Conquer the 2026 Electrical Rigging Test – Power Up Your Skills!

Moment, or torque, is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about a point. This rotation effect grows with how far the force is from the pivot (the lever arm) and with how the force is directed relative to that arm. If the force acts perpendicular to the lever arm, the turning effect is strongest; if it’s closer to parallel, the effect is smaller. The basic idea can be summarized by the idea that a force applied at a distance tries to “turn” the object around the pivot.

In practical terms for rigging, every load can create a turning moment about the lifting point. If the load isn’t aligned or balanced, it may cause rotation or swinging, which is why understanding moments helps in selecting anchors, spreaders, and lashings. The center of gravity is about where the weight effectively acts, not the rotational tendency itself, and the other terms refer to locations or features rather than the rotational effect.