Load chart notes: the fine print that changes your number

What notes do

A chart table is a grid of numbers. The notes explain the conditions behind the grid. Two charts can look alike and still follow different rules, so the table alone never tells you enough to lift.

Notes usually answer five questions:

1. Which setup is this? Outriggers fully extended, partly extended or retracted, on tires or on a pad, with a given counterweight.
2. Where may the boom work? Over the rear, over the side or through a full circle.
3. What is already counted? Whether the listed capacity is a gross number, or has some of the attachments taken out.
4. What must you subtract? Hook block, headache ball, slings, spreader beams and any boom extension or jib you have in the way.
5. When does the number stop applying? Wind, ground, boom angle limits, and the parts of line the figures assume.

The exact wording differs by manufacturer and by crane. That is the point: you read your chart's notes every time, and you do not carry a rule from one chart to the next.

An invented example

These notes belong to a made-up practice chart, not to any real crane or exam.

Note A. Capacities apply with outriggers fully extended and the crane level.

Note B. Capacities in the shaded area apply over the rear and side only.

Note C. Weights of hook block and rigging must be deducted from the listed capacity.

Note D. Capacities assume 6 parts of line.

Now a practice problem. The chart lists 12,000 lb at your radius and boom length. The hook block weighs 500 lb and the slings and shackles weigh 300 lb. The crane is set with outriggers fully extended on level ground and you reduce to 4 parts of line to move faster.

Work it in order:

• Note A is met, so this table applies.
• Note D says the figures assume 6 parts of line. At 4 parts, you cannot trust the number as printed. The correct move is to find what the chart says for 4 parts, or to stop and check, never to guess.
• If the table does apply, Note C means 12,000 - 500 - 300 = 11,200 lb is what is left for the load.

A candidate who subtracts perfectly and ignores Note D gets the wrong answer with the right math. Our net capacity calculator handles the subtraction so you can focus on the reading. Pair it with the capacity deductions guide for what counts as a deduction.

Kinds of notes to expect

The read-first habit

Use the same order on every chart question, on the exam and on the job.

1. Read the title and the setup line. Is this the right chart for the crane and configuration?
2. Read every note before you touch the table.
3. Underline anything that changes the setup, the deductions or the working area.
4. Look up the capacity.
5. Apply the notes you underlined, then compare with the load.

On a timed exam this costs ten or fifteen seconds. It saves far more than that, because a missed note is a wrong answer you would not have noticed.

Why this matters beyond the test

On a real crane, the chart in the cab is the one for that crane, and the notes are part of its rating. A capacity indicator may apply some of the notes for you, but only if the setup is entered correctly. The rated capacity indicator and limiter guide covers where a device can mislead you. Knowing the notes lets you check what the device is telling you.

How to practice

• Take any of our invented practice charts and write down the notes in your own words before you answer.
• When you miss a problem, log the cause: wrong chart, wrong row or column, overlooked note, missed deduction or arithmetic. If "overlooked note" shows up twice, switch to the read-first habit for the next week.
• Use the load chart practice tool for timed reps on invented charts. They are not manufacturer or exam charts.
• Take the free 10-question check to see whether Load Charts is your weak domain. It scores by Core outline domain and needs no signup.

Ask Hook, the study assistant, to explain why a missed answer changed once you applied a note. It helps you spot which kind of note tripped you. For a full question bank with explained answers, timed practice and a study plan from your exam date, see the plans.

Sources

• Core outline, Load Charts domain (about 27% of the exam) and the "apply load chart notes" task: Mobile Crane Operator Candidate Handbook, CCO (06/24 revision, checked 26 Oct 2026).
• Practice notes and numbers on this page are invented for teaching.

FAQ

Are load chart notes on the NCCCO written exam?

Yes. The Core outline lists applying load chart notes as a skill in the Load Charts domain, which carries about 27% of the Core.

Do all cranes have the same notes?

No. Notes come from the manufacturer and differ by crane and configuration. Read the notes on the chart in front of you.

What if a note does not apply to my lift?

Say so to yourself and move on. A note about a jib does not matter when no jib is fitted. The mistake is skipping notes without reading them.

Does a capacity indicator apply the notes for me?

It may apply some of them, but only if the setup is entered correctly. You still need to know what the chart assumes so you can check the display.