Equipment Types5 min read

LOLER Lifting Accessories Inspection — Chains, Slings, Shackles and Hooks

Lifting accessories require examination every 6 months — separate from the lifting equipment they are used with. Here's what counts as an accessory, what gets checked, and the discard criteria you need to know.

By Lolerflow Team |  LOLER Compliance Specialists

What Is a Lifting Accessory?

LOLER defines a lifting accessory as "accessories for lifting, including a chain, rope, webbing sling, shackle, hook, ring, link, plate clamp, lifting beam, spreader or similar device used for attaching loads to machinery for lifting." The key distinction: a lifting accessory is not built into the lifting machine — it is separate, attached to connect the load.

Practically: the crane hook is part of the crane (12-month interval). The sling hanging from it is a lifting accessory (6-month interval). This distinction catches many companies out — a current crane certificate does not cover the accessories used with it.

The 6-month rule applies to every accessory — regardless of how often it is used. A webbing sling used twice a year in a storage facility still requires 6-monthly examination. There is no usage-frequency exemption.

What Gets Examined — by Accessory Type

Chain slings
Elongation, link diameter wear, cracks, corrosion, end fittings, grade markings
Wire rope slings
Broken wires per lay length, corrosion, kinking, crushing, end terminations, ferrules
Webbing / polyester slings
Cuts, abrasion, UV degradation, chemical attack, load label, eye condition
Roundslings
Cover integrity, core condition (if visible), label, end loops
Shackles
Body deformation, pin thread condition, safety pin/mousing, SWL markings
Eyebolts
Thread condition, shank cracking, collar seating, angular load markings
Hooks
Throat opening (vs original), deformation, cracks, safety catch function, swivel condition
Spreader beams
Structural condition, pin and clevis condition, load capacity markings, certification

Marking Requirements

LOLER Regulation 7 requires all lifting accessories to be marked with their safe working load (SWL) and — where relevant — the mode of use that corresponds to that SWL (e.g. single leg, double leg, choked). Accessories without legible SWL markings must be taken out of service until remarked or replaced. The competent person checks marking compliance as part of the thorough examination.

The Volume Problem

Most sites have far more lifting accessories than lifting machines. A single overhead crane might be used with 40 or 50 separate slings, chains, and shackles — each requiring individual examination and a separate entry in the examination report. Managing this at scale in spreadsheets is where most compliance gaps originate: accessories get missed, combined into batches with single report dates, or examined but not recorded individually.

Track every chain, sling and shackle individually

Lolerflow gives each accessory its own record, its own 6-month interval, and its own examination report. QR labels link physical assets to their digital records. 30-day free trial.

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How often must lifting accessories be inspected under LOLER?+
Every 6 months. Regulation 9(3)(a) of LOLER 1998 requires lifting accessories to be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months. This applies to all lifting accessories regardless of how frequently they are used — a chain sling used once a year still requires 6-monthly examination.
What counts as a lifting accessory under LOLER?+
Lifting accessories are items used to attach a load to lifting equipment but which are not an integral part of the lifting equipment itself. This includes: chains, wire rope slings, fibre rope slings, webbing slings, shackles, eyebolts, swivel hooks, rings, links, spreader beams, below-the-hook lifting devices, and vacuum lifters.
What are the discard criteria for chains under LOLER?+
The competent person will assess chain condition against the manufacturer's discard criteria, typically based on elongation (usually 5% stretch from original length), wear at contact points (usually 10% reduction in diameter), damage, corrosion, and link distortion. Grade T (grade 80) and Grade V (grade 100) chains have different tolerance thresholds — always refer to the specific manufacturer's data.
→ LOLER Crane Inspection Requirements→ LOLER Inspection Frequency — 6 and 12 Month Rules→ LOLER Thorough Examination Guide