Wear Pads for slings is terminology from the past, although many still refer to sling wear pads as such. Engineered sling protection has come of age and needs to be used correctly during load handling activities to prevent death, serious injury and/or property damage. There are two basic forms of sling damage that responsible riggers need to address, damage from cutting and damage from abrasion. While both cutting and abrasion can both cause sling damage, the steps taken to mitigate damage from cutting and/or abrasion are generally totally different. The Web Sling and Tie Down association defines abrasion as “The mechanical wearing or scuffing of a surface, resulting from frictional movement between two materials or surfaces. When sling tension and compressive force against a damaging edge join together a cutting force is created.
