Licensed Copy: Gaynor Haywood, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thu Aug 03 12:34:45 BST 2006, Uncontrolled Copy,

(c) BSI

UDC 621.86.065
BRITISH STANDARD

Lifting slings —
Part 2: Specification for marking
1986
BS 6166-2:
 BS 6166-2:1986

Committees responsible for this

British Standard
Licensed Copy: Gaynor Haywood, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thu Aug 03 12:34:45 BST 2006, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Mechanical

Handling Standards Committee (MHE/-) to Technical Committee MHE/11,
upon which the following bodies were represented:

British Ports Association and the National Association of Ports Employers

Chain Testers’ Association of Great Britain
Engineering Equipment and Materials Users’ Association
Health and Safety Executive
Ministry of Defence

The following bodies were also represented in the drafting of the standard,
through subcommittees and panels:

British Chain Manufacturers’ Association

National Coal Board

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Mechanical
Handling Standards Committee,
was published under the
authority of the Board of BSI
and comes into effect on
29 August 1986

© BSI 01-1999

First published, as BS 6166, Amendments issued since publication

September 1981
First part revision, as BS 6166-2,
August 1986 Amd. No. Date of issue Comments

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference MHE/11
Draft for comment 84/79098 DC

ISBN 0 580 15175 1

 BS 6166-2:1986

Contents
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Page
Committees responsible Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 Definitions 1
3 General 1
4 Single leg and endless slings 1
5 Multi-legged slings 1
Figure 1 — Inclination of three-legged sling 2
Publication referred to Inside back cover

© BSI 01-1999 i
 BS 6166-2:1986

Foreword
Licensed Copy: Gaynor Haywood, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thu Aug 03 12:34:45 BST 2006, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

This Part of BS 6166 has been prepared under the direction of the Mechanical
Handling Standards Committee.
This revised edition of BS 6166 is published in the following three Parts.
— Part 1: Methods of rating;
— Part 2: Specification for marking;
— Part 3: Guide to selection and safe use1).
With Part 1 this Part supersedes BS 6166:1981 which is withdrawn.
Reference should be made to the foreword of BS 6166-1:1986 which includes a
commentary on legal requirements and covers the subject of marking.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard doe.s not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 and 2, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

1)
In preparation.

ii © BSI 01-1999
 BS 6166-2:1986
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1 Scope Multi-legged lifting slings for multi-purposes or

lifting slings for a single purpose rated by the
This Part of BS 6166 specifies requirements for the
uniform load method shall be marked with their
marking of lifting slings rated by the uniform load
SWL as follows.
method or the trigonometrical method.
a) Two-legged slings: the SWL when used at an
NOTE The title of the publication referred to in this standard is
given on the inside back page. included angle between sling legs not
exceeding 90°, e.g.:
2 Definitions “SWL 6.3 t 0 – 90”
For the purposes of this Part of BS 6166, the NOTE Additionally it is permissible for two-legged slings to
be marked, preferably on a supplementary tag, with the SWL
definitions given in BS 6166-1 apply. for angles between the sling legs of 90° to 120°, e.g.:
“SWL 4 t 90 – 120”
3 General
b) Three-legged slings: the SWL when used at an
3.1 Before being used, lifting slings shall be marked angle between any sling leg and the vertical not
directly and/or by means of a firmly attached tag, exceeding 45°, e.g.:
with the following data:
“SWL 6.3 t 0 – 90”
a) such figures and/or letters as enable the lifting
NOTE Although three-legged slings are marked with the
sling to be identified with its relevant certificate SWL “0° — 90°”, this should not be taken as referring to the
of test and examination; included angle between sling legs. The marking is a
convention implying that the maximum angle of any one leg
b) the quality mark of the material if relevant, to the vertical does not exceed 45°. Slingers should be trained
e.g. T(8) in accordance with the relevant British to understand this convention (see Figure 1).
Standard; c) Four-legged slings: the SWL when used at an
c) the safe working load (SWL) in accordance with angle between diagonally opposite sling legs not
either clause 4 or 5. exceeding 90°, e.g.:
3.2 Markings shall be readily visible, durable, “SWL 6.3 t 0 – 90”
legible and maintained as far as reasonably NOTE Additionally, it is permissible for four-legged slings
practicable. If markings are on the lifting sling to be marked, preferably on a supplementary tag, with the
itself, they shall not be applied in a manner liable to SWL for angles between diagonally opposite sling legs of 90°
to 120°, e.g.:
affect the safety of the sling. The size of characters
“SWL 4 t 90 – 120”
for marking shall be in accordance with the relevant
British Standard. 5.2 Trigonometrical method
NOTE The trigonometrical method is used to rate lifting slings
4 Single leg and endless slings used for a single purpose only (see BS 6166-1).

4.1 Single leg slings Multi-legged lifting slings used for a single purpose
rated by the trigonometrical method shall be
Single leg slings shall be marked for in-line mode, marked with their SWL as follows.
i.e. straight pull, as follows:
a) Two-legged slings: the SWL when used at a
“SWL 6.3 t” (for non-textile slings); or specified included angle between sling legs, e.g.:
“SWL 6.3 t in straight pull” (for textile slings). “SWL 6.3 t at 60”
4.2 Endless slings b) Three-legged slings: the SWL when used at an
Endless slings shall be marked in accordance with angle between any sling leg and the vertical
their particular method of rating (see 1.4.4 of of 45°, e.g.:
BS 6166-1:1986), e.g.: “SWL 6.3 t at 90”
“SWL 6.3 t” (for non-textile slings), or NOTE Although three-legged slings are marked with their
SWL “at 90°” this should not be taken as referring to the
“SWL 6.3 t in straight pull” (for textile slings). included angle between sling legs. The marking is a
convention implying that the maximum angle of any one leg
5 Multi-legged slings to the vertical does not exceed 45°. Slingers should be trained
to understand this convention (see Figure 1).
5.1 Uniform load method c) Four-legged slings: the SWL when used at an
NOTE The uniform load method is used to rate lifting slings for angle between diagonally opposite sling legs
multi-purposes and those used for a single purpose
(see BS 6166-1).
of 90°, e.g.:
“SWL 6.3 t at 90”

© BSI 01-1999 1
 Licensed Copy: Gaynor Haywood, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thu Aug 03 12:34:45 BST 2006, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

2
NOTE
BS 6166-2:1986

b is the angle of the vertical.

Figure 1 — Inclination of three-legged sling

© BSI 01-1999
 Licensed Copy: Gaynor Haywood, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thu Aug 03 12:34:45 BST 2006, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

© BSI 01-1999
BS 6166, Lifting slings.
BS 6166-1, Methods for rating.
Publication referred to
BS 6166-2:1986
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