Failing to consult a load chart is, as the saying goes, "planning to fail". Whether you are looking at a classic printed manual or modern digital lifting apps , treating this document as an authoritative legal standard is the only way to ensure worksite integrity.
A typical load chart crane includes the following information:
| Radius (ft) | Boom Length 40 ft (Main) | Boom Length 60 ft (Main) | Boom Length 80 ft (Main + Jib) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 50,000 lbs | 35,000 lbs | Not Allowed | | 20 ft | 40,000 lbs | 30,000 lbs | 15,000 lbs | | 30 ft | 28,000 lbs | 25,000 lbs | 12,000 lbs | | 40 ft | 15,000 lbs | 18,000 lbs | 9,000 lbs | | 50 ft | 5,000 lbs | 10,000 lbs | 6,000 lbs | load chart crane
: It reveals the counterintuitive truth of crane physics—as your boom extends or the lifting radius increases, your capacity drops drastically.
: The chart provides the "Rated Capacity," ensuring you never push the steel beyond its limits. Failing to consult a load chart is, as
A is a manufacturer-provided document that specifies the maximum safe lifting capacity of a crane under specific operating conditions. It is the single most important tool for preventing crane tipping and structural failure.
The load chart is the single most important legal and safety document inside a crane cab. It provides the the crane can lift under specific configurations. Never operate a crane without the specific load chart for that serial number and configuration. : The chart provides the "Rated Capacity," ensuring
Find "35 ft radius" on the left column. Step 2: Follow the row to the "60 ft boom" column. Step 3: Read the value (e.g., 20,000 lbs). Step 4: Subtract rigging weight (1,500 lbs hook + 500 lbs slings = 2,000 lbs). Step 5: Net capacity = 18,000 lbs. Decision: 12,000 lbs < 18,000 lbs → Safe lift.