S H A C K L E I N S P E C T I O N C H E C K L I S T:

S I X I T E M S TO I N S P E C T B E F O R E U S E

Improper use or care of shackles can result in serious

accidents that not only injure employees but damage property
as well. To avoid this, shackle inspection is critical. In
accordance with ASME B30.26, shackles should be visually
inspected before every use.

If any of these six conditions are apparent during

shackle inspection, the shackle should be discarded
and replaced.
Condition 1:
Any part of the shackle is worn more than 10 percent of the
original dimensions. If this happens, it typically means that the
physical size of the shackle is smaller, therefore it cannot
handle the rated load and becomes dangerous to use.

Example of a Worn Shackle

Condition 2:
The shackle has excessive pitting, corrosion, nicks or
gouges. If a shackle has excessive pitting, that is usually a
sign of corrosion. When this happens, material is being lost and
the shackle dimensionally becomes smaller. Therefore, it
cannot handle its rated capacity. Similarly, nicks and gouges
are an intrusion on the original dimensions of the shackle and
create a stress raiser on the shackle. Material is moved or
removed from the shackle, making it smaller in size and unable
to handle the rated load.

Condition 3:
Load bearing components are bent, twisted, distorted,
stretched, elongated, cracked or broken.

Example of a Bent Shackle

Condition 4:
Indication of heat damage. When shackles are manufactured,
they go through a heat treatment process. Therefore, being
exposed to heat in the field can reverse that process and
weaken the shackle. Heat damage can be difficult to see, but
there are a few key items to look for:

 Blue or straw discoloration of the shackle material

 Weld spatter. When weld spatter lands on the shackle, the

heat from that molten dot of metal is immediately
 transferred to the shackle, changing the properties of that
shackle.

Condition 5:
Missing or illegible manufacturer’s name or trademark,
working load limit or size. Every CM shackle is forged with the
CM logo, its body or diameter size, trace code, USA, “Forged”
and its specified working load limit. These markings should be
visible on the shackle.

Condition 6:
Load pins are bent or have visibly damaged threads. When load
pins are bent, the pin has gone past its elastic limit. If the
product continues to be used, there is a higher chance of a
dropped load, which can injure operators and cause property
damage. Damaged threads mean that the pin is not making
100% engagement with the shackle. This can lead to a failure
of the shackle.

For more information on shackle inspection and safe shackle

use, check out the following: