What action is required when you find one broken wire within one rope lay length of a fitting?

• A. Cut off the damaged portion
• B. Cut off the entire rope
• C. Replace the rope
• D. Ignore the damage

Answer: (A)

Damaged wire near a fitting is a fatigue hazard because bending over the termination concentrates stress and a broken wire can quickly propagate. When you find one broken wire within a lay length of a fitting, the correct action is to cut away the damaged portion of the rope. This removes the compromised area so no broken wires remain within the critical zone, preserving the strength of the remaining rope. After cutting, inspect the rest of the rope and re-terminate or replace if necessary. Ignoring the damage or leaving it in place would risk sudden rope failure, while cutting the entire rope is unnecessary unless the damage extends beyond the localized area.