How many randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay must there be to remove the wire rope sling from service?

• A. Ten
• B. Five
• C. Zero
• D. Twenty

Answer: (A)

The safety rule uses the number of broken wires in a single rope lay as a clear threshold for when a wire rope sling must be removed from service. A rope lay is the length over which the wires wrap once around the rope’s axis, so counting broken wires within one lay gives a snapshot of damage distributed along the rope rather than just in one spot. When there are ten randomly distributed broken wires in one lay, the rope’s strength is significantly compromised, and the risk of sudden failure during lifting becomes unacceptable. That’s why ten is the cut-off point for retirement from service in this standard.

Zero broken wires would imply no damage, which doesn’t trigger removal. Five broken wires would underrepresent the level of damage and could still be risky, while twenty would be well beyond the point where replacement is required—ten already signals a failure level under this rule.