Lifting accessory VGP: inspection intervals, sling checks and records

Which items are lifting accessories?

Article 2 b of the French order of 1 March 2004 (arrêté du 1er mars 2004) covers equipment not incorporated into a machine and placed between it and the load: slings, lifting beams, self-gripping clamps, magnets, vacuum devices and lifting keys. INRS ED 6178 includes shackles and sling components such as end hooks.

Do not confuse a chain sling with a chain built into an appliance’s mechanism. INRS also distinguishes an eyebolt fitted for a lifting operation, which is covered by these inspections, from an eye permanently attached to a machine. Bulk-load containers, including bulk bags, are not covered by this accessory VGP: that does not remove the need to check their suitability for the intended use.

The interval is twelve months, not the crane’s interval

The specific rule for accessories is article 24: inspection every twelve months. Article 23 concerns lifting appliances. Do not copy the carrier’s interval across all its slings. Our page on VGP inspection intervals separates these categories.

Twelve months is a maximum. INRS ED 6178 recommends setting a shorter interval according to use, environment and the stresses involved. Wear found today cannot wait until the next inspection.

The employer carries out or arranges VGP inspections. Under article R4323-24 of the French Labour Code (Code du travail), inspectors may be internal or external, but must understand the equipment’s risks and the regulations. The list of qualified persons is kept available to the labour inspectorate. Training in lifting accessory VGP can help develop these skills; a course title alone does not prove qualification.

What is checked on a sling or lifting beam?

Article 24 requires an examination of the state of preservation to detect, among other things, deformation, bulging, constrictions, broken strands, broken wires beyond the permitted number or damaged safety latches. Limits specified in the manufacturer’s instructions also matter. INRS explains that visual examination is supplemented by appropriate measurements.

Annual VGP does not require a systematic overload proof test. Initial and return-to-service inspections have different content. Some accessories, such as vacuum or magnetic lifting beams, may require functional tests at the working load limit (WLL, charge maximale d’utilisation or CMU), according to INRS ED 6339.

• Textile slings: cuts, damaged stitching, covers exposing load-bearing fibres, and heat or chemical damage.
• Chain or wire-rope slings: deformation, wear, cracks, corrosion and the condition of terminations.
• Shackles, hooks and lifting beams: component and retaining-device condition; legible identification and WLL. Exact rejection criteria come from the instructions, not a universal threshold.

Marking and traceability: requirements or good practice?

Requirements: article R4324-26 requires markings identifying the essential characteristics for safe use. Article R4323-47 also requires permanent assemblies to be marked. The order requires clearly identified accessories and the necessary documents to be made available to the inspector. INRS highlights the WLL and identification linking the accessory to its declaration of conformity.

Good management practice: to track around fifty slings, assign each a stable internal number linked to its manufacturer identification. This numbering format is not prescribed. Do not damage the accessory to mark it. A collective report is practical if each inspected item remains identifiable: the batch alone does not distinguish a withdrawn sling from an available one.

1. Inventory each accessory: identification, type, WLL, instructions, declaration of conformity and location.
2. Link it to the report, inspection date, result and next due date.
3. Distinguish available, withdrawn from service and scrapped items; keep the history rather than deleting the entry.

Before use, when hired or borrowed

INRS ED 6178 recommends a visual inspection before every use by the slinger. Treat this as a prevention instruction separate from annual VGP. Article R4323-47 requires accessories to be selected according to the load, gripping points, attachment, weather and slinging configuration.

Hire or loan: the user company remains responsible for proper execution of inspections, as INRS ED 6339 explains for appliances and accessories. Before use, match the equipment’s actual identification to the documents received. Good practice on receipt and return: check condition, obtain the instructions and latest report, check the date and address observations. A report for another sling does not describe the delivered one.

Withdrawal, scrapping and evidence to retain

Article R4323-49 requires withdrawal from service as soon as a defect could cause failure, and storage that prevents deterioration. INRS also calls for withdrawal if the WLL or identification has disappeared. Physically separate the accessory and flag it as unavailable: this is good practice to prevent accidental reuse.

Withdrawal does not necessarily mean destruction: have a specialist examine the accessory before making it available again. If scrapping is the decision, good practice is to record its identification, reason, date and evidence that it has left usable stock.

Documentary requirements: enter results without delay in the safety register (registre de sécurité). For an external inspector, attach the report or record precise dates and its archive location (R4323-25 and R4323-26). Unless specific provisions apply, D4711-3 requires documents from the last five years and at least the last two inspections. Digital records are permitted under R4323-27. For handling observations, see how to read a VGP report.

What Trackary does, and does not do

Trackary centralises documents, configurable deadlines and reported defects on machine records. Trackary does not perform VGP inspections, certify equipment or replace the inspector or the employer’s responsibility.