DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

GENERAL INDUSTRY SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD

(By authority conferred on the director of the department of labor and economic

opportunity by sections 16 and 21 of the Michigan occupational safety and health act, 1974

pa 154, mcl 408.1016 and 408.1021, and executive reorganization order nos. 1996-2, 2003-1,

2008-4, 2011-4, and 2019-3, mcl 445.2001, 445.2011, 445.2025, 445.2030, and 125.1998)

PART 49. SLINGS

R 408.14901 Scope and adoption of standard.

Rule 4901. (1) This part sets forth the requirements for slings and their construction,

care, and use in, around, and about a place of employment. Types of slings included in this

part are chain, wire rope, metal mesh, 3-strand natural or synthetic rope, and synthetic web

made from nylon, polyester, and polypropylene.

(2) The following standard is adopted by reference in these rules, American Society of

Mechanical Engineers Standard ASME B-30.9 “Slings,” 1990 edition. This standard may be

purchased from IHS Global, 15 Inverness Way East, Englewood, Colorado, 80112, USA,

telephone number: 1-800-854-7179 or via the internet at website: http://global.ihs.com at a

cost as of the time of adoption of these amendments of $60.00.

(3) The standard adopted in subrule (2) of this rule is also available for inspection at the

Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, MIOSHA, Standards and FOIA Section,

530 West Allegan Street, P.O. Box 30643, Lansing, Michigan, 48909-8143.

(4) Copies of the standard adopted in subrule (2) of this rule may be obtained from the

publisher or may also be obtained from the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity,

MIOSHA, Standards and FOIA Section, 530 West Allegan Street, P.O. Box 30643, Lansing,

Michigan, 48909-8143, at the cost charged in this rule, plus $20.00 for shipping and

handling.

History: 1979 AC; 2021 MR 9, Eff. May 13, 2021.

R 408.14902 Rescinded.

History: 2014 AACS; 2021 MR 9, Eff. May 13, 2021.

R 408.14903 Definitions; A, B.

Rule 4903. (1) "Angle of loading" means the inclination of a leg or branch of a sling,

measured from the horizontal or vertical plane as shown in figure 5, provided that an angle of

loading of 5 degrees or less from the vertical may be considered a vertical angle of loading.

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(2) "Basket hitch" means a sling configuration whereby the sling is passed under the

load and has both ends, end attachments, eyes, or handles on the hook or a single master link.

(3) "Braided wire rope" means a wire rope formed by plaiting component wire ropes.

(4) "Bridle wire rope sling" means a sling composed of multiple wire rope legs, with

the top ends gathered in a fitting that goes over the lifting hook.

History: 1979 AC.

R 408.14904 Definitions; C.

Rule 4904. (1) "Cable laid endless sling-mechanical joint" means a wire rope sling made

endless by joining the ends of a single length of cable laid rope with 1 or more metallic

fittings.

(2) "Cable laid grommet-hand tucked" means an endless wire rope sling made from 1

length of rope wrapped 6 times around a core formed by hand, tucking the ends of the rope

inside the 6 wraps.

(3) "Cable laid rope" means a wire rope composed of 6 wire ropes wrapped around a

fiber or wire rope core.

(4) "Cable laid rope sling-mechanical joint" means a wire rope sling made from a cable

laid rope, with eyes fabricated by pressing or swaging 1 or more metal sleeves over the rope

junction.

(5) "Choker hitch" means a sling configuration with 1 end of the sling passing under the

load and through an end attachment, handle, or eye on the other end of the sling.

(6) "Coating" means an elastomer, or other suitable material, applied to a sling or to a

sling component to impart desirable properties.

(7) "Cross rod" means a wire used to join spirals of metal mesh to form a complete

fabric. (See figure 2 “Metal Mesh Construction”)

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FIGURE 2

METAL MESH CONSTRUCTION

History: 1979 AC; 2014 AACS.

R 408.14905 Definitions; D to H.

Rule 4905. (1) "Designated" means to be selected or assigned by the employer or the

employer's representative as being qualified to perform specific duties.

(2) "Female handle of a choker sling" means a handle with a handle eye and a slot of

such dimension as to permit passage of a male handle, thereby allowing the use of a metal

mesh sling in a choker hitch. (See figure 1 “Metal Mesh Sling”)

(3) "Handle" means a terminal fitting to which metal mesh fabric is attached. (See figure

1 “Metal Mesh Sling”)

(4) "Handle eye" means an opening in a handle of a metal mesh sling shaped to accept a

hook, shackle, or other lifting device. (See figure 1 “Metal Mesh Sling”)

(5) "Hitch" means a sling configuration whereby the sling is fastened to an object or

load, either directly to it or around it.

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FIGURE 1

METAL MESH SLING (Typical)

History: 1979 AC; 2014 AACS.

R 408.14906 Definitions; L, M.

Rule 4906. (1) "Link" means a single ring of a chain.

(2) "Male handle" or "triangle" means a handle with a handle eye.

(3) "Master coupling link" means an alloy steel welded coupling link used as an

intermediate link to join alloy steel chain to master links. (See figure 3 “Major Components

of a Guadruple Sling”)

(4) "Master link" or "gathering ring" means a forged or welded steel link used to support

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all members (legs) of an alloy steel chain sling or wire rope sling. (See figure 3 “Major

Components of a Guadruple Sling”)

(5) "Mechanical coupling link" means a nonwelded, mechanically closed steel link used

to attach master links and hooks to alloy steel chain.

(6) "Metal mesh" or "fabric" means the flexible portion of a metal mesh sling, consisting

of a series of transverse coils and cross rods.

FIGURE 3

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF A GUADRUPLE SLING

History: 1979 AC; 2014 AACS.

R 408.14907 Definitions; P to R.

Rule 4907. (1) "Proof load" means a load applied in performance of a proof test.

(2) "Proof test" means a nondestructive tension test performed by the sling

manufacturer, or an equivalent entity, to verify construction and workmanship of a sling.

(3) "Rated capacity" means the maximum working load permitted by the provisions

of this part.

(4) "Reach" means the effective length of an alloy steel chain sling, measured from the

top bearing surface of the upper terminal component to the bottom bearing surface of the

lower terminal component.

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History: 1979 AC.

R 408.14908 Definitions; S to V.

Rule 4908. (1) "Selvage edge" means the finished edge of synthetic webbing designed

to prevent unraveling.

(2) "Sling" means an assembly which connects the load to the material handling

equipment for the purpose of lifting or hoisting.

(3) "Sling manufacturer" means a person or organization that assembles sling

components into their final form for sale to users.

(4) "Spiral" means a single transverse coil that is the basic element from which metal

mesh is fabricated. (See figure 2 “Metal Mesh Construction”)

(5) "Strand laid endless sling-mechanical joint" means a wire rope sling made endless

from 1 length of rope, with the ends joined by 1 or more metallic fittings.

(6) "Strand laid grommet-hand tucked" means an endless wire rope sling made from 1

length of strand wrapped 6 times around a core formed by hand tucking the ends of the strand

inside the 6 wraps.

(7) "Strand laid rope" means a wire rope made with strands, usually 6 or 8, wrapped

around a fiber core, wire strand core, or independent wire rope core.

(8) "Vertical hitch" means a method of supporting a load by a single, vertical part or leg

of the sling. (See figure 4 “Basic Sling Configurations with Vertical Legs”)

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FIGURE 4

BASIC SLING CONFIGURATIONS WITH VERTICAL LEGS

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