Regulation (EU) 2023/1230: a guide for lifting accessories

Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 replaces Directive 2006/42/EC and will apply from 20 January 2027. For anyone who uses lifting accessories, it is one of the most significant regulatory changes of the past decade.

Why it affects you

For the first time, lifting accessories —slings, chains, wire ropes, webbing slings, shackles and hooks— are explicitly classed as machinery-related products, with obligations of their own.

What it requires of the manufacturer

• CE marking and identification on the product or its packaging.
• An EU declaration of conformity.
• A technical file (Annex IV).
• Instructions for use in the language of the Member State (a digital format is allowed).
• The manufacturer keeps the documentation for at least ten years.

What it means for how you manage your equipment

Paper records and spreadsheets are no longer enough. You need an inventory, inspections, traceability and record retention that you can demonstrate. This is where a platform like Slynga makes the difference: it brings all the documentation together, works out due dates and produces the digital inspection logbook that the auditor can open from a link.

How to get ready before 2027

1. 1.Build an inventory of all your accessories with their regulatory data.
2. 2.Digitise your certificates and inspection history.
3. 3.Introduce the operator’s pre-use check.
4. 4.Keep the documentation the manufacturer gives you: if you are asked for it and it is no longer there, your copy is the only one left.

The sooner you start, the easier it will be to reach the deadline with everything in order.