Strapping

Seeing a bit recently on how loads should be strapped and loads coming loose . How would you guys Strap down various loads and what are the rules and regs on such things? . What should be strapped and what not?

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It all depends on YOU. You are the driver, you are in charge of the load and vehicle. When you start out, ask the experienced guys how they do it but always make the final decision yourself. They will not be at the roadside to bail you out when the DVSA guy is tearing apart your vehicle and presenting you with a nice fine for the piviliage.

If it look like it will go over then strap it. If its heavy and likely to move, strap it. Use your grey matter, access the load. As soon as something hits the bed of your vehicle it is down to you to secure it and then transport it safely. Some things don’t require strapping other than a strap across the back to keep them upright, others require multiple straps.

Don’t be forced into cutting corners, you might see experienced guys forgo strapping something but they might have taken that load lots of times and will know how it reacts on the road. You may not of taken said load so secure it.

There are two types of drivers in this industry. Drivers and Screwdrivers. Don’t be a Screwdriver.

If carrying cable drums run straps through centre 2 on drums up to 2 tons over 2 ton use chains also if there’s a bit of metal around centre hole put some cardboard or rag under straps to stop chafing
On sheet materials use plastic or metal corners

Radar19:
It all depends on YOU. You are the driver, you are in charge of the load and vehicle. When you start out, ask the experienced guys how they do it but always make the final decision yourself. They will not be at the roadside to bail you out when the DVSA guy is tearing apart your vehicle and presenting you with a nice fine for the piviliage.

If it look like it will go over then strap it. If its heavy and likely to move, strap it. Use your grey matter, access the load. As soon as something hits the bed of your vehicle it is down to you to secure it and then transport it safely. Some things don’t require strapping other than a strap across the back to keep them upright, others require multiple straps.

Don’t be forced into cutting corners, you might see experienced guys forgo strapping something but they might have taken that load lots of times and will know how it reacts on the road. You may not of taken said load so secure it.

There are two types of drivers in this industry. Drivers and Screwdrivers. Don’t be a Screwdriver.

I’ve always strapped down according to the load it’s self and so far so good. Was curious as I heard recently about DVSA pulling and checking loads. I’d never turn a wheel if I wasn’t sure of a load and always use a bit of common sense (I think) when doing it. Was just wondering if there was some kinda rule or legislation I should be keeping in mind. You know how these government types like overkill

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Yes there are rules mate, and there are lots of made up rules as well it appears.
Like £100 fine for each turn of the legs of your trailer in the slow gear!

And as there is so much bull in the game, I find it easier to ask myself when securing a load: Can I defend my position if I get pulled?

OK it may not be too technical, it is based on experience, but at the end of the day it’s only common sense…

If you’ve tall pallets try and put them on the headboard.
Don’t put very low pallets between taller ones, stick em at the back of possible.
What’s going to happen if I need to do an emergency stop?
Is an internal alone going to hold that pallet?

You should now be working out that you also need a forkie with common sense and a helpful attitude!
Well good luck with that!

But seriously as Radar says, you’re the one who’s responsible for the load, so YOU are the one who decides how it’s loaded, not the forkie! So I’d suggest you try to get on well with your forkies, as why make life hard for yourself?

Remember that you can’t shift your load around 100%. as a lot it likely to come off the tail lift out the back. But shifting the odd pallet around now and then can make life eaiser, and a lot quicker than having to restack a whole pallet in the back of the truck (Sorry, VAN! ) You’ll learn your regular drops where they maybe have a forklift, and as you get to know those forkies, you can even ask they to swap a couple of pallets back over for you, Like I said before, why make life hard for yourself?

I pays to be organised, so mark off what side a pallet is on your run/drop sheet, a simple ‘L’ or ‘R’ worked for me. Nothing worse than turning up to a drop, being asked what side it is, and answering: I don’t know!

As Blue Estate addresses, plastic barrels on a wooden pallet is one to look out for, as it’s a Teflon wet-dream, and those barrels will be off that pallet faster than you can blink! So be prepared to get your roll of wrap out, ask the forkie to put it on the deck and bond it to the pallet better, or at all sadly sometimes…

This may be stating the obvious, but it’s not the pallets that move, as they are interlocked together!
It’s what’s on the pallet, and how that load is then secured to the pallet.
And hopefully better than this!

Which in this example, isn’t too bad as it almost fills the pallet, so you could support those heavy cans with the loads around it.
So how strong are those loads and can they take the weight? Which comes down to common sense…

Diligence, practice and experience is what counts when it comes to load security, plus I couldn’t be arsed to get a calculator out!

The bad new to my story is that depending on your depot, you might find your truck already loaded when you get there, so it pays to be punctual. The forkies now might be scarce and your load in a right mess! But that doesn’t mean you have to accept it, and do the best you can to dodge it, as what sort of message does that send?

