Which statement about Working Load Limit is correct?

• A. The maximum load that lifting or rigging equipment can safely handle during normal use
• B. The maximum load before equipment fails
• C. The safety factor to apply
• D. The voltage rating of the equipment

Answer: (A)

Working Load Limit is the maximum load that lifting or rigging equipment can safely handle during normal use. This value is set well below the gear’s breaking strength to provide a safety margin and account for real-world conditions like dynamic loads, wear, and imperfect rigging. So the load you apply should not exceed the WLL, even though the equipment could fail at higher forces in a static test.

This differs from the maximum load before equipment fails, which is closer to the breaking strength or ultimate load and isn’t the safe operating limit. The safety factor is the ratio used to derive the WLL, not the WLL itself. The voltage rating is unrelated to lifting capacity. For example, a hook or chain might have a breaking strength of 20,000 pounds, but with a safety factor of 5, the Working Load Limit would be 4,000 pounds.