f)(4) | 10 randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay, or 5 in one strand in one lay; wear or scraping of one-third the original diameter of outside individual wires; kinking, crushing, bird caging, or other distortion of the rope structure; evidence of heat damage; cracked, deformed, or worn end attachments; hooks opened more than 15% of normal throat opening or twisted more than 10°; corrosion of the rope or end attachments |
| Metal mesh | 1910.184(g)(9) | A broken weld or brazed joint along the sling edge; wire diameter reduced 25% by abrasion or 15% by corrosion; lack of flexibility from fabric distortion; handle or eye distortion beyond the stated limits |
| Natural and synthetic fiber rope | 1910.184(h)(5) | Abnormal wear; powdered fiber between strands; broken or cut fibers; variations in the size or roundness of strands; discoloration or rotting; distortion of hardware |
| Synthetic web | 1910.184(i)(9) | Acid or caustic burns; melting or charring of any part of the surface; snags, punctures, tears, or cuts; broken or worn stitches; distortion of fittings |
Read the list for what is not there. OSHA requires a written record only for alloy steel chain (the most-recent-month record and the proof-test certificate). It sets no record requirement for wire rope, web, roundsling, or metal mesh periodic inspections, and it never defines a periodic inspection for those types at all. That is the gap B30.9 fills, and it is the gap an inspection company's written periodic report closes for its customers. Construction sites run on 29 CFR 1926.251 instead, which carries the same daily-inspection rule and parallel per-type criteria.
The three inspection levels
| Level | When | By whom | Written record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | On receipt, before first use | Designated person | No |
| Frequent | Each day or shift the sling is used | The person handling the sling | No |
| Periodic | Yearly (normal service); monthly to quarterly (severe); as recommended by a qualified person (special) | Designated person | Yes |
Initial inspection confirms the sling you received is the sling you ordered (correct type, capacity, legible identification tag) and is free of damage before it enters service.
Frequent inspection is a visual check of the sling, fastenings, and attachments each day or shift the sling is used, done by the person handling the sling. No record is required. This is also what satisfies OSHA's "each day before being used" rule.
Periodic inspection is the complete, documented examination. Frequency follows service classification (yearly for normal service, monthly to quarterly for severe service, and as recommended by a qualified person for special service), and written records of the most recent periodic inspection must be maintained. OSHA backs this up for chain: 1910.184(e)(3) caps the periodic interval for alloy steel chain slings at 12 months and requires a record of the most recent month each sling was inspected.
Removal-from-service criteria by sling type
A missing or illegible identification tag removes any sling type from service, as does any condition that causes doubt about continued safe use. The headline per-type criteria:
Alloy steel chain. Cracked or broken links; excessive wear, nicks, or gouges beyond the manufacturer's allowable limits; stretch or elongation; bent or twisted links; cracked or deformed master links, coupling links, or fittings; evidence of heat damage or weld splatter. Hooks follow ASME B30.10 criteria. OSHA flags throat opening increased more than 15% or twist more than 10° from the plane of the unbent hook.
Wire rope. For strand-laid and single-part slings: 10 randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay, or 5 broken wires in one strand in one rope lay. Also: wear of one-third the original diameter of outside individual wires; kinking, crushing, birdcaging, or other structural distortion; corrosion; evidence of heat damage; cracked, deformed, or excessively worn end attachments.
Synthetic web. Acid or caustic burns; melting or charring of any part; holes, tears, cuts, or snags; broken or worn stitching in load-bearing splices; excessive abrasion; knots in any part of the sling; discoloration or brittle, stiff areas indicating chemical or UV damage; pitted, corroded, cracked, bent, or broken fittings.
Synthetic roundsling. Cuts, holes, tears, or snags in the cover; exposed core yarns; knots (other than core yarns knotted inside the cover by the manufacturer); melting, charring, or chemical damage; discoloration or brittle, stiff areas; damaged fittings.
When in doubt, the sling comes out. B30.9's catch-all criterion exists so handlers don't have to argue marginal calls at the hook.
