If you’re in the market for welded link chain—whether for agricultural equipment, industrial lifting, construction, or marine applications—understanding US national standards isn’t just a box to check. It’s what separates safe, reliable chain from a product that could fail when you need it most. As a welded link chain supplier, I’ve spent years navigating these standards, troubleshooting missteps my customers have made when they skipped verification, and making sure every chain I send out is built to meet not just industry needs, but the rules set by official US governing bodies. Let’s break down what those standards actually mean, how they apply to different types of welded link chain, and what you need to know to pick the right product for your job. Welded Link Chain
First, let’s get clear on which organizations actually write these standards. The big one here is the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and their B30 Family of Safety Standards—specifically B30.20 for below-the-hook lifting devices, which covers most welded link chain used in rigging and lifting. Then there’s the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which adopts and publishes these ASME standards as official US national standards, so they’re legally binding for jobs that fall under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rules. OSHA itself doesn’t write chain standards, but it enforces compliance with ANSI/ASME B30.20 for lifting applications, and that’s non-negotiable for anyone moving heavy loads in construction, manufacturing, or warehousing.
Wait, but not all welded link chain is for lifting. There’s agricultural chain, marine mooring chain, general industrial chain for conveying or securing loads on trailers or trucks—those have their own standards, too. I’ve seen a lot of customers mix these up, and that’s where mistakes start. For example, a farmer might buy a cheap chain meant for securing a trailer, thinking it’s the same as lifting chain, and that’s a huge risk. Let’s go through the main standard categories, because that’s where the real work of being a reliable supplier comes in.
Starting with the most critical: welded link chain for lifting and rigging. This is where ANSI/ASME B30.20 (latest update, as of 2024, is the 2023 edition) is king. What does this standard actually require? First, it sets specific grades for carbon and alloy steel welded link chain. The most common are Grade 30, Grade 43, Grade 70, and Grade 80. Grade 30 is basic, used for light-duty securing, but you can’t use it for lifting under OSHA rules. Grade 43 is sometimes called “transport chain” and is common for trailer tie-downs, but again, not certified for overhead lifting. Grade 70 is heavy-duty transport, often used for securing construction equipment on flatbeds, and it is certified for limited lifting. Grade 80 is the workhorse for overhead lifting—used everywhere from factory cranes to construction rigs. B30.20 mandates that every link in chain used for lifting has a permanent, visible grade mark. I don’t mean a tiny, easy-to-scratch mark—something like a stamped “80” on every link, plus the manufacturer’s code, and sometimes a heat lot number. That’s non-negotiable; I refuse to sell any welded link chain that doesn’t have those marks, because if a customer gets audited by OSHA, missing marks can get their job shut down.
Then there’s the physical requirements in B30.20. The standard specifies the exact dimensions of each link—length, width, diameter of the steel bar used to make the link. For example, a Grade 80 chain with a 10mm diameter bar has an inner link length of about 30mm and width of 18mm, give or take. The tolerances are super tight: if the link is too stretched or too narrow, it can’t handle the rated load. B30.20 also requires a minimum tensile strength for each grade: Grade 80 must have a minimum tensile strength of 800 MPa, which is about 116,000 psi. That means a 10mm Grade 80 link has to be able to hold at least 6,300 kg (about 14,000 lbs) before breaking. I test every heat lot of chain I get from my manufacturers for tensile strength, because even a small deviation in steel quality can make the chain fail. The standard also lays out proof testing: every batch of lifting chain has to be proof loaded to 2 times its rated working load limit (WLL) to make sure there are no defects in the welds or the steel. That’s why certified lifting chain costs more than cheap untested chain—it’s been put through that extra step.
