Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!
If the cabins have twist locks then yes but some cabins do
not have these, so Straps and chains and Anti-Skid–Matting
are used, Ratchet straps when used must be in good working
order,Not frayed , worn,ripped, or missing the sign at the
end which shows the quality seal and working strength ,
The truck body didn’t seem to have any twist lock ‘holes’ on it and the cabins were narrower than the truck anyhow. I would’ve thought you’d need chains on something like that. I wouldn’t trust a ■■■■■■■■ a dirty great steel cabin, never mind a shagged one!
chris_89:
Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!
I have carried them strapped over the roof. I have used bottlescrews on the legs and strapped them round the jacklegs. We all used to fasten ISO containers on flat trailers with ropes.
I would have no problem using straps on Portakabins or similar. They weigh very little because they are empty structures, additionally a chain would damage one.
Not sure what an empty Portakabin weighs, but I doubt there is five tonnes in one, and four ratchet straps would do it for me.
Harry Monk:
I would have no problem using straps on Portakabins or similar. They weigh very little because they are empty structures, additionally a chain would damage one.Not sure what an empty Portakabin weighs, but I doubt there is five tonnes in one, and four ratchet straps would do it for me.
Me too.
I carry work cabins and porta cabins and we never use more than two straps over the roof, but with new regs re: fall arrests and ladders we cut the straps down and use a ratchet on the four legs never had a problem on site or company h @ s and that was with balfour beatty ‘zero harm’ bandits. now i carry computers from hinckley and don’t have to worry about loads at all, thats the first in ten years, driving a to b could’nt be easier but boring.
john_costigan:
Harry Monk:
I would have no problem using straps on Portakabins or similar. They weigh very little because they are empty structures, additionally a chain would damage one.Not sure what an empty Portakabin weighs, but I doubt there is five tonnes in one, and four ratchet straps would do it for me.
Me too.
me 3 !
on normal cabins (within truck body I use 2 straps over the roof,
on wide cabins, 4 straps, shortened on each of the jack legs is more than enough to stop it moving, 2 pulling forwards 2 pulling back, bob’s ya uncle.
That’s good to know then! I’ve no idea what one would weigh. Near enough every company I’ve worked for through the agency, it’s been a struggle to find a ratchet strap that’s in working order, bit bad really as none of them really seem to care.
The big oasis type cabins / Containers with toilet, genny & canteen are fairly heavy (apporx 6t) but your average jackleg tye site cabin (non container based) weigh next to nothing. Sometimes it’s a job to know whether to risk the roof caving in with straps over the top or chance the legs separating from the body such is the condition of some that I have moved.
chris_89:
Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!
Passed “a shed of a Volvo 26 tonner flatbed”
Did it fall off ? . . Cab happy or wind up ? . . twist locks on a 10" wide flat 
chris_89:
Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!
Do mean something like this…
You’d need big arms to throw a strap over that 
newmercman:
chris_89:
Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!Do mean something like this…
You’d need big arms to throw a strap over that
Get a ladder,climb onto the roof, and drop the ropes down the sides and then rope it all down just like hauling stacked pallets.
But have you noticed how they always put prefabs built like garden sheds where they get tornadoes 
and places built with 1000’s of tonnes of concrete where they get earthquakes .So I’d bet it’s not going to California probably the Mid West .
Carryfast:
newmercman:
chris_89:
Heading down the M40 today and passed a shed of a volvo 26tonner flatbed carrying portakabin type things. They were ‘secured’ with ratchet straps… frayed and knackered ones at that! SURELY this is not safe, how on earth can a [zb]ing ratchet strap hold those beasts? Thought they were supposed to be secured with them twistlocks or whatever. I wouldn’t dare!Do mean something like this…
You’d need big arms to throw a strap over that
Get a ladder,climb onto the roof, and drop the ropes down the sides and then rope it all down just like hauling stacked pallets.
But have you noticed how they always put prefabs built like garden sheds where they get tornadoes
Come on NMM, you open the window and chuck it through.
Really though, I used to carry Protakabins out of Thame, a bit of rope round each leg, they weight only 2 or 3 tons depending on what size they are.