A ball bearing swivel—also known as a load swivel—is used both for load positioning as well as allowing for rotation while under load weight. Swiveling under load weight helps to control load movement during the lift and prevent twisting and kinking in the rigging.
The ball bearing present within the body of the swivel makes it possible for the top and lower end fittings to swivel freely under load.
If you’ve ever had trouble rigging an unruly load, you probably know how useful a ball bearing swivel or positioning swivel can be in managing load movement. Or maybe you’ve never used a swivel before, but adding one to your rigging assembly could make some of your lifts easier and safer to manage.