USCG Exam PracticeDeck equipment — winches, capstans, windlasses
Under 46 CFR §28.885, the safe working load (SWL) marked on a cargo boom is defined as which of the following?
- A. The maximum load the gear can lift including the weight of the gear itself
- ✓ The load the gear is approved to lift, excluding the weight of the gear itselfCorrect
- C. One-half of the proof load applied during the biennial test
- D. The load the gear can lift at the lowest practicable boom angle only
Why B is correct
46 CFR §28.885(a) expressly defines SWL as the load the gear is approved to lift, excluding the weight of the gear itself. The proof load applied during biennial testing must be at a minimum of the SWL rating per §28.885(c), but the SWL is not derived as a fraction of the proof load.
Cited:46 CFR §28.885