Any hard or burned areas on the outer braid of a sling leg require sling leg replacement regardless of the size of the affected area.

• A. False
• B. Sometimes
• C. Not enough information
• D. True

Answer: (D)

Damaged load-bearing elements must be retired. A hard or burned area on the outer braid signals that the sling leg’s strength and integrity are compromised, often with unseen damage beneath the surface. The load path relies on every part of the sling performing as designed, and heat or crushing can reduce strength unpredictably. Since you can’t reliably know the remaining safe capacity, the safest choice is to replace the sling leg, even if only a small area is affected. This is why the statement is true: any such damage requires replacement regardless of the size of the affected spot.