Webbing Sling Colour Codes: Capacity Chart and Guide
Webbing sling colour code chart from violet 1 ton to orange 10 ton and above, with widths, hitch types, length choice and when to throw a sling away.
Webbing slings are colour coded so anyone on site can tell a sling’s rated capacity at a glance, even from a distance. The colour tells you the working load limit for a straight vertical lift, and the way you hitch the sling changes what it can actually carry. This guide gives you the full colour chart, explains the hitch rules and shows when a sling has to be scrapped.
Quick answer
- Webbing sling colours follow EN 1492-1: violet 1 ton, green 2 ton, yellow 3 ton, grey 4 ton, red 5 ton, brown 6 ton, blue 8 ton, orange 10 ton and above.
- The colour gives the vertical working load limit (WLL). The label on the sling is the final word.
- A choke hitch typically cuts capacity to about 80% of vertical. A basket hitch with both legs vertical is typically about twice the vertical figure.
- HMS stocks webbing slings from 1 ton to 12 ton, in lengths from 1 m to 12 m.
- Scrap any sling with cuts, burns, chemical damage or an unreadable label.
What do webbing sling colours mean?
Each colour stands for one working load limit in a straight vertical lift. The code comes from EN 1492-1, the European standard for flat woven webbing slings. Wider webbing carries more load, so width goes up with capacity.
Here is the full chart with the widths HMS stocks:
| Colour | WLL (vertical lift) | HMS webbing width |
|---|---|---|
| Violet | 1 ton | 25 mm |
| Green | 2 ton | 50 mm |
| Yellow | 3 ton | 75 mm |
| Grey | 4 ton | 100 mm |
| Red | 5 ton | 125 mm |
| Brown | 6 ton | 150 mm |
| Blue | 8 ton | 200 mm |
| Orange | 10 ton | 250 mm |
| Orange | 12 ton | 300 mm |
Orange covers every sling of 10 ton and above, so a 10 ton and a 12 ton sling are the same colour. For those two, read the label or check the width before you lift.
Colour is a quick check, and it doesn’t replace reading the label. Faded slings, dirty slings and slings from a different system can be misread. Every sling should carry a label showing its WLL, and the label is what you go by.
What does WLL mean on a webbing sling?
WLL stands for working load limit. It is the maximum load the sling is rated to lift in a given hitch, usually stated for a straight vertical lift. You should never put more than the WLL on a sling.
The sling’s breaking strength is much higher than its WLL. EN 1492-1 sets a safety factor of 7:1 for webbing slings, meaning the sling is made to hold at least seven times its WLL before breaking. That margin is there to cover wear, small shocks and conditions you can’t see. It is not spare capacity you can use. Treat the WLL as the limit.
How does the hitch type change a sling’s capacity?
The same sling carries a different load depending on how it is rigged. A vertical hitch gives the rated WLL. A choke hitch reduces it. A basket hitch can increase it, but only when the legs hang straight. The figures below are typical values, and your sling’s label is the reference.
| Hitch | How it’s rigged | Typical capacity vs vertical WLL |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical (straight) | One eye on the hook, the other on the load | 100% |
| Choke | Sling wrapped around the load and passed through its own eye | About 80% |
| Basket, legs vertical | Sling passes under the load, both eyes on the hook, legs straight up | About 200% |
| Basket, legs at an angle | Same as above, but legs spread out | Less than 200%, and it drops as the angle widens |
Vertical hitch
The load hangs directly from one sling in a straight line. The sling carries its full rated WLL. Use a tag line to stop the load spinning.
Choke hitch
The sling wraps around the load and tightens on itself. It grips round loads like pipes and bars well, but the sharp bend at the choke point weakens the sling. Expect about 80% of the vertical WLL, so a 5 ton red sling in a choke is good for about 4 ton.
Basket hitch
The sling cradles the load with both eyes on the hook. With the two legs hanging straight up, each leg carries half the load, so the pair can take about twice the vertical WLL. Once the legs spread out at an angle, the force in each leg goes up and the safe load comes down. Wide angles are where many slings get overloaded without anyone noticing. Keep the legs as close to vertical as you can and check the label’s figures for angled lifts.
