What action should be taken if a sling shows heat damage or signs of melting?

• A. Continue to use after cooling.
• B. Repair the sling.
• C. Discard and replace the sling.
• D. Remove from service immediately and retire the sling.

Answer: (D)

Heat damage or melting means the sling’s material has been compromised and can fail under load, even if it looks normal after cooling. Once exposed to heat, the strength of the sling is no longer reliable, and repairs are not an acceptable remedy for rigging gear. The safe choice is to take the sling out of service immediately and retire it from use, then replace it with a new, undamaged sling that meets the required specifications. This protects against sudden failure during lifting. Continuing to use after cooling is unsafe, repair isn’t allowed for damaged gear, and simply discarding without ensuring it’s retired could risk reusing a compromised sling.