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A crane load chart tells you the maximum rated load for a specific crane, configuration and operating condition. It is not a single tonnage figure that applies everywhere on the job. The allowable load changes with operating radius, boom length or angle, jib and outrigger setup, counterweight, hoist reeving, rope, attachments and site conditions.
To read one, identify the exact chart for the crane, match every configuration note, find the applicable boom and radius values, and then read the rated capacity at their intersection. That figure is a limit, not spare capacity. A real lift still requires the current manufacturer’s chart and operating instructions, a reliable load-weight determination and a qualified lift-planning process.
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What a crane load chart actually tells you
A load chart, sometimes called a rated-capacity chart, describes what a particular crane can safely handle under stated conditions. Manufacturers publish separate tables or sections for combinations of boom length, boom angle, operating radius, jib, outriggers, counterweight, reeving and optional equipment. The chart’s number is valid only when the crane and the lift match those conditions.
Capacity is normally limited by the most restrictive factor in the applicable chart. Structural strength, hydraulic capability, tipping stability, rope and reeving limits, attachment ratings and the manufacturer’s operating rules can all control the result. A chart does not promise that the crane can lift that rating at every radius or in every configuration.
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OSHA’s construction guidance states: “You must not operate a crane in excess of its rated capacity.” The same guidance requires the load weight to be determined by a reliable means and the operator to follow the manufacturer’s procedures. Treat the chart as an operating limit, not as a target to approach casually.
The variables you must match
| Chart item | Meaning | Why it changes capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Operating radius | The horizontal distance used by the chart, generally measured from the crane’s axis of rotation to the center of the vertical hoist line or tackle with the load applied. | A larger radius creates a greater overturning moment and usually reduces the rated capacity. |
| Boom length or boom angle | The charted boom geometry, shown as a length, an angle, or both. | Different boom geometries change reach, structural loading and stability. |
| Jib or other attachment | Whether a jib, fixed extension, luffing extension or other approved attachment is installed, including its length and angle where specified. | Attachments alter geometry and add weight; they have their own chart sections and limits. |
| Outrigger condition | Outriggers fully extended, partially extended, retracted, on rubber or another condition defined by the manufacturer. | Support footprint and stability change with the outrigger position and surface support. |
| Counterweight | The installed counterweight arrangement, when the chart distinguishes options. | Counterweight affects balance and the permitted configuration. |
| Hoist reeving and rope | The number of parts of line, rope size and construction, and the permissible line arrangement. | Rope, sheaves, hook blocks and reeving can impose separate line-pull or component limits. |
| Auxiliary equipment | Hooks, blocks, slings, spreader beams, magnets, grabs and other handling devices included by the applicable rules or chart notes. | Their weight and rating can reduce the load available for the material being lifted. |
| Operating conditions | Wind, ground or track condition, tire condition, level, temperature and other limits stated by the manufacturer or rule. | Stability and equipment performance can change even when the geometric chart values are unchanged. |
OSHA’s derrick requirements in 29 CFR 1926.1436 illustrate the level of detail a chart may need to contain: capacities corresponding to boom angle or operating radius, applicable component lengths, hoist-reeving information and rope information. Those provisions address derricks specifically; do not assume that every cited requirement is written identically for every crane type.
How to read a load chart step by step
- Identify the exact crane and chart revision. Use the manufacturer’s current chart for the crane’s model, serial-number range or edition, as applicable. Do not substitute a chart from a similar-looking machine.
- Confirm the chart’s units. Check whether capacities and dimensions are expressed in tonnes, kilograms, pounds, feet or metres. Confirm whether the chart uses gross capacity, rated capacity or another manufacturer-defined term.
- Record the actual configuration. Note the boom length and angle or the selected telescoping section, jib or extension, counterweight, outrigger spread and support mode. Include any optional equipment installed on the crane.
- Verify the hoist arrangement. Match the required parts of line, rope size and construction, hook block or overhaul ball and any line-speed or single-line restrictions. A chart section may apply only to a particular reeving arrangement.
- Determine the load radius using the manufacturer’s method. Radius is not the same as boom length. Measure the horizontal distance to the chart’s specified reference point, commonly the center of the vertical hoist line or tackle with the load applied. Account for the actual pick and set locations, not only the starting position.
