29 CFR 1910 · General Industry · Subpart N

1910.179(h)(2): Ropes

By Black Belt Safety Editorial Team Official text as of octubre 15, 2026 3 min read

Key takeaways

  • 1910.179(h)(2) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart N).
  • Related part: 1910.179(h) Hoisting equipment (20 citations).
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In this article
  1. What this rule covers
  2. Official text
  3. Free toolbox talk
  4. OSHA interpretation letters
  5. Related parts of this rule
  6. Get your crew competent
  7. About this page

What this rule covers

29 CFR 1910.179(h)(2) ("Ropes") is one requirement inside 1910.179 Overhead and gantry cranes, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart N). It includes 8 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.

Official text

(2) Ropes.

(i) In using hoisting ropes, the crane manufacturer's recommendation shall be followed. The rated load divided by the number of parts of rope shall not exceed 20 percent of the nominal breaking strength of the rope. Open (h)(2)(i)

(ii) Socketing shall be done in the manner specified by the manufacturer of the assembly.

(iii) Rope shall be secured to the drum as follows: Open (h)(2)(iii)

(a) No less than two wraps of rope shall remain on the drum when the hook is in its extreme low position.

(b) Rope end shall be anchored by a clamp securely attached to the drum, or by a socket arrangement approved by the crane or rope manufacturer.

(iv) Eye splices. [Reserved]

(v) Rope clips attached with U-bolts shall have the U-bolts on the dead or short end of the rope. Spacing and number of all types of clips shall be in accordance with the clip manufacturer's recommendation. Clips shall be drop-forged steel in all sizes manufactured commercially. When a newly installed rope has been in operation for an hour, all nuts on the clip bolts shall be retightened.

(vi) Swaged or compressed fittings shall be applied as recommended by the rope or crane manufacturer.

(vii) Wherever exposed to temperatures, at which fiber cores would be damaged, rope having an independent wirerope or wire-strand core, or other temperature-damage resistant core shall be used.

(viii) Replacement rope shall be the same size, grade, and construction as the original rope furnished by the crane manufacturer, unless otherwise recommended by a wire rope manufacturer due to actual working condition requirements.

Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.179.

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OSHA interpretation letters

None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.179(h)(2).

Related parts of this rule

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About this page

Sources

3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.

Written and reviewed by

Black Belt Safety Editorial Team

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OSHA 30 · CPR · USACE CQM

Written and reviewed by the Black Belt Safety team. Every post is checked against the OSHA standard or agency source it cites.

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