Any tips please for good practice delivering building materials
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Never done it my mate does. Been with him a few times .
Basiaclly if it’s house deliveres don’t let the customer get to you. IE there expect you to drop it off in a certain place where it’s impossible to.
And before setting up check for obstructions
IE overhead telephone lines. And tress lamposts etc that could get in the way.
Basiaclly just take your time asses the situation before setting up.
A few obvious things, watched out for overheard wires and obstructions and try to avoid lifting over parked cars or other property. If you can block the footpath with cones to prevent pedestrians walking through / give warning do so but don’t expect they will, keep one eye on the load and one eye on anyone coming. If they are coming and you haven’t lifted yet, wait for them to pass. If it is unsafe for them tell them to stop and wait until it is, and thank them for doing so.
Watch out for paths made of paving flags, even with spreader pads under the legs they can easily crack or get pushed into the ground.
If you are lifting pallets with straps through the pallets beware if the load is heavy and not as wide as the pallet, the strap will attempt to take the shortest route and can fold up the edges of the pallet. Three slot pallets are good as the straps stay spread apart whereas two slot pallets the straps try and meet in the middle making for an uneven load, I usually feed them through the outside edges of the pallet and tuck them around the edge of blocks to prevent that happening.
My experience is not that of using a builders merchant crane which stays unfolded with a block grab just a standard hook that is folded away at the end of operation, one good tip here is to unfold it away from you as they can fill up with water and give a cold shower when you are underneath. I always fold them up so they are not directly above me and put them roughly 2’ above the stowed position then finish off from that side so I can put stow them accurately and safely.
Also worth noting is most of the building material I move is not new stock ex merchant but site clearance or movement between sites when stocks are short etc, the products are often not in the best condition on shonky old pallets and with cling film that would do well wrapping your sandwiches. Anything iffy gets rejected or I make sure they restack / rewrap it. Once it is on it becomes my responsibility
8wheels:
If you are lifting pallets with straps through the pallets beware if the load is heavy and not as wide as the pallet, the strap will attempt to take the shortest route and can fold up the edges of the pallet.
Should anyone be doing this?
No fork attachment for crane? Don`t bodge it by using straps, surely?
Franglais:
8wheels:
If you are lifting pallets with straps through the pallets beware if the load is heavy and not as wide as the pallet, the strap will attempt to take the shortest route and can fold up the edges of the pallet.Should anyone be doing this?
No fork attachment for crane? Don`t bodge it by using straps, surely?
We do it all the time. It wrecks the pallet but the load is safe. Its because the load does not go to the edge of the pallet and when the strops start to tighten at the start of the lift 1 or more slats on the pallet will lift and come away from the pallet blocks.
The strops then tighten themselves firmly to the load. All safe and no issues. Of course the pallet is knackered and has to chucked away.
Franglais:
8wheels:
If you are lifting pallets with straps through the pallets beware if the load is heavy and not as wide as the pallet, the strap will attempt to take the shortest route and can fold up the edges of the pallet.Should anyone be doing this?
No fork attachment for crane? Don`t bodge it by using straps, surely?
Trouble is I do not drive a vehicle that is used for one purpose, I drive a plant vehicle with a crane and we are hired out for site movements and transport. I cannot carry grabs and forks with me every day on the off chance of needing them. Sometimes I am loaded by forks and expect a forklift unload but there isn’t one available or wasn’t even expecting to move materials/
My vehicle is like a swiss army knife to our customers, I could deliver a digger, move a container then load materials for onward transport in one visit. I have some flat U section steels that I slide through the pallets to try and prevent this happening, but they don’t work on all pallets and technically should not be used as are not tested.
I have to get the job done one way or the other but as stated previously, if it is utter crap I’ll bin it off.
Other point I forgot was to keep the load as low as possible at all times
“Pallets handled by a crane should only be lifted by suitable fork attachments (see
Figure 7) or in the case of wing pallets, by bar slings with spreaders”
hse.gov.uk/pubns/pm15.pdf
.
I deliver for a large builders/civils merchant and we sling pallets all the time.
When your putting the slings through the pallets , get yourself one of the thin metal bars with the hook on the end that sites use for temporary fencing. Put an end of each sling onto the hooks on your grab. Lift grab into the air so the slings hang down, then move your boom over the pallet making sure the slings are hanging down the far side of the pallet. Lower boom down and then using the hook on your little metal bar pull the slings through the pallet and hook onto the grab on the side your standing on.
This will save you having to go onto bed of truck to hook on slings, which many sites get upset by.
At this time of year get yourself a couple of the plastic tubs of sweets that all the supermarkets sell, a handful of these to the site forklift driver usually ensures he’ll lift your pallets off for you and will remember you next time your on site.
Private customers are a complete pain and generally think you can put stuff over the top of their house etc.
Never lift over cars
Watch out for drains and other easily damaged things when putting legs down.
Don’t lift stuff onto scaffolding if you bump the bars you’ll be in trouble.
Take your time and don’t listen when you get told “oh the guy from Travis went down there”
A hard hat liner with an extended back will stop water running down your neck.
all great advice, you wont get that on any course get it from the people who DO the job…
Franglais:
“Pallets handled by a crane should only be lifted by suitable fork attachments (see
Figure 7) or in the case of wing pallets, by bar slings with spreaders”
hse.gov.uk/pubns/pm15.pdf
.