What your records need to show
The recorded layer is where programs get audited. At minimum: each sling identified (serial or asset number from the tag), the service classification driving its periodic interval, the date and result of the most recent periodic inspection, who performed it, and disposition (returned to service, repaired, or destroyed). Our free B30.9 inspection log is structured around this split: a frequent-inspection sheet crews can use as a habit-builder, and a periodic sheet that produces the written record the standard requires.
Where Core fits
If you inspect rigging for customers, B30.9's structure becomes a scheduling and documentation problem at scale: thousands of slings across client sites, mixed yearly and quarterly cadences by service class, and proof a designated person did each periodic inspection. Core tracks due dates per asset, enforces inspector competency at scheduling, batch-inspects entire sling racks in one visit, and gives every client a portal with their own sling register and inspection history. Core's crane and rigging inspection software page covers the US workflow end to end, or see it on your own workflow.
Sources
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.184 — Slings (general industry)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.251 — Rigging equipment for material handling (construction)
- ASME B30.9 — Slings (standard page)
- Mazzella — ASME B30.9-2021 updates and revisions
- Mazzella — How to inspect synthetic web slings to ASME B30.9
- Mazzella — How to inspect wire rope slings to ASME B30.9
- Mazzella — How to inspect a synthetic roundsling to ASME B30.9
Put this guide to work
Free Excel + PDF inspection log aligned to B30.9 frequent and periodic inspections. Or see the whole program running (scheduling, mobile inspections, certificates) in an interactive demo. No signup, about 3 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How often does OSHA require slings to be inspected?
Each day before use. OSHA 1910.184(d) (general industry) and 1926.251(a)(6) (construction) both require the sling and all fastenings and attachments to be inspected for damage or defects each day before being used, with additional inspections during use where service conditions warrant. For alloy steel chain slings, OSHA also requires a thorough periodic inspection at least every 12 months.
Do daily sling inspections need to be documented?
No. ASME B30.9 requires no written record for frequent (each day or shift) inspections. They are a visual check by the person handling the sling. Written records are required for periodic inspections. Under OSHA 1910.184(e)(3)(ii), employers must keep a record showing the most recent month each alloy chain sling was thoroughly inspected.
Who can perform a periodic sling inspection?
ASME B30.9 assigns periodic inspections to a designated person, someone the employer selects as competent to perform that duty. OSHA uses similar language: inspections by a competent person designated by the employer. Many companies use third-party rigging inspection services for periodic inspections, particularly for the written records and condition coding.
What counts as normal, severe, and special service?
Normal service is use at or below rated load under routine conditions. Severe service is normal service plus abnormal operating conditions: chemical exposure, high temperatures, abrasive environments. Special service covers anything outside those two, with conditions set by a qualified person. The classification drives periodic inspection frequency: yearly for normal, monthly to quarterly for severe, as recommended by a qualified person for special.
Is ASME B30.9 legally binding?
Not directly. B30.9 is a voluntary consensus standard, and OSHA 1910.184 and 1926.251 are the law. But OSHA's sling rules are decades old and far less detailed than B30.9, so following the current edition (B30.9-2021) is how most employers and inspection providers meet their obligations in practice, and it is the benchmark OSHA and industry expect.
What does OSHA 1910.184 require for sling inspection?
Four things. Every sling and its fastenings and attachments must be inspected each day before use by a competent person designated by the employer, with additional inspections during use where service conditions warrant and immediate removal of damaged or defective slings (1910.184(d)). Alloy steel chain slings need a thorough periodic inspection at intervals of no more than 12 months, with a record of the most recent month each sling was inspected (1910.184(e)(3)). Each new, repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling must be proof tested before use and the certificate retained (1910.184(e)(4)). And each sling type has its own removal-from-service criteria in the regulation: wire rope in (f)(4), metal mesh in (g)(9), fiber rope in (h)(5), and synthetic web in (i)(9).
Does OSHA require a proof test certificate for slings?
For alloy steel chain slings, yes. 1910.184(e)(4) requires each new, repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling to be proof tested by the sling manufacturer or an equivalent entity before use, and the employer must retain the certificate of proof test and make it available for examination. 1910.184 has no equivalent certificate requirement for wire rope, web, or roundslings; for those types, proof testing is a matter for ASME B30.9 and the manufacturer.