1.1 A chain must not be used in loading or unloading:
(a) for slinging a heavy load of iron, steel or similar material, unless packing material is used to prevent:
(i) damage to the chain by reason of direct contact with any sharp edges of the load; or
(ii) slipping of the load by reason of a low coefficient of friction between chain and load; or
(b) if the chain is knotted.
1.2 Provision 1.1(a)(ii) does not apply when chain slings are used in conjunction with a spreader bar so that the load is substantially horizontal when hoisted and the chains are manufactured from a higher tensile alloy steel such as chain designated as quality grade S or T in Australian Standard AS 2321.
2 Wire rope
2.1 A wire rope must not be used in loading or unloading, unless:
(a) in the case of a rope for use other than as a guy pendant, a preventer guy, a stay or a net or sling:
(i) it contains at least 114 constituent wires; and
(ii) any fibre material in its construction is strand or rope core only;
(b) in the case of a runner or purchase, it comprises one continuous length without joins;
(c) any thimble or loop splice fitted to the rope complies with Appendix 22; and
(d) it is free from knots or kinks.
2.2 Where a constituent wire in a rope is broken, that rope must not be used unless:
(a) the rope has been inspected, in that condition, by a responsible person within the period of one month immediately preceding that use;
(b) the total number of visible broken constituent wires in a length of the rope equal to 10 times its diameter does not exceed 5% of the wires constituting the rope; and
(c) there is no more than one broken wire immediately adjacent to a compressed metal ferrule.
2.3 A wire may not be used in loading or unloading, other than in emergency, if it is subjected to variations in loading and continuity of strength depends on the use of wire rope grips.
3 Slings and nets
A sling or net must not be used in loading or unloading unless:
(a) it is made of chain, wire rope or fibre rope that complies with the requirements of this Part;
(b) in the case of a sling other than an endless sling, it is fitted with eyes, rings, links or shackles that provide safe connection to a lifting hook;
(c) the splices of the sling or net, being a sling or net of fibre rope construction, have at least 4 tucks of strands in each splice, and
(d) the sling or net is prevented by suitable means from being damaged by sharp edges on loads.
4 Hooks
4.1 A hook must not be used in loading and unloading unless:
(a) it is of a construction and shape which prevents displacement of the load from the hook; or
(b) it is fitted with a device which prevents a load from becoming detached,
and the load is attached in a manner which precludes dislodgment during hoisting or lowering.
4.2 Subject to 4 3, a hook must not be used in loading or unloading:
(a) to hoist banded cargo, including cotton, wool, cork, gunny and other baled cargo, by means of the hook being applied directly to the strap or bands; or
(b) to hoist a drum or barrel by means of the hook being applied to the rim or a chine, unless the hook is of a suitable shape for that purpose and the construction and condition of the drum or barrel is such that hoisting may be carried out safely.
4.3 Provision 4.2 does not apply:
(a) in breaking out cargo from a stow; or
(b) in relation to a system of cargo handling in which metal bands or straps are used that are intended for use in hoisting the cargo, where the metal bands or straps are of adequate strength and the cargo is handled in accordance with the manufacturer's specification and operating instructions.
5 Lifting devices
5.1 A container lifting frame fitted with an arrangement of twist locks must not be used in loading or unloading unless:
(a) a device is fitted that gives the driver of the hoisting crane or derrick or a hatchman, as appropriate, a visual indication of whether or not the twist locks are in the locked position; and
(b) where practicable, a device is fitted that prevents the frame, when attached to a container from being hoisted if any twist lock is not in the locked position.
5.2 A vacuum lifting device must not be used in loading or unloading unless:
(a) it is fitted with a gauge or other instrument, clearly marked to indicate the least vacuum at which the device may be used with safety, that gives the driver of the hoisting crane or derrick or a hatchman, as appropriate, a visual indication of the state of the vacuum;
(b) it is designed to automatically give an audible warning to the driver of the hoisting crane or derrick, the hatchman if any, and any other person in the vicinity, when the vacuum is 80 per cent or less of its designed operating value or if the vacuum-inducing pump ceases to operate; and
(c) it is fitted with equipment that, in the event of failure of the vacuum-inducing pump, will maintain sufficient vacuum to support a suspended load equal to the safe working load of the device for a sufficient time for that load to be lowered from the maximum height of lift to a safe location.
