When choosing sling angles, which range is preferred for a safe lift?

When choosing sling angles, which range is preferred for a safe lift?

• A. Less than 30 degrees
• B. Greater than 30 degrees
• C. Less than 60 degrees
• D. Greater than 60 degrees

Answer: (D)

Sling angle affects the tension on each leg. When you lift with two legs, the weight is shared, but the amount each leg must carry grows as the angle from vertical increases. Keeping the sling angle under 60 degrees keeps the tension in each leg below the total load, giving a safety margin for the rigging hardware and connections. At exactly 60 degrees, each leg is under equal load to the weight, and angles larger than that push the required leg tension beyond the load and can exceed the sling’s rating. So the safer, preferred range is to keep the sling angle less than 60 degrees, with even smaller angles providing more margin.

Sling angle affects the tension on each leg. When you lift with two legs, the weight is shared, but the amount each leg must carry grows as the angle from vertical increases. Keeping the sling angle under 60 degrees keeps the tension in each leg below the total load, giving a safety margin for the rigging hardware and connections. At exactly 60 degrees, each leg is under equal load to the weight, and angles larger than that push the required leg tension beyond the load and can exceed the sling’s rating. So the safer, preferred range is to keep the sling angle less than 60 degrees, with even smaller angles providing more margin.