We can quote the rules and regulations all day…but in the real world we do a job realistically. So long as the load is secure and kept low you can do a dynamic risk assessment.
As I previously mentioned, the strops will eventually tighten themselves onto the load and all is safe.
One bit of advice…if you are not happy or comfortable with any aspect of the lift then stop and seek advice. Don’t be afraid to bring the load back if for example ground conditions are too soft for your outriggers or there are power lines above your lift zone.
I’ve done that Jewsons malarkey and it was garbage. The crap you have to put up with is unreal.
Franglais:
8wheels:
If you are lifting pallets with straps through the pallets beware if the load is heavy and not as wide as the pallet, the strap will attempt to take the shortest route and can fold up the edges of the pallet.Should anyone be doing this?
No fork attachment for crane? Don`t bodge it by using straps, surely?
Fork attachment? I’ve never seen one. I’ve moved plenty of pallets with lifting straps quite safely
For the OP: DO NOT lift over parked cars, there will most surely will be a company policy about this, make sure to use your “big foot” when putting the leg down on a pavement, don’t try to do this on grass though as you’ll be surprised how even solid ground can compress, also don’t do it on a manhole cover or anything else indicating underground services. Don’t try to save time by not putting the stabiliser legs down! We have no automatic right to block a pavement (council busybodies will be quick to jump on you!) and it’s your responsibility to keep the numpties safe - if you’ve got a remote then you need to be standing where pedestrians will walk.
Biggest thing is to be a “problem solver”, don’t assume what A.N. Other driver tells you about a site is the best way to do it, think about the task before you start it, and last of all - steady away wins the day, if you try to rush a lift you’ll probably end up regretting it
msgyorkie:
Franglais:
“Pallets handled by a crane should only be lifted by suitable fork attachments (see
Figure 7) or in the case of wing pallets, by bar slings with spreaders”
hse.gov.uk/pubns/pm15.pdf
.We can quote the rules and regulations all day…but in the real world we do a job realistically. So long as the load is secure and kept low you can do a dynamic risk assessment.
As I previously mentioned, the strops will eventually tighten themselves onto the load and all is safe.
In the past Ive done those lifts too. I doubt I would today. . "Do a job realistically"? Yep, Ive done that. (As realistically as a nine bob note!)
What I did years ago, in many aspects I wouldnt do today. . Im not on Hiabs now, but am rather surprised if things still run as they did twenty years back. But there we go.
.
Nothing at all wrong with letting the OP know what the rules say is there?
If they want to risk (small or large there is a risk) a fine or whatever, that is up to them.
.
Zac_A:
Fork attachment? I’ve never seen one. I’ve moved plenty of pallets with lifting straps quite safely
Really?
Had them 30 years ago! Wee bit of work to stow them, but not beyond any “Problem solver”. 
On some the tines slide off and it`s easy to stow somewhere.
Here have a Ferrari !
ebay.co.uk/itm/222627515280 … SwvjdZSSdf
I’ve a US style wide brim hard hat for sun and rain.
It’s BS spec too
Zac_A:
Fork attachment? I’ve never seen one. I’ve moved plenty of pallets with lifting straps quite safelyReally?
Had them 30 years ago! Wee bit of work to stow them, but not beyond any “Problem solver”.
Here have a Ferrari !
ebay.co.uk/itm/222627515280 … SwvjdZSSdf
That looks like a heavy piece of kit. I’ve used hooks, brick grabs, but mostly a schaeffer attachment for recycling containers, which is such an odd bit of kit I can’t even find a photo to show you what I’m talking about.
Zac_A:
Zac_A:
Fork attachment? I’ve never seen one. I’ve moved plenty of pallets with lifting straps quite safelyReally?
Had them 30 years ago! Wee bit of work to stow them, but not beyond any “Problem solver”.
Here have a Ferrari !
ebay.co.uk/itm/222627515280 … SwvjdZSSdfThat looks like a heavy piece of kit. I’ve used hooks, brick grabs, but mostly a schaeffer attachment for recycling containers, which is such an odd bit of kit I can’t even find a photo to show you what I’m talking about.
They are a bit a scrabble at first, but like anything, use it a few times and youll get to move it ok by hand. (But youve got a crane! ) The forks stow easily, the angle will stow up inside the side bars of a flat trailer. Use a trailer often? Then a custom mount on the headboard should be easy to rig.
Looks a bit of a faff? Once set it will tip a trailer much quicker than ■■■■■■■ about with straps on pallets. especially if pallets are butted in the middle. How much faffing about with straps? Yes, you`ll get quicker with doing it often, but then, if doing it often: get the correct kit.
Thanks all - I was wondering about the outriggers - do both have to come out example block road for a kerbside delivery
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One other thing. Do not try and drive into someone’s mono block driveway.
They are not designed for the weight of your vehicle.
Many companies will give you a disclaimer book for the customer to sign in case something goes wrong. They have no legal standing and if you do cause harm to someone else’s property, it’s your fault as you should have known better.
Actually that’s two things , oops
Bongobus11:
Thanks all - I was wondering about the outriggers - do both have to come out example block road for a kerbside deliverySent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No usually one out to the max on the side your lifting to and the other leg straight down.
Some trucks drop the air suspension when you engage the PTO but be warned, not all of them raise it again when you disengage it, you need to press the self level button.
This is a picture of pallet forks at work, if I can post it