- Find the applicable chart row, column or configuration panel. Locate the boom length or angle and the operating-radius value in the section that matches the setup. If the chart provides ranges, use the value that governs the actual condition according to the manufacturer’s instructions; do not choose a more favorable neighboring value.
- Read the rated capacity and apply only stated instructions. Check footnotes, deductions, notes on blocked or unblocked operation, minimum or maximum boom angles, and any restrictions for wind or surface conditions. Subtract equipment weights only when the chart or manual tells you how to do so.
- Compare the total suspended load with the permitted rating. Include the load’s contents, packaging and rigging components that the applicable chart or rule treats as part of the rated load. If the result is not clearly within the chart’s permitted value, stop and obtain qualified lift-planning assistance.
Radius is the central measurement
Radius is a horizontal distance, not a diagonal measurement along the boom and not the boom’s physical length. Oregon OSHA describes it as the distance from the crane’s rotation axis to the center of the hoist line or tackle with the load applied. The exact reference points and measurement procedure remain equipment-specific, so the manufacturer’s definition controls.
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As the boom moves outward, the radius can increase even if the boom length stays the same. Conversely, two lifts using the same boom length can have different capacities because their radii differ. Measure the radius for the critical part of the lift, which may be the initial pick, a travel position or the placement point.
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Do not estimate radius from a photograph, a plan-view drawing without scale or the boom’s apparent angle. Use the crane’s documentation and a reliable site measurement. If the chart lists discrete radii, follow its rule for values between listed points rather than interpolating on your own.
Configuration details that commonly change the chart
Boom and jib selection
Charts may separate main-boom operation from fixed-jib, luffing-jib or other extension configurations. A jib can reduce the main-boom capacity because it adds weight and changes the load path, even when the load radius appears unchanged. Verify the approved length, angle and connection arrangement. A chart for a bare boom is not valid with an attachment installed.
Outriggers and support mode
Mobile cranes may have different ratings for outriggers fully extended, partially extended or retracted, and for operation on tires. The chart may also require a particular outrigger spread or a manufacturer-approved selection system. Confirm that every outrigger is set as required and that the ground or support system can carry the reaction forces. A rating for a wider footprint cannot be applied to a narrower setup.
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Install only the counterweight arrangement authorized for the chart section. Additional equipment such as auxiliary winches, luffing gear, lifting beams or special attachments can change the machine’s weight and center of gravity. Federal longshoring rules in 29 CFR 1918.66 require relevant ratings for applicable boom and jib lengths, with and without outriggers, and for optional equipment that affects ratings. The exact categories and labels differ by crane.
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Rope and reeving
Match the chart’s parts of line and rope specification. More parts of line can increase permissible line pull at the hook while reducing line speed; a different rope or reeving arrangement can impose another limit. Check the hook block, sheaves and overhaul weight as well as the rope itself. OSHA’s derrick chart-content requirements specifically include reeving and rope information.
Rated capacity, deductions and the suspended load
The number in a chart is a rated capacity for the stated configuration. It is not a reserve that the operator may spend. Any safety margin incorporated by the manufacturer or a rule is not additional capacity available for the lift.
Auxiliary handling devices may count toward the rated load. OSHA’s general-industry provision addresses hooks, blocks and slings within its scope, while chart-specific references such as the NCCCO Crane Inspector 3 Load Charts Manual show that deduction instructions can vary by chart. For that reason, never apply a universal “subtract this percentage” or “deduct this fixed weight” rule.
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Build the load weight from a reliable source: a manufacturer’s mass, a verified shipping document, a calibrated scale or another method accepted by the lift plan. Include contents, packaging and rigging items to the extent required by the applicable chart and regulations. If the load’s center of gravity or attachment arrangement is uncertain, the chart alone cannot resolve the risk.
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Site conditions can make a chart value unusable
Chart values assume the operating conditions stated in the manufacturer’s instructions. Wind can create side loading, increase the effective radius of a large or suspended load and reduce stability. Ground settlement, inadequate mats, track or tire condition, slope and an out-of-level crane can also change the support reactions. Oregon OSHA’s provisions address radius and stability for covered cranes, but they should not be converted into a universal stability percentage for every machine.
