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newSchoolWorks.com › VoTechWorks › Building & Construction › Construction (general) › Rigging: Load Handling, Slings, and Lifting Safety › Lesson 5
BLD-CONS02-04 · Lesson 5 · 14 clock hours · lab

Hitch Configurations and Rigging a Load

Objective. Students will rig a load using vertical, choker, basket, bridle (two-leg and four-leg), and hitched configurations and demonstrate that each configuration secures the load without exceeding the sling's rated capacity.

⚠ Pending professional review

This lesson, its worked examples and its practice questions has not yet been verified by a licensed professional engineer or master tradesperson or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it as instructions for work on a job site or on live equipment. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.

VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.

Why Hitch Configuration Matters

Every time a load is lifted, the rigger must choose how to attach the sling to the load. That choice—called the hitch configuration—directly determines how the load is supported, how sling tension is distributed, and whether the sling's Working Load Limit (WLL) is respected. A wrong choice can drop a load, damage equipment, or kill someone. This lesson covers the five configurations you will practice in the lab: vertical, choker, basket, two-leg bridle, and four-leg bridle.

The Five Hitch Configurations

Vertical Hitch

A single sling runs straight from the hook to the load with no wrapping. The sling carries the full load weight. Because nothing mechanically locks the load, a vertical hitch is best for objects with a reliable attachment point (a lifting eye or shackle). The sling WLL must equal or exceed the total load weight.

Choker Hitch

The sling wraps around the load and one end passes through (or around) the other before connecting to the hook. The choker grips the load, making it useful for bundles and pipe. However, the wrap creates a sharp bend that reduces the sling's rated capacity—typically to about 75–80% of its vertical WLL, depending on the choke angle. Always apply the manufacturer's choker-angle reduction factor and select a sling rated accordingly.

Basket Hitch

Both ends of a single sling attach to the hook while the sling cradles the load from below. When the sling legs are vertical (straight down), the basket hitch can support up to twice its single-leg vertical WLL because two legs share the load. As the load spreads the legs outward, the angle between the legs and the vertical increases and sling tension rises. At a 60-degree angle from vertical, each leg carries more than the load weight alone; a load angle factor (LAF) must be applied. Use a load-angle protractor to measure the angle and apply the correct factor before selecting hardware.

Two-Leg Bridle Hitch

Two separate slings attach to a common hook or master link at the top and connect to two lift points on the load at the bottom. Tension in each leg depends on the load weight and the horizontal angle of the legs from vertical. The LAF formula is:

> Sling tension = (Load weight ÷ number of legs) × LAF

The LAF increases as the angle from vertical increases: at 45° from vertical, LAF ≈ 1.41; at 60° from vertical, LAF ≈ 2.00. The industry standard minimum is to keep leg angles at 45° from vertical or less. Never exceed 60° from vertical.

Four-Leg Bridle Hitch

Four slings attach the load to a spreader beam or master ring. In practice, because loads are rarely perfectly balanced, OSHA and ASME B30.9 guidance treats only three legs as load-bearing at any one time for calculation purposes, even though four are rigged. This is a conservative safety measure. Calculate tension as if three legs share the load.

Reading the Rigging Configuration Sheet

At each lab station you will complete a rigging configuration sheet. For each lift record:

1. Load weight (read the label on the test block)

2. Hitch type chosen

3. Number of load-bearing legs

4. Leg angle from vertical (use the protractor)

5. LAF from your reference table

6. Calculated sling tension per leg

7. Required minimum WLL of the selected sling

Confirm that the sling's stamped or tagged WLL meets or exceeds your calculated tension before connecting the hoist.

Inspecting Slings Before Use

Every sling must be inspected before each use. Remove any sling from service if you find:

Never use a sling without a legible WLL tag.

Lab Safety Rules

The Controlled Raise-and-Lower Drill

For the final drill you will rig a labeled concrete block with a two-leg bridle hitch, calculate tension, and raise the load 12 inches using the manual chain hoist. Steps:

1. Read and record the block's labeled weight.

2. Measure the planned leg angle with the protractor; look up or calculate the LAF.

3. Calculate sling tension per leg and verify both slings' WLL tags meet or exceed that tension.

4. Assemble shackles and master link; confirm pins are fully seated and moused if required.

5. Take up slack slowly and check that the load is balanced before leaving the ground.

6. Raise to 12 inches; pause and verify stability while the spotter confirms no swing.

7. Lower smoothly; do not release the load until it rests fully on the support blocks.

8. De-rig in the correct order: slack the hoist, remove slings, secure hardware.

Your instructor will score technique using the 20-point rubric. A score of 16 or higher is passing.

Key terms8

Working Load Limit (WLL)The maximum load a sling, shackle, or other rigging component is rated to handle in normal service, as specified by the manufacturer and marked on the equipment tag.
Vertical hitchA hitch configuration in which a single sling runs straight from hook to load with no wrapping; the sling bears the full load weight.
Choker hitchA hitch in which the sling wraps around the load and chokes itself; the grip secures bundles but reduces the sling's effective capacity compared with a vertical hitch.
Basket hitchA hitch in which both ends of a sling attach to the hook while the sling cradles the load beneath, allowing two legs to share the weight; capacity varies with leg angle.
Bridle hitchA multi-leg hitch in which two or more slings connect to a common fitting at the top and separate lift points on the load below, distributing the weight among the legs.
Load Angle Factor (LAF)A multiplier applied to sling tension calculations that accounts for the increased tension each sling leg carries as its angle from vertical increases; LAF rises as the angle grows.
Sling angleThe angle between a sling leg and the vertical (or sometimes the horizontal, depending on the reference); a smaller angle from vertical means lower sling tension and is generally safer.
Rigging configuration sheetA written form completed before a lift that records load weight, hitch type, number of legs, leg angle, LAF, calculated sling tension, and required sling WLL to verify safe rigging selection.