Now, what about welded link chain that’s not for lifting? Let’s talk about agricultural welded link chain, which falls under ANSI/ASAE S356.2, the official US standard for agricultural chain. This covers everything from baler chains to grain elevator chains, drag chains for farm equipment. ASAE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) writes these standards in partnership with ANSI, so they’re official national standards for farm applications. S356.2 specifies grades for agricultural chain, like Grade 70 for heavy-duty farm use, and even has standards for corrosion resistance, because farm equipment is exposed to mud, fertilizer, and chemicals that eat away at chain. I supply a lot of these to small family farms in the Midwest, and I always make sure to explain that agricultural lifting chain isn’t the same as baler chain—baler chain is made for repeated pulling and flexing, not overhead lift, so mixing them up can lead to a broken baler mid-harvest, which costs farmers thousands in downtime. I once had a customer try to use Grade 43 transport chain for a grain elevator drag, and the links stretched and broke in two weeks. That’s when I sat him down and walked him through ASAE S356.2, and now he’s a repeat customer for the right agricultural chain.
Another big category is marine welded link chain, which follows two US national standards: ANSI/MSC (Marine Safety Center) standards, and also ISO standards that are adopted by the US Coast Guard for commercial marine use. For mooring chain and anchor chain, the standard is typically API (American Petroleum Institute) RP 2P, which is often aligned with US national requirements for offshore and commercial marine applications. Marine chain has to be extra durable, because it’s exposed to saltwater, heavy tides, and dynamic loads. ANSI/MSC and API RP 2P specify link dimensions, tensile strength, and corrosion resistance for marine chain. A lot of boat owners try to save money by using cheap industrial chain for anchoring, but that’s a huge safety risk—saltwater can cause galvanic corrosion in uncoated chain, and the links can snap under the load of a boat in a storm. I work with several marine suppliers, and I only carry marine chain that meets the latest ANSI and API standards, because I know a broken anchor chain could lead to a lost boat, or even injury.
Wait, there’s one more standard that’s important for general industrial welded link chain, not for lifting or agriculture: ANSI B29.1, which is the standard for roller chains, but wait—no, B29.1 is for roller chains, while welded link chain for general industrial conveying or securing falls under ANSI/ASME B106.1M, which covers power transmission and conveyor chains. That standard sets requirements for link strength, wear resistance, and dimensional accuracy for chain used in conveyor systems, assembly lines, and other general industrial applications. I’ve supplied chain for automotive assembly lines, and B106.1M requires that the chain can run thousands of hours without stretching or wearing out, because even a 1mm stretch in a conveyor chain can throw off the entire line. That’s why I only source chain that’s audited to meet that standard, because automotive manufacturers have strict quality requirements, and a downtime minute costs them hundreds of dollars.
Now, here’s the part a lot of suppliers don’t talk about: what happens if you don’t follow these standards? OSHA has strict rules for overhead lifting chain, and if your chain doesn’t meet ANSI/ASME B30.20, you can get cited for thousands of dollars in fines. I’ve had two customers in the last year who got audited and were using uncertified chain, and they had to replace all their chain immediately to avoid fines. For agricultural and marine applications, if you use non-standard chain, you might void equipment warranties—many farm equipment manufacturers require that all chains used on their machinery meet ASAE S356.2, and if you use a non-compliant chain, the warranty on your tractor or baler is invalid. That’s a big deal for farmers, who rely on their warranties to cover expensive repairs.
As a supplier, my job isn’t just to sell chain—it’s to make sure my customers get the right chain for their application, and that it meets all the necessary standards. That means I don’t just stock one type of welded link chain; I have separate lines for lifting, agricultural, marine, and general industrial, each marked clearly with the standard they meet. I also provide documentation for every batch of chain: a test report showing tensile strength, proof load results, and grade marks verification. That’s something a lot of big box stores or discount suppliers don’t provide—they just sell cheap chain without any proof it meets standards. I had a customer once who bought chain from a big hardware store for a lifting application, and when I tested it, it only had 70% of the required tensile strength for Grade 80. That chain would have broken under load, and could have caused a serious injury. I gave him the certified chain he needed, and since then, he only works with me for all his lifting needs.
