The safe load for a single strand of No. 16 tie wire is:

The safe load for a single strand of No. 16 tie wire is:

• A. 56 lb
• B. 26 lb
• C. 66 lb
• D. 76 lb

Answer: (A)

Understanding safe working load means looking at how much force a wire strand can carry without risking failure, not its ultimate breaking strength. For No. 16 tie wire, the practical approach uses a safety factor so the wire isn’t stressed to its limit when knots, bends, corrosion, or movement are involved. The typical breaking strength of this wire is around 450 pounds, and applying a common safety factor of about 8:1 gives a safe working load near 56 pounds per strand. That makes 56 pounds the best choice, since it represents a realistic, conservative limit for everyday tying work. The other numbers are either above the usual safe limit or well below what you’d expect for normal use.

Understanding safe working load means looking at how much force a wire strand can carry without risking failure, not its ultimate breaking strength. For No. 16 tie wire, the practical approach uses a safety factor so the wire isn’t stressed to its limit when knots, bends, corrosion, or movement are involved. The typical breaking strength of this wire is around 450 pounds, and applying a common safety factor of about 8:1 gives a safe working load near 56 pounds per strand. That makes 56 pounds the best choice, since it represents a realistic, conservative limit for everyday tying work. The other numbers are either above the usual safe limit or well below what you’d expect for normal use.