Rigging & Lifting Slings

Lifting Sling Selection — Quick Reference

Working Load Limit (WLL) below is for a single-leg, straight (vertical) lift. Hitch type and multi-leg angles change the safe capacity significantly — see the derating guidance further down this page before you rig a lift. Not sure which one suits your job? Our Wire Rope Sling & Rigging Guide: WLL, Angles & Discard covers selection in detail.

AIMS does not currently stock wire rope slings in this range. If you need one specified or sourced, contact our team and we'll help.

Rigging and Lifting Slings for Australian Industry

A lifting sling is the load-bearing connection between the crane hook (or other lifting appliance) and the load — the component that actually carries the weight and defines the load path. Get the wrong sling type, the wrong hitch, or the wrong angle, and the rated WLL on the tag no longer applies. AIMS Industrial stocks flat webbing, round, and Grade 80 / Grade 100 chain slings from Austlift, Beaver, Garrick Herbert and Mackay, for trade, engineering and maintenance teams across Australia.

The sling types we stock

• Flat webbing slings (Austlift, Beaver, Garrick Herbert) — soft synthetic slings in 1–4 ply construction, from 1 tonne up to 8 tonne single-leg WLL. Low weight, won't mark finished or painted surfaces, easy to handle by hand.
• Round slings (Austlift standard and Durabone, Beaver Mega and Jumbo, Garrick Herbert) — endless loops of polyester yarn in a protective woven cover. Balanced strength whichever way the load sits, and the cover takes light abrasion that would cut a webbing sling.
• Chain slings — Grade 80 (Austlift, Garrick Herbert) — single-leg, 2-leg and 4-leg configurations, supplied with clevis grab hooks and shorteners, finished with either a sling hook or a self-locking (safety) hook.
• Chain slings — Grade 100 (Austlift) — the same single/2-leg/4-leg configurations in a higher-grade chain that carries roughly 25% more load than Grade 80 at the same link diameter, for a lighter sling at a given WLL.
• Sling protection sleeving (Beaver PVC protective sleeving, Mackay MACSLEEVE) — wear sleeves that slip over a webbing or round sling wherever it crosses a sharp or abrasive edge.

Working load limit, hitch type and derating

The WLL printed on a sling's tag is only correct for one specific hitch and angle. Rig the same sling a different way and the safe capacity changes — sometimes up, usually down. Get this wrong and you can overload a sling that looks perfectly rated for the job.

Hitch type changes the rated capacity

• Vertical (straight) hitch — the sling runs straight from the hook to a single attachment point on the load. This is the 100% WLL figure printed on the tag.
• Choker hitch — the sling is passed around the load and threaded back through its own eye or fitting. The choking action reduces capacity — as a general rule of thumb for synthetic slings, allow around 80% of the vertical WLL, though the reduction can be greater depending on the choke angle. Always check the manufacturer's rated capacity for a choke hitch rather than assuming.
• Basket hitch — the sling cradles under the load with both ends on the hook. With both legs hanging vertically (0° from vertical) a basket hitch can rate up to double the vertical WLL — but that capacity drops away as the legs spread, in exactly the same way a multi-leg sling derates (below). A wide basket angle can leave you with less capacity than a straight vertical lift, not more.

These are general rigging principles taught in dogging and rigging trade training — the tag on your specific sling, and the manufacturer's published capacity chart, are the final word for that sling. If in doubt, ask us or a qualified rigger before you lift.

Multi-leg slings derate with angle

For 2-leg and 4-leg chain slings, the WLL of the whole assembly depends on the angle between each leg and the vertical — not the angle between the legs themselves. A tighter angle (legs close to vertical) keeps more of each leg's rated capacity in play; a wider spread reduces it, because each leg is now carrying more of the load sideways as well as up. Long, spread-out legs on an oversized load can quietly halve the usable WLL compared with the same sling rigged at a tight angle. Multi-leg WLL tables are printed on the chain sling's tag — use them, don't estimate by eye.

