Question 665 Deck General

The correct answer is B) Five. The standard safety factor for wire ropes used in cargo gear on vessels is 5, as per the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 46, Section 61.10-5. This safety factor ensures that the working load of the wire rope is no more than one-fifth of the wire's ultimate strength, providing a sufficient margin of safety in case of unexpected stresses or wear. The other options are incorrect because a safety factor of 3 (A) would be too low and not provide adequate safety, while 6 (C) and 7 (D) would be overly conservative and result in the use of a larger, more expensive wire rope than necessary.