Roundsling Committee Report

By Greg Babinchak, Roundsling Committee Chairman

Reviewing Existing Content of RS1
The Roundsling Committee is in the process of reviewing the RS1 Roundsling Standard, which will undergo several dramatic changes. One necessary step in this review process is to recheck existing content of the standard, with particular attention to the most recently made changes. Appropriate questions that we will ask include

Was the information adequately clear/ Do we believe the intended audience understood the information?
Did the information serve its intended purpose?
What questions or suggested changes were generated by the information?

Product Quality
Several questions and suggestions were submitted recently concerning the periodic destructive testing of roundsling samples by manufacturers. Questions were raised as to whether this testing is necessary, and why it is unique to the roundsling product group, and whether it should be a suggested activity versus being mandatory. All manufacturers must perform this testing if they want to qualify their roundslings as being in conformance to WSTDA standards.

During my more than 10 years of service to WSTDA, I can think of no issue that has yielded membership opinion that is as consistently varied as that concerning issues about product quality, and specifically with regard to the role that the WSTDA should play.

Optional levels of Quality Involvement
WSTDA consistently has promoted the concept that only products of suitable quality are provided to the market place. Concerning the level of involvement WSTDA plays with regard to the issue of product quality, recommendations have ranged from a relatively “hands off” approach, limited solely to the placement of simple product performance requirements in its standards, to the opposite end of the spectrum, and a very “hands on” approach in the form of WSTDA considering the initiation of a Product Certification Program.

Product Quality Certification
WSTDA has recognized that assuming a Certification Program would carry with it a noticeable increase in level of responsibility, and unique challenges. Additionally, some potential pitfalls are recognized, including some added level of liability risk to the association. Here are examples of several questions that a Product Certification Program may raise:

Is the Certifying body adequately responsive to requests by a manufacturer to certify their product?
Can the certification of a particular product carry over to the certification of substantially similar, but non identical product within the same product class?
Are the testing procedures fair and appropriate to all manufacturers?
Is the cost of the certification process reasonable, or is it unfairly burdensome to some manufacturers?
Does the process in any way create trade practice concerns?
Is the agency performing the testing operating in a completely unbiased manner?
Is the manner in which the results are disclosed appropriate? Are test results to remain confidential?
Is it appropriate to certify a product that fulfills the requirements of the test protocol, when all aspects of the product may not necessarily fulfill all elements of a WSTDA product standard?
Is certification open to non-members of WSTDA?
Can WSTDA be held liable in an accident claim if someone suffered harm when using a product that was certified by WSTDA?
Should the Association obtain liability coverage due to increased exposure?
How often do products need to be recertified?
Is corrective action required before nonconforming product is retested?
What level of change is allowed within a product before the product needs to be recertified?
What course of action should be pursued if a manufacturer falsely cites certification approval?
How would WSTDA be assured that submitted sample products are representative of each manufacturers distributed products?
How should a temporary suspension of product certification be handled?
Is auditing of manufacturing facilities required?
If the same product is manufactured at different locations, do products need to be tested from each location? Does each location need to be audited?
If product certification is not mandated by a regulatory agency, will product users care whether or not any product contains an association certification?
Are product design drawings or specifications required to represent each product?
Are unannounced follow-up inspections required to ensure that the products being certified remain in compliance?

It would be fair to say that conducting an effective product certification program with any real value is not as simple as just periodically testing a few sample products. An excellent article concerning liability aspects of Association Certification Programs was published in 2002 by American Society of Association Executives.

When considering the customers perspective, perhaps product buyers do welcome and value indications of product certification on products that have a high level of safety consciousness, like lifting slings. While I do not personally look for UL labels on the electrical appliances I purchase, this certification would likely still be an effective selling feature even if it was not a regulated requirement.

Alternative quality methods perhaps should also be considered if they can be established to meet the product quality goals set forth by WSTDA members, particularly if the process can be done in a manner that is not unduly burdensome to product manufacturers or the WSTDA.

Alternate Quality Programs - Periodic Sample Testing Program

WSTDA has also adopted several alternate methods to help maintain consistent product quality. One example is WSTDA’s adoption of marking requirements for tiedown webbing.

Also, in 2001, the roundsling committee adopted a sample testing program, as mentioned above. This method placed quality responsibility squarely on manufacturers. It also kept WSTDA independent from the quality qualification process.

In order to conform to the WSTDA roundsling standard RS1, roundsling manufacturers are required to periodically test a minimum required number of samples, and the test results should made available to customers upon their request. While the testing is not completed by an independent third party test lab, the testing is required to be completed using equipment that is calibrated annually.

For each roundsling manufacturer that is completing the test programs written into RS1, they will clearly become aware prior to placing any poorly designed roundslings into the market. If they experience any manufacturing issues impacting product integrity, they will be made aware of the issues within a relatively short period of time, hopefully before they become significant quality problems, but if not, it will help them to effectively assess whether a product recall may be appropriate.

At the WSTDA Spring meeting, the roundsling technical committee will discuss this testing program. The committee will discuss whether a revision to the program should be considered. If we opine that buyers would seek indications that roundslings are regularly test qualified, perhaps one idea to consider might be in allowing manufacturers that do regularly test their products to have their testing independently validated, and then permission could be granted to them by WSTDA for them to purchase special tag labels, or to apply a graphic to their tag, noting that their products were “annually qualified” in meeting the “WSTDA sample test program”. We will discuss whether we believe the program is helping to achieve its intended goals, yet in a manner that is not unduly burdensome to product manufacturers or the WSTDA. And we will gauge whether we find the program to be adequate in helping to assure that quality products are being distributed to the market.

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Web Sling & Tie Down Association

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