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A little background:
In most states there are required inspections of ski lifts. This requirement usually is insurance driven but can also include Forest Service, State, Manufactures, or industry consultants as inspecting agents. Some areas could have up to 6 inspections a year.

Also ski area's themselves have a complete haul rope inspection program included in there preventative maintenance program that the Lift Maintenance Manager or maybe the Mountain Manager would supervise. Most inspection and maintenance programs follow B-77 codes that the ski industry established in the 60s.

Haul Rope inspection criteria might include:

• Exterior condition
• Interior condition
• Lay length (distance a strand makes a complete rotation usually 6" to 10" long)
• Excessive change in carriage movement
• Splice area inspection
• Grip movement
• Existing damage changes
• Date until actual replacement

In each area there are given limits and recommendations for corrections if the limit is exceeded. Haul rope actual safety factor in ski lifts is quite high compared to other wire rope uses. To my knowledge no haul rope has broken while in normal use at a ski area.

Other Stuff:

• Used ski lift haul rope is sometimes sold to the logging industry.
• There are some clear pictures at unirope.com – go to inspection and testing - examples of damaged ropes page.
• Safety factor, cost factor, design factor, stress factor, ignorance factor all somewhat interchangeable.
• Safety Factors:
  • Haul Rope 6
  • Elevator 12
  • Old Steam Locomotives 18
  • Ocean going ships 6
  • Airplanes .5
  • Bridges 6
  • Average car 1.1
  • Ford Pinto .4
  • Residential Home 2