How do I choose the right sling length?
Pick a length that lets you rig the load with the sling legs close to vertical while still fitting under your hook. HMS stocks every webbing sling capacity in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 m lengths.
Some practical points:
- For a choke or basket hitch, the sling has to go around the load, so allow for the load’s girth.
- Too short a sling forces the legs out to a wide angle, which cuts the safe load.
- Too long a sling eats into headroom and lets the load sit lower than you want.
- If you lift loads of different sizes, keeping two or three lengths in the same capacity saves people from improvising.
If you’re unsure, send us the load size and hook height and we will suggest a length. See the 1 ton violet, 3 ton yellow and 5 ton red sling pages for the full length list.
How do I inspect a webbing sling?
Check every sling before each use, along its full length and on both eyes. If you find any of the damage below, take the sling out of service. Don’t repair a webbing sling on site.
Discard the sling if you see:
- Cuts, tears or nicks in the webbing or along the edges.
- Burns, melted or glazed patches, or hard, shiny areas from heat or friction.
- Chemical damage: discoloured, brittle or flaking fibres, or webbing that feels stiff or powdery.
- Broken, worn or pulled stitching, especially in the load-bearing joints at the eyes.
- Worn or damaged eyes.
- Heavy surface wear where the webbing looks furry or thinned.
- Knots in the sling.
- Embedded grit or metal particles that you can’t clean out.
- A missing or illegible label. Without the label you can’t confirm the WLL, so the sling can’t be used.
Cut up or clearly mark a discarded sling so it can’t find its way back into the rigging box.
How should webbing slings be used and stored?
Use edge protection on sharp corners and keep slings away from heat. Store them clean, dry and out of direct sunlight, hung on a rack rather than left on the floor.
On the job:
- Never lift more than the WLL for the hitch you are using.
- Protect the sling from sharp edges with sleeves or corner pads. An unprotected edge can cut a sling under load.
- Don’t knot or twist a sling to shorten it.
- Don’t drag slings along the ground or pull them out from under a load that is resting on them.
- Never stand under a suspended load.
In storage:
- Clean off dirt and let wet slings dry naturally, away from direct heat.
- Keep slings away from sunlight, chemicals and hot surfaces.
- Hang them on a rack, sorted by colour, so the right sling is easy to pick.
A sling is only one link in the lift. The hook, shackle and hoist must be rated for the load as well. If you are lifting with a chain pulley block, our chain pulley block buying guide covers how to size it.
Frequently asked questions
What does the colour of a webbing sling mean?
The colour shows the sling’s working load limit in a straight vertical lift. Under EN 1492-1, violet is 1 ton, green 2 ton, yellow 3 ton, grey 4 ton, red 5 ton, brown 6 ton, blue 8 ton and orange 10 ton and above. Always confirm the figure on the sling’s label.
Does a choke hitch reduce a webbing sling’s capacity?
Yes. A choke hitch typically brings the capacity down to about 80% of the vertical rating. A 5 ton sling used in a choke would then be good for about 4 ton. Check the label on your sling for the exact figure.
When should a webbing sling be thrown away?
Take a sling out of use if it has cuts, tears, burns, melted or glazed patches, chemical damage, broken stitching, damaged eyes, knots, or a missing or unreadable label. A sling you can’t identify is a sling you can’t rate safely.
What length of webbing sling should I buy?
Choose a length that lets you hitch the load with the sling legs as close to vertical as possible, without so much slack that the load hangs too low for your hook height. HMS stocks webbing slings from 1 m to 12 m.
Order webbing slings on WhatsApp
Send HMS Liftings & Equipments the capacity, length and quantity you need, along with your delivery city, on WhatsApp. We will reply with today’s price and delivery time. We supply webbing slings from NR Road, Bengaluru, to sites, factories and stores across South India and Goa, in every colour from 1 ton violet to 12 ton orange.