Compliance — AS 1353, AS 4497, AS 3775 and AS 4991

Lifting slings used in Australian workplaces are manufactured and selected against these standards:

• AS 1353 — flat synthetic webbing slings (selection, care and safe use)
• AS 4497 — round slings, synthetic fibre
• AS 3775 — chain slings, Grade 8 (T) chain. Grade 100 (V) chain slings sit above what AS 3775 specifies for Grade 8 and are certified to the manufacturer's equivalent specification
• AS 4991 — lifting and rigging generally, including inspection, tagging and out-of-service criteria for rigging equipment

Every sling we supply is tagged with its WLL, and chain slings and synthetic slings both come with a manufacturer's certificate of test/compliance. Slings must be visually checked before each use and inspected periodically by a competent person as part of your workplace's plant/lifting equipment risk management system — see Safe Work Australia's model WHS guidance on plant if you need to build that system from scratch.

Choosing the right sling for the job

• Webbing slings — best when the load is painted, machined, polished or otherwise can't be marked, and where a lightweight sling makes the lift easier to handle. Not for sharp edges or hot loads without protective sleeving.
• Round slings — best for irregular or unbalanced loads, since the endless loop can be rigged in a basket or choker hitch from any angle. The woven cover copes with light abrasion better than flat webbing.
• Chain slings — best for heavy lifts, hot loads, sharp edges, foundries and rough industrial handling where a synthetic sling would be cut or melted. Grade 100 gives you the same WLL as Grade 80 in a lighter, smaller-diameter chain.

Care, inspection and storage

Damaged slings are not repaired in the field — a webbing sling with a cut, burn or chemical stain, a round sling with a damaged cover, or a chain sling with a stretched, nicked or deformed link is removed from service immediately. Store slings clean, dry and out of direct sunlight (UV degrades synthetic fibres over time); keep them off workshop floors where they can pick up grit that abrades the fibres from the inside. Use a protective sleeve (Beaver PVC sleeving or Mackay MACSLEEVE) anywhere a sling will run over a sharp or hot edge, rather than relying on the sling's own cover. Keep tags legible — a sling with an illegible WLL tag is treated the same as one with no tag at all and comes out of service.

Brands stocked at AIMS

Austlift is our primary rigging and lifting sling brand, covering flat webbing, round (including the Durabone heavy-duty range) and Grade 80/100 chain slings across the sizes and configurations above. Beaver is a strong second, with flat webbing and round slings including their Mega and Jumbo heavy-duty round slings, plus PVC protective sleeving. Garrick Herbert supplies flat webbing, round and Grade 80 chain slings. Mackay supplies MACSLEEVE protective sleeving to fit alongside any of the above.

Companion ranges at AIMS

Slings are one part of the load path — see our shackles and lifting hooks for the connecting hardware, chain blocks for the hoist itself, rigging screws and plate clamps for specialist rigging tasks, and our broader lifting equipment and load restraints ranges for everything either side of the lift itself.

Need help speccing a sling for a specific lift, or working through an inspection/compliance question? Contact our team — we'll talk through the load, sling type, hitch and configuration with you.

Frequently Asked Questions — Rigging and Lifting Slings

Q: What types of lifting slings does AIMS stock?

Flat webbing slings, round (endless polyester) slings, and Grade 80 and Grade 100 chain slings, from Austlift, Beaver and Garrick Herbert, plus Mackay and Beaver protective sleeving to fit over any of them. We don't currently stock wire rope slings in this range — contact us if you need one sourced.

Q: What's the difference between a webbing sling, a round sling and a chain sling?

Webbing slings are flat woven synthetic straps — light, won't mark finished surfaces, but limited by heat and sharp edges. Round slings are an endless loop of polyester yarn inside a woven cover — flexible in any orientation and more abrasion-resistant than webbing. Chain slings are steel link chain rated Grade 80 or Grade 100 — the heaviest-duty option, and the only one of the three suited to hot loads and sharp or rough surfaces.

Q: What does WLL mean, and how is it different from breaking strength?

Working Load Limit (WLL) is the maximum load a sling is rated to lift in normal service, marked on its tag for a straight vertical single-leg lift. Breaking strength is the load at which the sling actually fails — WLL is set well below that with a built-in safety (design) factor. You should never approach a sling's breaking strength; stay at or under the tagged WLL for the hitch and configuration you're actually using.

Q: How does the hitch type — vertical, choker or basket — affect a sling's WLL?