Only a short sighted boss would see a Newbie first out the gate as a good thing! Also remember that a forkie wants to often do their job with the least resistance to them, so if they learn that they have to engage their brain when loading your trailer, they won’t have to rearrange it. And this leads to a bit of diplomacy, or needs to if you want an easy life with your forkies. No point throwing your arms in the air and demanding, as they probably also have other things to do. So you make your request, cite your reasons and wait your turn.

The reason you’re not out the gate now is not your fault! And now again you need common sense, as you can’t be an anally retentive arse, stating you can’t move until things are done perfect. You need to play your ‘Newbie Card’ and say with your inexperience, you’d rather be cautions as you’re learning. The result should end in a fair compromise where things get done, and you build a reputation of wanting to do it right, and not be the tear-arse who’s in the betting for first out the gate…

Start the way you plan to go on!

P.S. As it’s related, here’s a thread I did when i was green about a couple of forkies from another firms pallet depot I collected from!
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=129689

If not sure how to strap something down securely then ASK another who has done it before

I was just checking if there was something I might be missing. I’m not new to curtains but been a while. I’m doing pretty much everything as mentioned above to the letter and of the same mind of a bit of thought and common sense be used and I’m not shy to ask if I’m not sure…None of that I’m to proud to ask or I know it all…thats trouble waiting to happen.

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Evil8Beezle:
Yes there are rules mate, and there are lots of made up rules as well it appears.
Like £100 fine for each turn of the legs of your trailer in the slow gear! [emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38]

And as there is so much bull in the game, I find it easier to ask myself when securing a load: Can I defend my position if I get pulled?

OK it may not be too technical, it is based on experience, but at the end of the day it’s only common sense…

If you’ve tall pallets try and put them on the headboard.
Don’t put very low pallets between taller ones, stick em at the back of possible.
What’s going to happen if I need to do an emergency stop?
Is an internal alone going to hold that pallet?

You should now be working out that you also need a forkie with common sense and a helpful attitude!
Well good luck with that! [emoji38]

But seriously as Radar says, you’re the one who’s responsible for the load, so YOU are the one who decides how it’s loaded, not the forkie! So I’d suggest you try to get on well with your forkies, as why make life hard for yourself?

Remember that you can’t shift your load around 100%. as a lot it likely to come off the tail lift out the back. But shifting the odd pallet around now and then can make life eaiser, and a lot quicker than having to restack a whole pallet in the back of the truck (Sorry, VAN! ) You’ll learn your regular drops where they maybe have a forklift, and as you get to know those forkies, you can even ask they to swap a couple of pallets back over for you, Like I said before, why make life hard for yourself?

I pays to be organised, so mark off what side a pallet is on your run/drop sheet, a simple ‘L’ or ‘R’ worked for me. Nothing worse than turning up to a drop, being asked what side it is, and answering: I don’t know! [emoji38]

As Blue Estate addresses, plastic barrels on a wooden pallet is one to look out for, as it’s a Teflon wet-dream, and those barrels will be off that pallet faster than you can blink! So be prepared to get your roll of wrap out, ask the forkie to put it on the deck and bond it to the pallet better, or at all sadly sometimes…

This may be stating the obvious, but it’s not the pallets that move, as they are interlocked together!
It’s what’s on the pallet, and how that load is then secured to the pallet.
And hopefully better than this!

Which in this example, isn’t too bad as it almost fills the pallet, so you could support those heavy cans with the loads around it.
So how strong are those loads and can they take the weight? Which comes down to common sense…

Diligence, practice and experience is what counts when it comes to load security, plus I couldn’t be arsed to get a calculator out!

The bad new to my story is that depending on your depot, you might find your truck already loaded when you get there, so it pays to be punctual. The forkies now might be scarce and your load in a right mess! But that doesn’t mean you have to accept it, and do the best you can to dodge it, as what sort of message does that send?

Only a short sighted boss would see a Newbie first out the gate as a good thing! [emoji38] Also remember that a forkie wants to often do their job with the least resistance to them, so if they learn that they have to engage their brain when loading your trailer, they won’t have to rearrange it. And this leads to a bit of diplomacy, or needs to if you want an easy life with your forkies. No point throwing your arms in the air and demanding, as they probably also have other things to do. So you make your request, cite your reasons and wait your turn.

The reason you’re not out the gate now is not your fault! And now again you need common sense, as you can’t be an anally retentive arse, stating you can’t move until things are done perfect. You need to play your ‘Newbie Card’ and say with your inexperience, you’d rather be cautions as you’re learning. The result should end in a fair compromise where things get done, and you build a reputation of wanting to do it right, and not be the tear-arse who’s in the betting for first out the gate…

Start the way you plan to go on!

