Abstract: A safety lifting hook comprises a safety latch mounted on the hook body for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis in the plane of the hook body. The latch has two opposed noses, and in a safety position of the latch, one of the noses is situated in the vicinity of the nose of the hook and the second nose is retained by a locking pawl. The locking pawl is pivotally mounted about an axis transverse to the pivot axis of the latch and is spring-biased into a position in which it retains the second nose of the latch.