A vertical (straight) hitch gets the full WLL on the tag. A choker hitch — where the sling loops back through itself around the load — reduces capacity, typically to around 80% of the vertical WLL as a general rule, though the actual figure depends on the choke angle and the specific sling. A basket hitch, with both legs vertical, can rate up to double the vertical WLL, but that extra capacity falls away fast as the legs spread apart. Check the manufacturer's rated capacity for your specific sling and hitch rather than assuming a figure.

Q: How does a multi-leg sling's WLL change with the leg angle?

The rated capacity of a 2-leg or 4-leg chain sling is set for a given angle between each leg and the vertical — not the angle between the legs. A tighter angle keeps more capacity available; spreading the legs wider reduces it, because each leg is now carrying more sideways load for the same vertical lift. Always work from the multi-leg WLL table on the sling's own tag rather than estimating the derating by eye.

Q: Single-leg, 2-leg or 4-leg chain sling — which do I need?

Single-leg suits a straight lift from one balanced attachment point. 2-leg slings suit most balanced loads with two lifting points. 4-leg slings give more stability on large or awkward loads with four attachment points, though in practice rigging convention treats the load as carried on the two most heavily loaded legs, with the others contributing stability rather than full extra capacity — check the sling's tag for how its WLL is rated across the legs. AIMS stocks Austlift and Garrick Herbert chain slings in single-leg, 2-leg and 4-leg configurations.

Q: What's the difference between Grade 80 and Grade 100 chain?

Grade 100 (sometimes marked V or 10) chain carries roughly 25% more WLL than Grade 80 (T or 8) chain of the same link diameter. That means a Grade 100 sling can match a Grade 80 sling's WLL in a lighter, smaller-diameter chain — useful where weight or clearance matters. AS 3775 specifies Grade 8 chain slings; Grade 100 slings are certified to the manufacturer's equivalent specification for that higher grade.

Q: What Australian Standards apply to lifting slings?

AS 1353 covers flat synthetic webbing slings, AS 4497 covers round synthetic slings, and AS 3775 covers Grade 8 chain slings. AS 4991 covers lifting and rigging equipment more broadly, including inspection and out-of-service criteria. All slings we supply are tagged with their WLL and supplied with a manufacturer's certificate.

Q: How often do slings need to be inspected?

Give every sling a visual check before use — look for cuts, fraying, burns, chemical staining, or (for chain) stretched, nicked or deformed links. Beyond that, have a competent person carry out a periodic detailed inspection at an interval set by your workplace's plant risk assessment — commonly every three months for slings in regular use — with the results documented. Any sling that fails inspection is removed from service immediately, not repaired.

Q: What causes a sling to fail inspection?

For webbing and round slings: cuts, tears, fraying, burns, melting, chemical staining, or an illegible WLL tag. For chain slings: stretched, bent, nicked or gouged links, cracked or worn hooks, or a missing/illegible tag. Any of these takes the sling out of service straight away — there's no field repair for a synthetic or chain sling; damaged slings are destroyed, not patched up.

Q: Can webbing slings be used on sharp edges or hot loads?

Not without protection. Webbing is cut by sharp or rough edges and degrades quickly near heat, often without any visible warning sign before it fails. Use a protective sleeve (Beaver PVC sleeving or Mackay MACSLEEVE) over the contact point, or switch to a chain sling, which is built for exactly this kind of handling.

Q: What do the colours on a webbing sling tag mean?

Flat webbing and round slings are colour-coded by capacity as part of the standard tagging convention, so a rigger can identify the approximate WLL at a glance before checking the tag properly. Always read the actual WLL printed on the tag rather than relying on colour alone — colour coding is a quick visual aid, not a substitute for the tag.

Q: How should lifting slings be stored and cared for?

Keep slings clean, dry and out of direct sunlight — UV breaks down synthetic fibres over time even without visible damage. Store them off the floor, away from grit, chemicals and sharp edges that can abrade or cut them in storage. Don't drag slings across rough surfaces, and dry them properly if they've been used wet before putting them away. A little care in storage adds real service life to a synthetic sling.

Q: Which brands of lifting slings does AIMS stock?

Austlift is our primary sling brand across webbing, round and Grade 80/100 chain. Beaver is a strong second, including their Mega and Jumbo heavy-duty round slings. Garrick Herbert supplies webbing, round and Grade 80 chain slings, and Mackay supplies MACSLEEVE protective sleeving.