Final answer:
Qualified individuals, like a designated competent person, are tasked with inspecting slings and below-the-hook components to ensure they are safe for use. Regular inspections detect damage or wear, and maintain compliance with safety regulations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Qualified individuals, such as a designated competent person, are generally responsible for the inspection of slings and other below-the-hook lifting components. These inspections are crucial to ensure that the lifting equipment is safe for use, and they must be conducted regularly in compliance with the relevant safety regulations and manufacturers' guidelines.
Inspections often involve checking for wear, damage, corrosion, and deformation of the slings and components. This includes looking for broken wires, kinks, crushing, cuts, gouging, and heat damage in wire rope slings, or checking for cuts, tears, punctures, abrasion, and chemical damage in synthetic slings. Metal fittings and other components must be inspected for distortion, cracks, corrosion, and any other condition that could compromise the integrity of the lifting assembly. Inspections should be documented, and any defective equipment must be removed from service until properly repaired or replaced.