Portable Winch Gas-powered pulling/lifting winch PCH1000 - Manual (Page 10)

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STRETCH EQUALS DANGER!
A stretched rope can recoil and cause serious burns as the rope leaves your hand.
All ropes stretch: a longer one more than a shorter one. The more you pull, the more it
stretches.
A stretched rope can also move the load in an unpredictable or dangerous way.
A stretched rope can recoil and bring your hand towards the winch causing severe
injuries. NEVER WRAP THE ROPE AROUND YOUR HAND.
ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES.
3.1.2 Rope usage
Use rope properly; do not abuse or shock load it. Observe recommended usage factors for
bending and work loads. Keep ropes clean and eliminate abrasion whenever possible.
1) Working loads are the loads that a rope is subjected to in everyday activity. For lifting
purposes we recommend a minimum safety factor of 7 (app. 15% of the rope minimum
break strength) when the rope has a spliced termination. If the rope is knotted with a
bowline, we recommend a safety factor of 10.
2) Any sharp bend in a rope under load decreases rope strength substantially and may
cause permanent damage and failure. Sheave diameters should be 8 times the rope
diameter.
3) Knots are known to reduce rope strength but they are a convenient way to accomplish
rope attachment. The strength loss is a result of the sharp bends that occur in the knots.
If you must use a knot, use the bowline or double bowline described in section 3.2.1.1.
4) Keep rope clean and as dry as possible. Grit and dirt will work its way inside the rope and
degrade it rapidly. You can wash it in the washing machine and hang to dry.
5) Store the rope in a rope bag or in a pail. Coiling the rope will induce twists and knots.
6) Shock loads are a sudden change in tension from a relaxed state or low load to one of
high load. Any sudden load that exceeds the work load by more than 10% is considered a
shock load. The further an object falls, the greater the impact. Synthetic fibers have a
memory and retain the effects of being overloaded and can fail at a later time even
though loaded within the work load range.
3.1.3 Rope inspection and maintenance
VISUALLY INSPECT YOUR ROPE BEFORE EACH USAGE. IF IT SHOWS
ANY SIGN OF DETERIORATION (CUT STRANDS, EXCESSIVE ABRASION), REPLACE IT.
IF YOUR ROPE IS DIRTY, WASH IT. DIRTY ROPES DETERIORATE
FASTER AND CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE PARTS IN CONTACT WITH THE ROPE
SUCH AS THE CAPSTAN DRUM AND ROPE GUIDE.
Any rope that has been used for any period will show normal wear and tear. Some
characteristics of a used rope will not reduce strength while others will. Below are the conditions
that should be inspected on a regular basis.