Canada Cordage Inc.

Rope in Service

Inspect the rope regularly. be sure the rope is in satisfactory condition and that you are using it in the recommended manner. Be sure that the load weight is accurately estimated, and that the rope selected is correct for that working load. If knots must be used for attachment or along the rope, or if the rope must be used around sharp bends or small radii, you must reduce by 40 percent the acceptable working load on the rope being used. You must determine if your application involves shock loading, long-term sustained loading, or elevated temperatures. By Shock Loading we mean the increased force put on a rope whenever a load is picked up, stopped, moved or swung. The more rapidly or suddenly such actions occur, the greater this increase will be. In extreme cases, the force put on the rope may be two, three, or even more times the normal load involved. Users should be aware that dynamic effects are greater on a low elongation rope such as manila than on a high elongation rope such as nylon, and greater on a shorter rope than on a longer one.

When inspecting rope, look for the following:

1. Cuts, gouges, badly abraded spots.
2. Seriously worn surface yarns.
3. Considerable filament or fiber breakage along the line where adjacent strands meet. (Light fuzzing is acceptable).
4. Particles of broken filaments or fibers inside the rope between the strands. (Check inside the rope).
5. Discoloration or harshness that may mean chemical damage or excessive exposure to sunlight. Check filaments or fibers for weakness or brittleness.
6. Kinks or hockles.

If any of the above signs of possible damage appear, the rope may be unsafe.

Useful service life can be improved by following these rules:

1. Use eye splices at points of attachment. Avoid knots in rope.
2. Avoid running rope over sharp corners or edges, or around diameters less than eight times the diameter of the rope.
3. Protect from damage such as cutting, wedging , and severe abrasion.
4. Store away from exposure to sun and rain, and avoid such exposure as much as possible.
5. Keep rope away from chemicals harmful to your specific type of rope. (With nylon rope, avoid strong acids ; polyester rope: strong alkalis; polypropylene rope; hot petroleum-based oils and solvents; manila rope: alkalis, detergents, and most other chemical agents).

New Products

We are constantly developing new and innovative products and improvements to meet specific custom needs of our customers. Please contact us should you have any unusual cordage requirements.