2015, February

In the 1990′s an article was published stating that synthetic slings lose strength, strictly as a function of time. The article relayed the results of destruction testing performed on USED slings taken from power plants, line trucks, paper mills and other locations. A majority of the slings broke below a 5/1 design factor. The less than scientific conclusion of the testing was that synthetic slings lose strength as a function of time and I was mentioned, possibly to add credence to the incorrect conclusion by making the point that if shelf life were not valid, “Gelskey would not put the date of manufacture on all slings made by his company”. The logic was incorrect on many levels. The so called experiment lacked many basic elements necessary to prove the hypothesis under what is accepted as the scientific method, namely the independent variable, time was not isolated.

t was a pleasure to present for the AWEA-O&M and Safety Seminar for the fourth consecutive year. Everything was first cabin, as usual and Hotel Del Coronado was a delightful location for the conference. Another power conference requested a presentation on Cost Effective Excellence in the context of sling and rigging activities. For thirty-three years I have presented a simple message: rig right to go home at night.