P.S. As it’s related, here’s a thread I did when i was green about a couple of forkies from another firms pallet depot I collected from!
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=129689

I could visualise every step of that… Lol

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Cargo weighing more than 400 kgs requires a ratchet strap.
Below 400kgs, internal straps that hang down from the trailer roof is ok.
But they are held on with a small bolt.
XL1264 rated trailers do not need any strapping , as long as the trailer floor is full up .
Less than 80cms from the rear of the load, then straps needed.
Glass bottles and tins can be damaged with strapping, so need plastic corners to protect the load .
Some drivers use wooden boards .
Mineral water bottles, some only put a pallet at the last two pallets and strap it.
Load security came from Germany ,they get fed up with long delays in cleaning up spilt loads all over their Autobahns with cheap EE haulage transiting Germany .

At the moment I’m carrying scaffolding, scaffold boards and bins/stillages of associated kit, which can be pretty unforgiving stuff imo, round, metal and slippery!

My personal golden rule is this:

If I ain’t too sure put another ■■■■■■■■, and if needed another and another…

It only takes a couple of minutes and peace of mind is paramount I think!

andy288*:
At the moment I’m carrying scaffolding, scaffold boards and bins/stillages of associated kit, which can be pretty unforgiving stuff imo, round, metal and slippery!

My personal golden rule is this:

If I ain’t too sure put another ■■■■■■■■, and if needed another and another…

It only takes a couple of minutes and peace of mind is paramount I think!

On show or behind a curtain mate?

Evil8Beezle:
On show or behind a curtain mate?

Irrelevant as the curtain is only there to keep the load dry unless it is an XL rated trailer.

And you were doing so well with your elaborate post earlier.

wheelnutt:

Evil8Beezle:
On show or behind a curtain mate?

Irrelevant as the curtain is only there to keep the load dry unless it is an XL rated trailer.

And you were doing so well with your elaborate post earlier.

Sorry mate but I think you’re jumping the gun, as I’ve no made no actual statement on this aspect. I’ve merely posed the question on the grounds that there is a psychological element to whether it’s on show or not, and when it is, we probably all feel the need to do a better job. I’m not saying you can do less of a job when it’s hidden, but we are all human and some of us are also lazy. Those lazy drivers will be the ones calling the boss at some point saying the load is on the deck and there’s a huge tear in the curtain, even an XL one. What I would have gone onto say before you jumped to conclusions was that the curtain should be treated as not there, as it won’t be when the DVSA pull you over and ask you to open it.

I stand corrected and yes you are probably right with your observation, when it is on show drivers probably tend to make more of an effort.

Evil8Beezle:

andy288*:
At the moment I’m carrying scaffolding, scaffold boards and bins/stillages of associated kit, which can be pretty unforgiving stuff imo, round, metal and slippery!

My personal golden rule is this:

If I ain’t too sure put another ■■■■■■■■, and if needed another and another…

It only takes a couple of minutes and peace of mind is paramount I think!

On show or behind a curtain mate?

Its on show m8 so needs to look correct as well as being secure imo - well as best you can with a load of odd shaped skanky scaffolding!

andy288*:
[Its on show m8 so needs to look correct as well as being secure imo - well as best you can with a load of odd shaped skanky scaffolding!

Yep I’ve been there, and it does feel different being naked!

I’d have liked a few more straps over this, but I’d used all I had!

wheelnutt:
I stand corrected and yes you are probably right with your observation, when it is on show drivers probably tend to make more of an effort.

No worried, but I’m intrigued by your description of ‘elaborate’…

wheelnutt:
And you were doing so well with your elaborate post earlier.

Evil8Beezle:

andy288*:
[Its on show m8 so needs to look correct as well as being secure imo - well as best you can with a load of odd shaped skanky scaffolding!

Yep I’ve been there, and it does feel different being naked!

I’d have liked a few more straps over this, but I’d used all I had!

Happy days!

I put an extra ■■■■■■■■ my load most days when probably not always required tbh

Guys that work in factory are like, you dont need another one on ffs!! Am like, who is responsible for load? and who’s Licence is it?

I tell them, you go back to making product and i’ll leave you alone! I’ll secure load, deliver product and you can leave me alone

Tommy7437:
I put an extra ■■■■■■■■ my load most days when probably not always required tbh

Guys that work in factory are like, you dont need another one on ffs!! Am like, who is responsible for load? and who’s Licence is it?

I tell them, you go back to making product and i’ll leave you alone! I’ll secure load, deliver product and you can leave me alone

I’m the same. Wouldn’t be happy if I had stowed straps doing nothing in a bin and the load moves or I got stopped by dvsa who weren’t happy with my strapping… would rather strap the hell out of a load than have to get a calculator out to get it just right according to Newton.