In rigging, what is a spreader plate used for?

• A. A sensor that stops movement at a preset position.
• B. A threaded anchor point used to attach rigging hardware or lines.
• C. A metal plate used to distribute a load across a single point.
• D. A spreader plate used to distribute a load across multiple points and prevent hardware deformation.

Answer: (D)

Spreaders plates distribute a lifting force across several attachment points rather than concentrating it on one fastener. By placing a plate with multiple holes between the load and the rigging hardware, the load is shared, reducing peak stresses that can crush, bend, or deform hardware and the load surface. This keeps the rigging safer and more stable, especially when multiple lines or points must connect to a single load. The other ideas describe a sensor, a single-point anchor, or distribution over a single point, which don’t capture the way a plate spreads the load across multiple points to prevent deformation.