Double Deck Trailers

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

Toddy2:
0I do trunking with D Deckers for a parcel company, and often have a collection or 2 to do before the trunk,
These are the lifting deck type (Cartwright/Don Bur/Gray & Adams)
they have a fabric ■■■■■■■■ each deck, and pull out steps underneath, next to the number plate
Many of these are busted/wedged in, so don’t tend to use them,
I usually manage by lowering the suspension & pulling myself up with the strap
It is getting harder as i get older.
Obviously easier to get on the bottom deck, when the top deck is raised,
When the deck is down, I step onto bottom deck, whilst holding the strap, then onto the top deck
As said before, if there are no steps available, and it is too much of a climb, don’t take it

Years ago, we would have climbed up the forklift mast and it was fine, things have tightened up though!

22

If the company has a H&S manager, go find him/her and show them the situation, or if no H&S dept, write to the company senior manager highlighting the issue.
Talk is all deniable, once its in writing its their responsibility.

23

yourhavingalarf:

AAMAR:

adam277:
Ask for a little step ladder you can put in your cab or you can bungie tie to the back of your unit?

I’ve never had this issue. Sometimes you can stand on the bar below the brake lights or just stand on the lights themselves.
Either that or a good run up. Ask the forklift driver to give you a lift up.

Many ways to get up.
That being said. Put the ball in the employers court if you dont like it. If they refuse get it in writing. Wait a month. ‘Fall by mistake’. Then take them to the cleaners.

I think it doesn’t help being so short ,but ironically I bought a 3 step folding step ladder & went to put it in the back of the trailer & the H & S manager saw it & said i couldn’t use it as its not safe!!

That would appear…

To me, to be a DPD trailer. That’s how the fleet is numbered.

I just can’t see DPD asking a driver to do any of this. The firm has buried itself under a raft of H&S legislation.

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24

This company do expect their drivers to climb in and out of their double deck trailers when at customers sites, most of whom don’t have bays.
I spent the first two months of this year doing bulk C&D for them with DD trailers. My technique for climbing up from bottom to top deck was to use the middle ring on the side of the top deck frame as a hand hold, but it’s a stretch to reach and still a big step up for me at 6’1” tall.
The strap inside the trailer is only helpful when climbing onto the bottom deck because your body is outside the trailer, once inside the trailer the strap is at the side of your body and using it when attempting to get onto the top deck just rotates your body increasing the chance of a fall.The strap can’t be repositioned further into the trailer because it would be behind the side of the top deck (where the ring is).
Fortunately I was able to get a change from C&D back to trunking by telling my agency it was just too much handball, but still occasionally have to climb in the trailer as I do various shifts across three different depots now (my choice).
However that option probably isn’t open to a directly employed driver.

25

Arent DD trailers a bit overkill for C&D?
Or do they just use them because they are not used during the day.

26

Im 50 this year…vertically challenged, and i have no problems climbing into DD trailers top or bottom deck. (raisable deck, not fixed obviously!)
99/100 have a strap to hold to pull yourself up.

If it doesn’t, defect it.

27

Rothman:
This company do expect their drivers to climb in and out of their double deck trailers when at customers sites, most of whom don’t have bays.
I spent the first two months of this year doing bulk C&D for them with DD trailers. My technique for climbing up from bottom to top deck was to use the middle ring on the side of the top deck frame as a hand hold, but it’s a stretch to reach and still a big step up for me at 6’1” tall.
The strap inside the trailer is only helpful when climbing onto the bottom deck because your body is outside the trailer, once inside the trailer the strap is at the side of your body and using it when attempting to get onto the top deck just rotates your body increasing the chance of a fall.The strap can’t be repositioned further into the trailer because it would be behind the side of the top deck (where the ring is).
Fortunately I was able to get a change from C&D back to trunking by telling my agency it was just too much handball, but still occasionally have to climb in the trailer as I do various shifts across three different depots now (my choice).
However that option probably isn’t open to a directly employed driver.

are you for real?

im 5’4 and i have never had any problems climbing in any trailer at DPD!

28

AAMAR:

blue estate:
You don’t do it and take the trailer back and ask for a standard one
Play them at their own H&S game

Sent from my truck

Unfortunately all of their trailers are the same,they do have a fabric strap but its at the same height as the load level on the top deck so you have to have climbed on the deck to reach it,i used to do single deck work for 3 years & now theyve changed my run,i have questioned it as i think these trailers are designed for loading bays only but so far theyre not backing down

Ours don’t have steps and we are strictly banned from entering, the loading manager signs off the loading so in theory there’s no reason for a driver to want to jump up and check anything.