An HEO is lifting a balanced load of 6,000 kg using a two-leg basket hitch. If each sling leg forms an angle of 45 degrees from the horizontal, what is the minimum Working Load Limit (WLL) required for each individual sling when used in a straight pull configuration, to safely lift this load?

Question: An HEO is lifting a balanced load of 6,000 kg using a two-leg basket hitch. If each sling leg forms an angle of 45 degrees from the horizontal, what is the minimum Working Load Limit (WLL) required for each individual sling when used in a straight pull configuration, to safely lift this load?

Answer options:

• 3,000 kg ✅ 4,245 kg
• 2,125 kg
• 6,000 kg

Correct answer: 4,245 kg

Explanation: For a two-leg basket hitch, the total load on the slings is effectively amplified by the inverse of the sine of the angle. Each sling supports half the load, (6000 kg / 2) / sin(45°) = 3000 kg / 0.707 = 4243 kg. Therefore, each leg needs a minimum WLL of 4245 kg. This calculation is derived from the sling tension formula: T = Load / (Number of legs × sin θ).