Wait, let’s clear up a common misconception: people think “welded link chain” is all the same, but the welding process matters too. The US standards specify the type of weld used to make the links—they have to be butt-welded, not any other type. The weld has to be as strong as the base steel of the link, because that’s the weakest point. If the weld is too small, or has porosity, it will break before the steel bar does. B30.20 and other standards set requirements for weld quality, including non-destructive testing (NDT) for critical applications like lifting or marine. That means every weld is checked for cracks or defects, either with magnetic particle testing or ultrasonic testing, to make sure it’s strong enough. I only work with manufacturers that perform this NDT, because a bad weld can kill someone.
Another thing to note is how these standards are updated. They don’t stay the same forever—ASME, ASAE, ANSI, and other organizations revise their standards every 3 to 5 years, to incorporate new technology, better materials, and improved safety data. For example, the 2023 update to ANSI/ASME B30.20 added new requirements for corrosion-resistant coating on lifting chain for use in outdoor environments, which was a response to an increase in chain failures from rust in construction sites in rainy regions. As a supplier, I make sure I’m up to date on these revisions, and I update my inventory to meet the latest standards within a year of their release. If a customer comes to me asking for chain that meets the old 2015 B30.20 standard, I tell them it’s better to go with the latest version, because it’s safer, and OSHA will start enforcing the new standard in a few years anyway.
Let’s also talk about how to verify that the chain you’re buying meets these standards, because as a supplier, I know there are a lot of fakes out there. The first step is to check for the grade marks on the links—they have to be permanent, so if you can scratch them off with a screwdriver, they’re not real. Second, ask for documentation: the manufacturer’s test report, which includes heat lot numbers, tensile strength results, proof load results, and the standard the chain meets. Third, if it’s for lifting or rigging, make sure it has a WLL (Working Load Limit) marked on it, and that the WLL matches what you need for your application. A common trick fake suppliers use is to mark a Grade 43 chain as Grade 70, because they look similar if you don’t check the marks. I always tell customers to cross-reference the grade mark with the WLL: Grade 70 chain has a WLL of about 7 times the diameter squared, Grade 80 is about 8 times the diameter squared. If the numbers don’t add up, it’s fake.
As someone who’s been in the welded link chain supply business for over a decade, I’ve seen too many avoidable accidents and losses because people skipped checking standards. A construction worker in Texas who got hurt when a fake Grade 80 chain broke while lifting a steel beam, a farmer in Iowa whose baler chain snapped mid-harvest, costing him $20,000 in lost crops, a boater in Florida whose anchor chain snapped in a storm because it didn’t meet marine standards. All of these could have been prevented if they’d bought chain that meets US national standards. That’s why I’m so passionate about getting this right—safety isn’t a selling point, it’s a responsibility.
If you’re working on a project that uses welded link chain—whether it’s overhead lifting, securing cargo, farm equipment, or marine applications—don’t cut corners on standards. Require documentation, check the grade marks, and work with a supplier who knows the ins and outs of ANSI, ASME, ASAE, and other official US national standards. I’m here to help you pick the right chain, make sure it meets all the requirements for your job, and provide the documentation you need to stay compliant with OSHA and other regulations. Whether you’re a small farmer, a construction manager, a marine supply business, or an industrial manufacturer, I can help you find the right welded link chain that’s safe, reliable, and built to US national standards.
If you have questions about which standard applies to your chain needs, or want to discuss specific requirements for your project, feel free to reach out to connect and learn more about my inventory and compliance processes.
Clothes Rack References
ASME B30.20-2023, Below-the-Hook Lifting Devices
ANSI/ASAE S356.2-2019, Agricultural Welded Link Chains
ANSI/ASME B106.1M-2015, Design of Transmission Chains
API RP 2P-2020, Recommended Practice for Design and Selection of Anchor Mooring Chains and Wires
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.184, Slings
Pujiang Shenli Chain Co., Ltd.
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