This paper describes the application of the “Simple Load Model” of the new IEC standard for the safety of small wind turbines to a three-bladed, 2m diameter, 500 W turbine with a permanent magnet generator and a furling tail fin. The two most important load cases are discussed in detail along with the determination of the component stresses from these loads. A spreadsheet is presented that allows rapid calculation of the loads and stresses for all ten cases in the Simple Load Model. The spreadsheet can be used for any small turbine. A number of inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the standard are identified; the prime one being the lack of a thrust term in the equation for the blade root bending moment. Important aspects of small wind turbine behaviour are still not well understood: these include yaw behaviour, in particular the maximum yaw rate that determines the gyroscopic moment on the blades and main shaft which is usually the dominant load on a small turbine.