We stock a wide
range of lifting slings here, and each has a different purpose and works in a different way. The below article is a guide on how to train your staff on lifting sling safety in general, with what factors to consider and things to look out for.
We don't go into huge detail on each individual different type of lifting sling, but you will find the following information useful for general lifting sling safety training. For more information on your specific type of lifting sling, please refer to our contact information at the bottom of this page.
Safety must always come first!
Why do you need to think about staff training?
It's an obvious point to make, but staff training is important for any piece of work that needs to be completed, whatever the industry. But it's even more crucial when it comes to industries such as the lifting industry, where incredibly heavy loads and items are often being worked with.
Without proper training, you could cause serious damage to your equipment, harm to your employees, and incur nasty legal costs! Aside from training your staff for common sense reasons, it's actually required by law too.
The main guidelines that are followed in relation to the lifting industry is the
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). These require that staff plan all lifting operations properly, and that the planning and safe overseeing of said operations is done by a competent person. Obviously, for someone to be competent, they need the proper training.
It is also worth referring to the governments guidelines on
training and competence, which states "all people using equipment at work must be adequately trained to ensure health and safety in its use, supervision or management."
You can find more information on
health and safety training here, which builds on obligations laid out in the
Health and Safety at Work Act.
Factors that your staff need to consider
Below are the general areas where your staff need to be adequately trained in the proper use of lifting slings and lifting sling safety.
Using the equipment
The most important and most obvious place to start is how to actually use the equipment. Lifting slings will have different end terminations such as hooks, some are made from a variety of materials, and some need to be used in certain ways.
It's obvious, but it's important that you're staff are fully familiar with the lifting slings that you have, how to use them, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Weight limits
All lifting slings will have different safe working loads (SWL), which is the maximum limit that a sling should be lifting. It is absolutely vital that your staff know these limits, as well as the limits of the loads, and that these limits are never exceeded.
A lifting sling will also have a maximum breaking load (MBL), which is the point at which your sling will break, and so the SWL should be stuck to at all times. Your staff must know the difference between these.
Storage
Your staff must know how to safely and properly store lifting slings away. There will be certain conditions and environments that aren't conducive to providing your slings with a long service life, and it's important that your workers know this.
Risk assessments, inspections and planning
Anyone that will be working with the lifting sling needs to be adequately trained in how to plan a lifting operation, and how to oversee that operation safely. Part of planning a lifting operation also involves writing up a detailed risk assessment, and this must be done properly to abide by the law.
Staff training is crucial in the safe use of lifting slings
They must also know how to inspect the equipment, what to look out for, and at what point a lifting sling should no longer be used.
What lifting slings do we sell at Rope Services Direct?
You can purchase the following lifting slings from us here at Rope Services Direct:
Please refer to each individual web page for more information on what these products do, or our contact information below if you have further questions.
Get in touch with us to find out more about lifting sling safety
If you want to discuss our lifting slings further, ask about which may be suitable for your application, or want to find out more about staff lifting sling safety training, please
get in touch with us here. We can help give demonstrations with products and equipment and offer you our expert knowledge and insight in the proper use of lifting slings.
