A roundsling looks simple: a soft tubular sling in a bright colour. The construction underneath is what EN 1492-2 standardises, and it explains most of what buyers and inspectors need to know. This guide covers what the standard sets, how a roundsling differs from a webbing sling, and why inspection starts with the cover.
1. What EN 1492-2 covers
EN 1492-2:2000+A1:2008, "Textile slings — Safety — Part 2: Roundslings made of man-made fibres for general purpose use", specifies the rating and testing of roundslings up to 40 t working load limit (WLL) in straight lift, and of two-, three- and four-leg roundsling assemblies, with or without fittings, made of polyamide (PA), polyester (PES) or polypropylene (PP). It is written for general-purpose lifting. It excludes lifting persons, molten metal, acids, glass sheets, fissile materials and nuclear reactors, roundslings designed for securing or lashing cargo, and slings of tubular webbing without filling.
The standard defines a roundsling as an endless flexible sling consisting of a load-bearing core of yarn completely enclosed in a woven cover, with or without fittings (clause 3.1). Market names such as "endless" and "eye-and-eye" describe how the finished sling is formed; the standard itself speaks only of the roundsling and its construction.
The 40 t limit matters. A round sling rated above 40 t WLL is outside this standard, whatever the fibre, and is engineered for the lift rather than bought from a standard range.
2. Core and cover
| Part | Construction requirement | Test requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Core | High-tenacity yarn of one parent material, wound and joined into an endless hank (5.2) | Must sustain 7 times the WLL (5.8, A.3) |
| Cover | Webbing of the same parent material as the core, sewn closed and treated so it cannot unravel (5.3) | Must not rupture at a force below 2 times the WLL (5.8, A.3) |
| Thread | Same parent material as the core and the cover (5.4) | — |
The core carries the load. The cover is not left to chance: it has its own pass mark, and the type test for slings with fittings loads the sling to twice its WLL and then inspects the cover where it meets the fitting for cuts or damage (A.5).
The cover can rupture before the core, so during the break test the sling is deemed to fail only when the core fails to sustain the load. A roundsling can look acceptable from outside while the core behind a cut cover is not.
3. WLL, colour code and mode factors
The cover colour indicates the WLL of the roundsling in straight lift: violet for 1 t, green 2 t, yellow 3 t, grey 4 t, red 5 t, brown 6 t, blue 8 t and orange for 10 t and above. Other WLLs shall not be shown with those colours (clause 5.6). The WLL for any other configuration is the straight-lift WLL times the mode factor in Table 2: 0.8 for a choked lift, 2.0 for parallel basket legs, 1.4 and 1.0 for baskets at 0–45° and 45–60°, 1.4 and 1.0 for two-leg slings, and 2.1 and 1.5 for three- and four-leg slings, all for symmetrical loading. The table carries the same note as the webbing standard: a handling tolerance of 6° for slings indicated as vertical. Webbing slings share the two-leg and multi-leg factors but carry a single basket figure; the column-by-column layout is in EN 1492-1 Explained and in the Hoisting Method & Working Load Chart.
The full code and the factor table, with notes on where a choke may sit, are in What Is an Eye-and-Eye Round Sling?. Above 10 t every sling is orange, so the label, the serial number and the certificate become the only reliable identification.
4. Roundsling or webbing sling?
| Roundsling (EN 1492-2) | Webbing sling (EN 1492-1) | |
|---|---|---|
| What carries the load | Wound core yarns inside a cover | The sewn webbing component |
| Scope | Up to 40 t WLL | Webbing 25–450 mm wide |
| Bearing surface | Round, soft, conforms to the load | Flat and wide |
| Surface damage | Cover protects the core; cover damage signals possible core damage | A cut or burn on the face removes load-bearing yarn directly |
| Length tolerance | 2%, laid flat and pulled taut by hand (§5.5) | 3%, laid flat (§5.7) |
| Colour identifies | WLL, through the cover colour | WLL, through the colour of the sewn webbing |
Neither is better in general. If the load has sharp edges either needs edge protection. If the load is smooth and wide, a webbing sling's flat surface is often gentler. If you need a matched set of legs, roundslings are the construction most often specified, and the tighter tolerance helps. See EN 1492-1 Explained.
5. How roundslings are tested
Type tests. The first roundsling of each type or construction, including a change of material, is tested to verify the WLL (clause 6.2.1). If it fails to hold seven times the WLL but holds at least 90% of that force, three more samples are tested, and one further failure means the type does not comply.
- Production sampling. Break tests are run on samples from each production batch, at an interval that depends on whether the manufacturer holds a certified quality system.
- Every sling. Each completed roundsling or assembly is examined visually and by hand, with principal dimensions measured, and rejected if any defect is found (clause 6.4).
The standard does not require a proof load on every sling. If your lift plan, class society or client calls for a per-item proof test and certificate, say so on the purchase order. liftrue supplies a per-item proof-load certificate in addition to the batch certificate the standard requires.
6. Marking and certificate
The marking must include (clause 7.1) the WLL in straight pull, the material, the grade of fitting, the nominal length in metres, the manufacturer's identification, a traceability code covering the core and cover material and the fittings, and the number and relevant part of the standard. It is carried on a durable label fixed to the sling, with a section stitched under the cover, in characters at least 1.5 mm high. The label colour identifies the fibre: green for PA, blue for PES, brown for PP. The reverse of the label may also show the WLLs for other modes.
