If a carabiner has an MBS of 27 kN, what is its SWL?

The safe working load (SWL) is typically calculated as a fraction of the minimum breaking strength (MBS) to ensure an adequate safety margin in case of unexpected loads or dynamic forces that may be applied. The industry standard often used for calculating SWL is to apply a safety factor, which usually ranges, for climbing and rigging purposes, from 5 to 7, depending on the application.

In this case, if the carabiner has an MBS of 27 kN, applying a commonly used safety factor of 5 gives a SWL of 27 kN divided by 5, resulting in 5.4 kN. This reduction helps ensure that the carabiner will perform safely under normal operating conditions, accounting for potential impacts or dynamic loads that could exceed static loads.

Understanding that the SWL must provide a cushion of safety against excessive forces is crucial. Hence, using a safety factor when determining the SWL informs users of the maximum load the equipment can handle safely under normal conditions, making 5.4 kN the appropriate answer.