The Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Regulations 1960

Testing and annealing of chains, etc

36.—(1) No chain, rope or lifting gear shall be taken into use for the first time in the operations, or after it has undergone any substantial alteration or repair, unless it has been tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person in the manner described in the Second Schedule to these Regulations. A certificate of test and examination, in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars, signed by the person making or responsible for the carrying out of the test and examination and specifying the safe working load of the chain, rope or gear, shall have been obtained and shall be available for inspection:

Provided:

(a) that this paragraph shall not apply to a fibre rope or fibre rope sling; and

(b) that a wire rope sling need not be tested and examined in accordance with this paragraph if the rope of which the sling is constructed has been so tested and examined and all joins in the sling are by splices which satisfy the requirements of Regulation 39.

(2) A chain, ring, link, hook, shackle, swivel, eye-bolt or plate clamp being a chain, ring, link, hook, shackle, swivel, eye-bolt or plate clamp which has been lengthened, altered or repaired shall not be used unless, since such lengthening, alteration or repair, it has been tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person and a certificate of such test and examination, in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars, signed by the person making or responsible for the carrying out of the test and examination and specifying the safe working load, has been obtained and is available for inspection.

(3) This paragraph applies only to chains and lifting gear made of wrought iron. Chains and lifting gear to which this paragraph applies shall be annealed at least once in every fourteen months or, in the case of chains, slings, rings, links, hooks, shackles, or swivels being chains, slings, rings, links, hooks, shackles or swivels of half-inch bar or smaller material, at least once in every six months, so, however, that chains and lifting gear not in regular use need be annealed only when necessary; and the prescribed particulars of the annealing shall be kept in an approved manner and shall be available for inspection.

(4) Nothing in this Regulation shall apply to chains, ropes or lifting gear—

(a) to which the Docks Regulations, 1934 apply and which satisfy the requirements of those Regulations; or

(b) which are permanently attached to a structure.