If any of these six conditions are apparent during

shackle inspection, the shackle should be

discarded and replaced.
Condition 1:
Any part of the shackle is worn more than 10 percent of
the original dimensions. If this happens, it typically means
that the physical size of the shackle is smaller, therefore it
cannot handle the rated load and becomes dangerous to use.

Example of a Worn Shackle

Condition 2:
The shackle has excessive pitting, corrosion, nicks or
gouges. If a shackle has excessive pitting, that is usually a
sign of corrosion. When this happens, material is being lost and
the shackle dimensionally becomes smaller. Therefore, it
cannot handle its rated capacity. Similarly, nicks and gouges
are an intrusion on the original dimensions of the shackle and
create a stress raiser on the shackle. Material is moved or
removed from the shackle, making it smaller in size and unable
to handle the rated load.

Condition 3:
Load bearing components are bent, twisted, distorted,
stretched, elongated, cracked or broken.
 Example of a Bent Shackle

Condition 4:
Indication of heat damage. When shackles are
manufactured, they go through a heat treatment process.
Therefore, being exposed to heat in the field can reverse that
process and weaken the shackle. Heat damage can be difficult
to see, but there are a few key items to look for:

 Blue or straw discoloration of the shackle material

 Weld spatter. When weld spatter lands on the shackle,
the heat from that molten dot of metal is immediately
transferred to the shackle, changing the properties of that
shackle.

Condition 5:
Missing or illegible manufacturer’s name or trademark,
working load limit or size. Every CM shackle is forged with
the CM logo, its body or diameter size, trace code, USA,
“Forged” and its specified working load limit. These markings
should be visible on the shackle.

Condition 6:
Load pins are bent or have visibly damaged
threads. When load pins are bent, the pin has gone past its
elastic limit. If the product continues to be used, there is a
higher chance of a dropped load, which can injure operators
and cause property damage. Damaged threads mean that the
pin is not making 100% engagement with the shackle. This can
lead to a failure of the shackle.