5.3 A magnetic lifting device must not be used in loading or unloading, unless:
(a) it is provided with an alternative power supply that comes into operation immediately in the event of failure of the main power;
(b) only scrap metal or pig iron is being handled; or
(c) it is used for other cargo-handling operations of such a nature that there is no person in the vicinity other than the driver of the crane or derrick.
6 Intermediate bulk containers
6.1 An intermediate bulk container must not be used in loading or unloading unless:
(a) all separable component parts of the lifting arrangements, if any, such as shackles or hooks, have been individually tested, examined and certificated; and
(b) if designed to be used once only, it has not previously carried cargo.
Note: A single use of a container includes filling and transporting the container from the point of filling by one or more modes of transport, to the point where it is emptied of its contents.
6.2 An intermediate bulk container must not be hoisted otherwise than in accordance with its designed lifting arrangement or by means of a cargo net or tray or other means giving adequate support
7 Prescribed markings
7.1 Safe working load
An article of cargo gear must not be used in loading or unloading unless:
(a) where the article is a block, chain or chain sling, ring, hook, shackle, swivel, clamp, pallet bar, connecting plate, multi-leg sling, synthetic webbing flat sling, round sling, can hook or similar article or an overhauling weight that is subject to stress, the safe working load is marked on it;
(b) where the article is a cargo tray, crate, tub, grab or other similar receptacle, or an intermediate bulk container, the safe working load for which the article has been tested is marked upon it;
(c) where the article is a lifting beam, lifting frame or vacuum or magnetic lifting device, the safe working load for which the article has been tested and the tare mass of the complete article are marked upon it; and
(d) where the article is a personnel cradle, the safe working load for which it has been tested and the maximum number of persons it is designed to carry are marked upon it.
Note 1: For the purpose of 7.1(d), the mass of a person is taken to be 75 kilograms.
Note 2: The SWL marked on a multi-legged sling should be:
(a) in the case of a two-legged sling, the SWL when the included angle between the legs is 90°;
(b) in the case of a three-legged sling, the SWL when the included angle between any two legs is 90°; and
(c) in the case of a four-legged sling, the SWL when the included angle between any two diagonally opposite legs is 90°.
If a sling is purpose-designed for a particular load, the SWL to be marked is for the sling in its designed operating alignment.
Note 3: Natural fibre ropes and rope slings are not required to be marked for SWL.
7.2 Distinguishing mark or number
7.2.1 An article of cargo gear intended for repeated use that is required to be marked with the safe working load, contents or load for which it has been tested, must be marked in a conspicuous place with an identification mark.
7.2.2 For the purpose of 7.2.1, an article of cargo gear may be identified by using a batch mark or number, where that mark is verified by a test certificate.
7.3 Intermediate bulk containers and returnable cargo units
An intermediate bulk container or returnable cargo unit conforming to a container or unit referred to in 15.2.6 must be marked with:
(a) the name and address of the manufacturer or supplier;
(b) the manufacturer's product specification or identification;
(c) the date of manufacture (month and year);
(d) the safe working load;
(e) where type-testing has been conducted in Australia, the date of the type-test;
(f) in the case of a container intended for use once only, the words 'single trip'; and
(g) lifting instructions, which may be diagrammatic.
7.4 Method of marking
Marking of an article of cargo gear for any purpose of this Part must be done:
(a) in a form that is durable; and
(b) directly on the article in a place and in a manner that will not give rise to stress in the article, except that:
(i) where the material is too hard to accept marking; or
(ii) direct marking would be likely to affect the safe use of the article,
the marking must be made on a tablet or disc permanently attached to the article.