Standards / Lifting Accessories
EN 13414
Lifting Accessories
Current
Steel Wire Rope Slings
EN 13414 is the European standard specifying the safety requirements, test methods and marking for slings made from steel wire rope and used for general lifting. It covers how a sling is made, how its working load limit is derived for each configuration, and what has to be marked on it so the person rigging the lift can confirm its capacity before it takes any load.
Scope
EN 13414 applies to slings fabricated from steel wire rope for general lifting purposes, in single-leg and multi-leg assemblies, with terminations formed by ferrule-secured eyes, hand splices or other recognised methods. It covers the derivation of the working load limit for each configuration and hitch, the information the manufacturer must supply, and the requirements for identification.
Exclusions & Related Standards
- Textile slings of woven webbing or roundsling construction fall under EN 1492.
- Slings of short link chain fall under EN 818.
- Non-fixed load lifting attachments such as lifting beams and magnets fall under EN 13155.
- Gloves worn to handle wire rope, which sheds broken wires, fall under EN 388.
Key Requirements & Marking
Every sling must carry a durable and legible identification tag stating the working load limit, the number of legs, the nominal length, the manufacturer and a traceable identification code. Where a sling is rated for more than one hitch or more than one range of leg angles, the tag must state the load limit for each. The working load limit of a multi-leg sling depends on the angle between the legs, so the marking is meaningless without the angle range it applies to.
The tag states the working load limit for each hitch and leg-angle range, not a single figure.
Testing Overview
Assessment covers the breaking force of the rope and of the finished termination, proof loading of the assembly where required, verification that the manufacturing method achieves the declared efficiency for the termination used, and confirmation that the marking is durable and correctly derived for every configuration offered.
Selection Guide
Select a wire rope sling where the load has abrasive or hot surfaces that would damage textile, and where the flexibility of chain is not needed. Choose the configuration for the actual hitch and leg angle intended, not the best case. Protect the rope wherever it passes over an edge, because a wire rope sling bent tightly over a corner loses a substantial part of its strength at that point.
Inspection, Care and Maintenance
- Inspect the full length before each use for broken wires, particularly at the eyes, near the ferrules and where the rope has been bent over an edge
- Withdraw the sling for local corrosion, heat damage, kinking, birdcaging, crushing or any deformation of the rope structure
- Withdraw the sling if the identification tag is missing or illegible, because it can no longer be shown to be rated for the lift
- Store slings hung clear of the floor, dry, and away from chemicals and heat
- Do not shorten a wire rope sling by knotting it or by any means other than a fitting the manufacturer supplies for that purpose
Broken wires cluster at the terminations and at any point where the rope has been bent over an edge.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a wire rope sling have more than one working load limit?
Because the capacity depends on the hitch used and, for a multi-leg sling, on the angle between the legs. A straight lift, a choke hitch and a basket hitch all give different figures from the same sling, which is why the tag lists them separately.
How many broken wires make a sling unfit for use?
The manufacturer sets the discard criteria for the specific rope construction, counted over a defined length of rope and at the terminations. The practical rule on site is that broken wires are a reason to take the sling out of service and have it examined, not to estimate.
Does bending a wire rope sling over a corner matter?
Yes. A tight bend over an edge concentrates the load on the outer wires and reduces the strength of the sling at that point, which is why softeners or edge protectors are used wherever the rope meets a corner.
What is birdcaging?
A distortion where the outer strands of the rope separate outward from the core, usually caused by shock loading or by the rope being released from a torsional load. It is permanent damage and the sling must be withdrawn.
Can a wire rope sling be repaired?
Only by the manufacturer or a competent person able to re-terminate and re-certify it. A sling with a damaged eye or ferrule cannot be put back into service on the basis of a site repair.