The standard says that marking its number on a product is the manufacturer's declaration of conformity and is not third-party certification. The CE mark is a separate legal marking and can sit anywhere visible on the label. Multi-leg assemblies carry a distinct tag on the master link stating the maximum angle of any leg to the vertical, and the label on each leg does not show the WLL (clause 7.3).
For each batch delivered the manufacturer issues a certificate stating the manufacturer, the WLL, the type, the material, the standard number, the test references and the traceability code. Check those items on arrival; instructions for use under Annex B must come with each sling or each delivery.
EN 1492-2 is a harmonised standard prepared to give one means of complying with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC; once it is cited in the Official Journal, compliance with its normative clauses gives a presumption of conformity (Annex ZB). The Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027 and replaces the Directive, so ask a supplier how its documentation will be handled for deliveries around that date.
7. Why inspection starts with the cover
The standard's inspection guidance (Annex C) puts it plainly: any damage evident in the cover indicates potential damage to the load-bearing core. It gives examples likely to affect fitness: substantial or localised chafe, particularly from sharp edges under tension, which can lead to the cover being cut; cross or longitudinal cuts in the cover, or any damage to the stitching, which raise serious doubts about the core; an exposed core; chemical attack, shown by flaking of the cover; heat or friction damage, shown by a glazed or fused cover; and damaged or deformed fittings.
Before first use, check that the sling matches the order, that the manufacturer's certificate is to hand, and that the marking matches the certificate. Before each use, inspect for defects and check the identification. A sling that is unidentified or defective is never used and is referred to a competent person. Examination periods are set by a competent person according to application, environment and frequency of use, and in any event slings should be visually examined at least annually. Damaged slings are withdrawn, and repairs are never attempted by the user.
Annex C adds rules for use: never knot or twist a roundsling, let it adopt its flattened form, protect it from edges and abrasion even though it has a cover, avoid shock loading and dragging, make a trial lift, and store it clean and dry away from heat, chemicals and sunlight. As with webbing, the temperature range is −40 to +100 °C for polyester and polyamide and −40 to +80 °C for polypropylene.
8. Length tolerance
The effective working length may differ from the nominal length by no more than 2%, measured laid flat and pulled taut by hand tension with a steel tape or rule graduated in 1 mm (§5.5). That applies to each sling against its own tag, not to the match between the legs of a set, which has to be specified on the order. See Sling Length Tolerance.
9. Is an HMPE round sling covered by EN 1492-2?
EN 1492-2 names PA, PES and PP as its materials and stops at 40 t WLL. HMPE round slings are therefore built with construction and test methods referenced to EN 1492-2 (round) and EN 1492-1 (webbing), neither of which lists HMPE as a material. The design factor depends on the supply region and is stated on the product page: HMPE Slings. Treat any claim that an HMPE sling is "certified to EN 1492-2" with caution and ask the supplier to state exactly what construction and testing it is referenced to.
10. What to put on the purchase order
A round sling order that leaves nothing to guess states the core and cover material, the cover colour and the working load limit it stands for, the effective working length and any leg-to-leg matching figure, the type (endless or eye-and-eye, with fittings if any), and the documents required with the shipment.
Documents to require: the batch certificate, the instructions for use, and, if the lift plan, class society or client asks for it, a per-item proof-load certificate. Above 40 t WLL the sling is engineered for the lift rather than bought from a standard range, so ask for the design and test basis with it.
Questions worth asking before the first order: What are the core and cover materials, and are they the same parent fibre? Does the cover colour match the WLL on the label? What did the type test show for core and cover? Is the quality system certified, since it sets the production test interval? How is length measured, and is matching required?
FAQ
Does the cover add to a roundsling's strength?
The core carries the rated load: it must sustain seven times the WLL. The cover must not rupture below twice the WLL in the test, so it is not decorative, but a worn cover is mainly a warning about the core.
Can a damaged roundsling be repaired?
Not by the user. The standard's guidance is that damaged slings are withdrawn from service and repairs are never attempted by the user.
Why is the length tolerance tighter than for webbing?
The standards give the figures, 2% against 3%, without a reason. In practice roundslings are the construction most often used in multi-leg assemblies, where small length differences change how the load is shared.
Is the cover colour enough to know a sling's capacity?
No. Colour is a fast identifier up to 10 t. The label governs, and above 10 t every sling is orange.
Further reading
- EN 1492-1 Explained: Webbing Sling Standard
- What Is an Eye-and-Eye Round Sling?
- Sling Length Tolerance
- Eye-and-Eye Round Slings
- Endless Round Slings
Send us the working load, the effective working length and the shape of the load and we will quote a round sling. Standard sizes ship in 3–7 days; custom lengths and multi-leg assemblies take 2–4 weeks. Use the inquiry form and we will come back with a configuration and a price.
Basis and disclaimer: clause references are to EN 1492-2:2000+A1:2008. Always work from the current edition of the standard and the manufacturer's instructions for use. This article is buyer education; actual acceptance follows the purchase order and the lifting plan issued for your project.
References
[1] EN 1492-2:2000+A1:2008, Textile slings — Safety — Part 2: Roundslings made of man-made fibres, for general purpose use (all clause references in this guide).
[2] EN 1492-1:2000+A1:2008, Textile slings — Safety — Part 1: Flat woven webbing slings made of man-made fibres, for general purpose use (compared in section 4).
[3] Directive 2006/42/EC on machinery, and the harmonised standards EN 1492-1 and EN 1492-2 (lifting accessories).
[4] Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery, applying from 20 January 2027 and replacing Directive 2006/42/EC.
* Standards are cited here for traceability. Always work from the edition you have purchased and from the certificate issued for your order.