Check the manufacturer’s wind limits, the site’s ground-bearing assessment, required leveling tolerances and any restrictions on traveling with a suspended load. Stop if conditions exceed the chart or manual. A capacity that was valid at the pick point may not remain valid after the crane swings, travels or reaches a different elevation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A hypothetical chart-layout example
The following illustrates how to navigate a chart; it is not a capacity calculation and contains no valid crane rating.
- Select the chart page for the crane’s installed boom and approved jib arrangement.
- Choose the panel for the actual outrigger condition and counterweight.
- Confirm the listed rope and parts-of-line requirement matches the reeved crane.
- Locate the row for the boom length or boom-angle range that contains the actual setting.
- Move across to the column for the measured operating radius.
- Read the rated-capacity cell at that intersection and then review every footnote below the table.
- Account for chart-directed deductions and compare the resulting allowable load with the verified total suspended load.
If any configuration detail does not match, this procedure stops. Obtain the correct chart section or manufacturer guidance rather than selecting the nearest-looking value.
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Rules and guidance that frame chart use
U.S. construction
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1417 governs operation in the U.S. construction context. It requires rated-capacity information to be available to the operator and requires operation in accordance with the manufacturer’s procedures. OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction guidance, published in 2014, explains that operators must not exceed rated capacity, must determine load weight reliably and must follow manufacturer procedures.
Derrick chart content
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1436 sets chart-content requirements for derricks, including ratings related to boom angle or operating radius, component lengths, hoist reeving and rope. It is not a blanket statement that every crane uses an identical chart format.
Longshoring
OSHA 29 CFR 1918.66 applies to the longshoring context. It addresses ratings for applicable boom and jib lengths, outrigger conditions and optional equipment that affects ratings. Confirm that the rule applies to the workplace before relying on it.
State requirements and training references
Oregon OSHA’s Division 2, Subdivision N material provides state-specific provisions on load ratings, radius and stability. Those provisions apply within their stated jurisdiction and scope. The NCCCO Crane Inspector 3 Load Charts Manual and the U.S. Navy Crane Center’s Contractor Crane Awareness Instructor Guide are training references that can help explain chart variables and ancillary equipment. Neither replaces the current manufacturer chart for an operating crane.
Common load-chart mistakes and the fix
- Using the crane’s advertised maximum tonnage. Fix: use the charted rating at the actual radius and configuration.
- Confusing boom length with radius. Fix: measure the horizontal chart-defined radius from the rotation axis to the specified hoist-line reference.
- Choosing the wrong outrigger panel. Fix: verify the actual spread and support mode before selecting the chart section.
- Ignoring a jib, block or auxiliary winch. Fix: include every installed option and use the chart notes for deductions and restrictions.
- Assuming a nearby chart row is close enough. Fix: follow the manufacturer’s rule for ranges and intermediate values; do not self-interpolate unless instructed.
- Leaving rigging out of the load. Fix: determine which hooks, blocks, slings and devices the applicable chart or rule includes, then use the specified deduction method.
- Applying the chart in high wind or poor ground. Fix: check environmental limits, support conditions and the lift plan; stop when they are outside the instructions.
- Treating a generic online calculator as authority. Fix: use the current manufacturer documentation and a qualified lift-planning process.
- Operating on an outdated chart. Fix: verify the revision, crane identity and any manufacturer updates before the lift.
Pre-lift chart checklist
- Crane model, serial range and current chart revision are confirmed.
- Units and chart definitions are understood.
- Boom length, boom angle, jib and attachment arrangement match the chart.
- Outrigger spread, counterweight and support mode match the selected panel.
- Rope size, construction, parts of line, hook block and reeving match the requirements.
- Radius is measured by the manufacturer’s method at the critical lift position.
- Load weight and center of gravity are established by a reliable means.
- Chart-directed deductions for hooks, blocks, slings and other devices are applied.
- Wind, ground, level, tire or track and travel restrictions are within the manual’s limits.
- The operator and lift supervisor have the chart, manual and approved lift plan available.
When the chart, manual, site condition or load information is unclear, do not guess. Pause the operation and obtain the manufacturer’s instructions or qualified crane and lift-planning expertise. Reading a chart correctly is an essential step, but it is not by itself authorization to make a lift.
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