Most winches are made with dynamic brakes, meaning the gear system will automatically hold the load. ... If you were to use a winch to suspend a load, the load could easily slip or the gears could become damaged, resulting in catastrophic failure. Hoists, on the other hand, are designed using a mechanical braking system.
Can a winch lift a person?
Can a winch be used as a hoist? Generally speaking, no. It is not safe to use a standard winch to lift loads up off the ground, as it wasn't designed for this purpose and there is a risk that the load will be dropped.