• Only trained personnel should carry out an inspection of wire ropes.
• Inspect a wire rope when installing it.
• Inspect wire ropes every working day.
• Keep records of daily inspections.
• Check for abrasions, corrosion, pitting, and lubrication inside rope. Insert a marlin spike beneath two strands and rotate to lift strands and open rope.

Assess the condition of the rope at the section showing the most wear. Discard a wire rope if you find any of the following conditions:

• In running ropes (wound on drums or passed over sheaves), 6 or more broken wires in one lay length; 3 or more broken wires in one strand in one lay.
• In pendant standing ropes, 3 or more broken wires in one lay length.
• Wear of 1/3 of the original diameter of individual outside wires.
• Kinking, crushing, cutting or unstranding, bird caging or other physical damaged that has distorted the shape of the wire rope.
• Heat damage (check for burn marks, discoloration of the metal).
• Excessive stretch or sharp reduction in the rope diameter.
• Knots or splices (except eye splices) in a wire rope.

• Wear on areas in contact with hoist sheaves and drums.
• Corrosion from lack of lubrication and exposure to heat or moisture (e.g., wire rope shows signs of pitting). A fibre core rope will dry out and break at temperatures above 120°C (250°F).
• Fatigue from repeated bending even under normal operating conditions.
• Overloading the safe working load limit. Follow manufacturers' charts.