NLC Rigging Complete Practice Exam 2025

When a sling is configured in a basket arrangement, it essentially utilizes the strength of both legs of the sling to distribute and support the weight being lifted. In this configuration, the load is shared between the two legs of the sling, which allows it to effectively lift more weight compared to a single vertical configuration, where only one leg is engaged.

In a vertical configuration, the load is supported only by a single leg of the sling. This limitation means that the total weight the sling can lift is restricted to the rated capacity of one leg. However, in a basket configuration, the combined strength of both legs allows the sling to lift twice the weight.

Therefore, when combining the forces, the basket configuration significantly increases the lifting capacity, which is why it is said that the sling can lift twice the weight in a basket configuration compared to a vertical configuration.