Updated advice on cable laid slings and grommets

An IMCA, International Marine Contractors Association product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 4, 2005

With the HSE's approval, IMCA has produced an updated version of HSE Guidance Note PM20 to provide guidance on good practice in the use of cable-laid slings and grommets.

The UK Health and Safety Executive's Guidance Note PM20 (Plant and Machinery Series 20) 'Cable Laid Slings and Grommets' has long been viewed as essential reading by all involved with heavy lift operations.

The HSE is no longer issuing this type of guidance, but has advised that it would not be averse to a continuation of operational practices that followed the guidelines formerly available in PM20.

With the HSE's approval, IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - has therefore produced an updated version of PM20 to provide guidance on good practice in the use of cable-laid slings and grommets.

"I am delighted that our 'Guidance on the Use of Cable Laid Slings and Grommets' (IMCA M 179) follows in the footsteps of PM20," says Hugh Williams, IMCA's chief executive.

"I was a member of the group gathered together to work on PM20 way back in 1987 and can clearly see its value and the need for continuing use of guidance notes.

"The HSE original has been fully reviewed by an IMCA workgroup and by classification societies and updated as required to reflect current industry best practice.

"Like its predecessor, it is intended to be of assistance to those concerned with the use of cable laid slings and grommets in very heavy lifting operations.

"Such operations often use cable laid slings and grommets of 100mm diameter and over, as developed for use in the offshore oil and gas industry.

"These are generally too large for existing test equipment to be used to test the rope sample to destruction, the biggest being around 500mm in diameter with about 7000Tonnes breaking load.

"This guidance note, therefore, gives advice on their construction, rating, testing, certification, examination and use.

"It is worth noting that there is a European standard for grommets and slings (EN 13414-3:2003) that states that it 'covers ferrule-secured cable-laid slings up to 60mm' (diameter); although it includes some information about larger sizes, it does not apply to most IMCA members because, as stated in Annex ZA to that European Standard, those excluded include: '(8) - means of transport ie vehicles and their trailers intended solely for transporting passengers by air or on road, rail or water networks, as well as means of transport in so far as such means are designed for transporting goods by air on public road or rail networks or on water [vehicles used in the mineral extraction industry will not be excluded].

(9) - seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units together with equipment on board such vessels or units'.

The detailed passages of the document deal with key rope design and usage parameters such as wire rope make up, testing, calculation of break load, splices and termination efficiency and working load limit as well as giving guidance on inspecting, marking, matching, using and bending slings.

Copies of IMCA M 179 are available at £15 each (£18 including delivery outside Europe) for IMCA members (who can alternatively download the publication from the IMCA members-only section of the website free of charge); and £30 for non-members via the website or by contacting IMCA.