If you notice frayed or damaged wire rope during a visual check, what should you do?

• A. Continue operation for the day but tag it.
• B. Apply lubricant and resume.
• C. Do nothing until the next scheduled inspection.
• D. Remove from service immediately and replace.

Answer: (D)

Frayed or damaged wire rope signals compromised strength and a real risk of sudden failure under load. The damage may be visible on the outside, but internal wires can be bent, broken, or pinched, reducing the rope’s load-carrying capacity far below what the equipment expects. Lubricant or surface treatment cannot restore the rope’s strength, and continuing to use it only postpones the hazard or makes a failure more likely. Merely tagging the rope or waiting for the next inspection does not eliminate the danger—the rope must be removed from service to prevent an accident. The safe course is to replace the damaged rope with one that meets the specifications and inspect related components to ensure there’s no collateral damage.