Ageing behaviour of synthetic textile fibre components of straps, slings and stranded ropes

A premature ageing of synthetic polymers can constitute a risk of accidents. In particular, the synthetic polyester and polyamide fibers, major components of personal protective equipments as well as of those used in the field of lifting and stowing, can be weakened by both exposure to sunlight and bad weather. This problem concerns also the polypropylene fibres used to make some slings.
In order to contribute to the evaluation of risks linked to the use of these equipments, this paper reminds the intrinsic properties of the polymer fibres used and explains their ageing mechanisms as well as the role of additives that can used to stop them. The principles of natural and accelerated ageing tests, necessary for the characterization of the products, are also described. Several results of studies on ageing behaviour of synthetic fibres are cited and commented so as to give a general idea of the problem.