Worked examples4

1. A load weighs 2,000 lb. You rig it with a two-leg bridle hitch. Each leg is at 30° from vertical. What is the tension in each sling leg? (LAF at 30° from vertical ≈ 1.155)
  1. Step 1 – Divide the load weight equally between the two legs: 2,000 lb ÷ 2 = 1,000 lb per leg (this is the tension if the legs were perfectly vertical).
  2. Step 2 – Multiply by the LAF to account for the angle: 1,000 lb × 1.155 = 1,155 lb.
  3. Step 3 – Select slings whose WLL is at least 1,155 lb per leg.
Answer: Each sling leg carries approximately 1,155 lb; both slings must have a WLL ≥ 1,155 lb.
2. The same 2,000 lb load is rigged with the same two-leg bridle hitch, but now each leg is at 60° from vertical. LAF at 60° from vertical = 2.00. What is the sling tension per leg, and how does it compare to the 30° case?
  1. Step 1 – Divide load equally: 2,000 lb ÷ 2 = 1,000 lb per leg.
  2. Step 2 – Multiply by the LAF: 1,000 lb × 2.00 = 2,000 lb per leg.
  3. Step 3 – Compare: at 30° from vertical each leg carried 1,155 lb; at 60° each leg carries 2,000 lb—nearly double. The slings must now have a WLL ≥ 2,000 lb each.
Answer: Each sling leg carries 2,000 lb at 60° from vertical—a significant increase that requires heavier-rated slings compared with the 30° configuration.
3. A single wire-rope sling has a vertical WLL of 3,200 lb. You plan to use it in a choker hitch with a choke angle that gives a capacity reduction factor of 0.75. What is the effective WLL in choker configuration, and can you safely lift a 2,200 lb load?
  1. Step 1 – Apply the choker reduction factor: 3,200 lb × 0.75 = 2,400 lb effective WLL.
  2. Step 2 – Compare to load: 2,200 lb < 2,400 lb, so the load is within the effective WLL.
  3. Step 3 – Conclusion: Yes, the lift is safe in this choker configuration, but only because the effective WLL (2,400 lb) still exceeds the load (2,200 lb). If the load were 2,500 lb, it would exceed the effective WLL and the lift would not be permitted.
Answer: The effective choker WLL is 2,400 lb. A 2,200 lb load is within that limit and the lift may proceed.
4. A four-leg bridle hitch lifts a 6,000 lb structural frame. Following ASME B30.9 guidance, you calculate tension using only three legs. Each leg is at 45° from vertical (LAF ≈ 1.414). What minimum WLL must each sling have?
  1. Step 1 – Divide the load among three effective legs: 6,000 lb ÷ 3 = 2,000 lb per leg if vertical.
  2. Step 2 – Apply the LAF for 45°: 2,000 lb × 1.414 = 2,828 lb per leg.
  3. Step 3 – Each of the four slings must have a WLL ≥ 2,828 lb so that any three can safely carry the load.
Answer: Each sling must have a WLL of at least 2,828 lb (round up to the next available rated size in practice).

The math in this lesson2

Learners apply load-angle factors for bridle leg tension and a 0.75 choker reduction to a 3,200 lb WLL.
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Brush up in the math halls at newSchoolWorks.com:
In class: Instructor-led demonstration of each hitch type using a structural steel section on a low-headroom rigging frame; students note how the choker hitch reduces capacity and how the basket hitch load distribution changes with angle. · Students rotate through five rigging stations (one per hitch type), rigging a standardized test load at each station, completing a rigging configuration sheet that identifies the hitch, the calculated sling tension, and the required sling WLL. · Controlled raise-and-lower drill: using a manual chain hoist on a certified rigging frame, each student rigs a concrete block using a two-leg bridle hitch, confirms tension calculations, and raises the load 12 inches while a partner acts as safety spotter; instructor evaluates technique.
Materials: Wire rope slings (multiple legs and lengths), chain slings, synthetic web slings, shackles, rigging frame with certified chain hoist (rated capacity clearly marked), concrete test blocks (weights labeled), rigging configuration worksheets, load-angle protractor, PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, leather gloves, steel-toed boots)
Check: Instructor evaluates the raise-and-lower drill using a performance rubric: correct hitch type, accurate tension calculation within 10%, proper hardware assembly, no load swing or uncontrolled movement; passing score 80% on rubric (16 of 20 points).

Practice check8

Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.

Rigging and load handling
1. Which hitch configuration typically reduces a sling's effective working load limit compared with the same sling used in a vertical hitch?
Rigging and load handling
2. A two-leg bridle hitch lifts a 4,000 lb load. Each leg is at 45° from vertical (LAF = 1.414). What is the approximate tension in each leg?
Rigging and load handling
3. When rigging a four-leg bridle hitch, ASME B30.9 guidance advises the rigger to calculate sling tension as if only three legs are carrying the load. What is the primary reason for this practice?
Rigging and load handling
4. What is the maximum sling-leg angle from vertical that is generally accepted as the safe working limit for bridle hitches in industry practice?
Safety and health (OSHA standards)
5. Before each use, a rigger finds that a synthetic web sling has a cut through the outer jacket exposing the inner core fibers. The correct action is to:
Rigging and load handling
6. During a basket hitch lift, the legs of the sling spread so that each leg is now at 60° from vertical instead of being nearly vertical. What happens to the tension in each sling leg?
Safety and health (OSHA standards)
7. Which PPE item is MOST critical for protecting hands during sling rigging with wire rope?
Safety and health (OSHA standards)
8. During the controlled raise-and-lower drill, a student notices the load begins to swing after being raised 6 inches. The correct immediate action is to:
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