When you use lifting chains to move loads on your construction or industrial job site, you want to ensure that you don’t exceed the weight the chains can carry. Otherwise, you will risk the lives of your employees on the site and increase the chance of an accident that will delay your project. Fortunately, you can prevent this by learning about the safety factor for lifting chains.
How To Use the Safety Factor
You may ask yourself, “What is the safety factor for lifting chains?” It is a ratio that can help you determine how much weight can get applied to a chain before it finally fails. Finding out this number involves a simple process.
Determine the Working Load Limit
First, you must learn the working load limit of your adjustable lifting chains. This number is the maximum amount of weight that your chains will be able to sustain. For example, one chain might have a limit of 7,100 pounds on a straight lift, while another might have one that reaches 12,000 pounds.
Find Out the Safety Factor Ratio
The next part of the process is to learn the safety factor for your chains. The ratio represents the weight the equipment can endure above your working load limit until it finally breaks. For example, if your chains have a safety factor of 6:1, you must apply six times as much force as the working load limit for them to break.
Avoid the Breaking Strength
With this information, you will have the breaking strength of your lifting chains. So, if the chain with a working load limit of 7,100 pounds has a safety factor ratio of 6:1, it will likely break if you try to use it with a 42,600-pound load. If you were to apply that same ratio to the 12,000-pound chain, it would have a breaking strength of 72,000 pounds.
If you want quality lifting chains for your next project, contact American Cable & Rigging. We can help you find the right one in our selection so you can get your jobs done right.