Hello everyone I’ve been searching for advice on strapping pallets of various goods and of 1 ton bags of flour. Do I need to use the internal straps down the side when I haven’t got a full load and ratchets acros the back? Or even across at the back? Both for flour and pallets.
If anyone has a link or advice on strapping a load I’d appreciate it as on a few occasions I’ve attached one end of the strap to then go around the other side and it’s come away so I must be doing something wrong lol Cheers
The choice about whether or not to use internal straps has more to do with the items you’re securing than how full the vehicle is, according to the DVSA internal straps are only suitable to secure goods that do not weigh more than 400kg.
It’s difficult to say how a load should be strapped without knowing what the load is, a full load of pallets could mean using internal straps or with heavy pallets (over 400kg) it could mean using 26/28 ratchet straps, in reality with a lot of mixed loads you have to make it up as you go along.
Thank you that makes sense. Can anyone give me some advice on throwing the strap over to fasten down a load. Every time I do it, it falls off by time I get to the other end. Very frustrating. How do you guys do it?
The former refers to the ‘European Best Practice Guidelines’, which appears to have been tranlasted by a software program from mumbo-jumbo into jumbo-mumbo. I just love figure 5 for having to read it twice to get the point.
Re the 1t bulk bags of flour,if theyre in there tight to one another theres no need to strap them as theyre not going anywhere. In any case trying to strap them would be pointless given the fact you would constantly have to be re tightening them due to the loads very nature of being compressable. Two straps diagonally across the rear two is all you need…
AndrewG:
Re the 1t bulk bags of flour,if theyre in there tight to one another theres no need to strap them as theyre not going anywhere. In any case trying to strap them would be pointless given the fact you would constantly have to be re tightening them due to the loads very nature of being compressable. Two straps diagonally across the rear two is all you need…
So you’re saying if the trailer doesn’t have XL curtains it’s ok just to chuck 2 straps across the back ?
2 straps across the back diagonally with internal straps or ratchets?
Yes I’ve asked colleagues and they said throw them over and connect them together but how do you get the hook to hold on the other side of the trailer before taking up the slack with ratchet end? Interested to hear how people do it so I can correct the mistakes I’m making
It might be easier if I tell you how I’ve been doing it and someone can point out where I’m going wrong.
So I’m on the near side and throw over the hook. Get it where I want to be. Then get on the trailer and thread the tail end through the ratchet and take up the slack. Then I get back down and tighten it all up when I’m happy it’s positioned correctly.
Is this the easiest way of doing this? I use the same method whether it’s a strap going over the top or across the back of a load.
I hope this makes sense. I’ve only been doing this 6 weeks and everything else is going well, just this strapping a load business.
I apologise as I’ve noticed this is posted in the wrong forum.
The art is to roll the straps up into a coil, with the hook being the last to roll…then holding the whole coil, with the non hook piece of strap being held…just roll it across the load…when all coikls of strap have been positioned, you can then connect the ratchets…all down one side…easy peasy.
First of all, IIRC, the correct standard of load restraint is 100% of the load forward, (Provided by the headboard usually) and 50% of the forces acting to each side and the rear.
So if you are strapping two 1t bags of flour, you need to use a strap man enough to restrain 1t of load for it to meet the minimum standard. As for XL standards I quote DonBur:
DonBur Guidance:
Focussing predominantly on curtainsiders, what is crystal clear is that the days of roof mounted straps are over. So too are beliefs that “strap-in-pocket” curtains will ensure a swift getaway from the VOSA stops.
Some operators believe that they can simply retro-fit EN12642-XL rated load-bearing curtains. Interestingly, EN12642-XL rated curtains do not exist as the rating refers to the bodywork as a whole but even so, EN12642-XL does not fully comply with the C&U requirement of 50% load retention through the sides. Even if you do have EN12642-XL rated bodywork, you will need additional load restraint to be compliant.
That means that even if the curtains carry the EN12642-XL standard marking, unless the trailer also carries it, (usually on the off side of the headboard by the connections.) it doesn’t count.
As for the actual strapping method, unless its blowing a gale I will always hold the hook and throw the strap. As I throw the strap over the load I’ll hold the hook as high up the load as I can then once it’s landed, pull the hook down to the lashing point, rave or chassis. The skin friction of the strap provides enough resistance that you can just slip the hook past the rave and it won’t be loose enough to fall off. Then its round to the other side and ratchet away. No need to climb up on the trailer at all. I’ll avoid internal straps like the plague because a) they are a pain in the arse and b) they are only good for about 750kg anyway. At the back I’ll double strap the pallet or bags or whatever, then put a cross strap across it. if its something like bulk bags.
nsmith1180:
First of all, IIRC, the correct standard of load restraint is 100% of the load forward, (Provided by the headboard usually) and 50% of the forces acting to each side and the rear.
So if you are strapping two 1t bags of flour, you need to use a strap man enough to restrain 1t of load for it to meet the minimum standard. As for XL standards I quote DonBur:
DonBur Guidance:
Focussing predominantly on curtainsiders, what is crystal clear is that the days of roof mounted straps are over. So too are beliefs that “strap-in-pocket” curtains will ensure a swift getaway from the VOSA stops.
Some operators believe that they can simply retro-fit EN12642-XL rated load-bearing curtains. Interestingly, EN12642-XL rated curtains do not exist as the rating refers to the bodywork as a whole but even so, EN12642-XL does not fully comply with the C&U requirement of 50% load retention through the sides. Even if you do have EN12642-XL rated bodywork, you will need additional load restraint to be compliant.
That means that even if the curtains carry the EN12642-XL standard marking, unless the trailer also carries it, (usually on the off side of the headboard by the connections.) it doesn’t count.
As for the actual strapping method, unless its blowing a gale I will always hold the hook and throw the strap. As I throw the strap over the load I’ll hold the hook as high up the load as I can then once it’s landed, pull the hook down to the lashing point, rave or chassis. The skin friction of the strap provides enough resistance that you can just slip the hook past the rave and it won’t be loose enough to fall off. Then its round to the other side and ratchet away. No need to climb up on the trailer at all. I’ll avoid internal straps like the plague because a) they are a pain in the arse and b) they are only good for about 750kg anyway. At the back I’ll double strap the pallet or bags or whatever, then put a cross strap across it. if its something like bulk bags.
Thank you for your quick informative response. I’ll try that method as I did think there must be a easier way than climbing on the trailer.
you might find the trailer has fixing points on the deck, which means that:
a) you can undo straps without pulling the curtain back,
b) the hook is less likely to wander off while you go round the other side to ratchet up
…but you will need to know which parts of your trailer are suitably load bearing, I would ask someone at your workplace. You can always fall back on hooking it directly to the chassis, but as mentioned before, you will need a trick or two to stop the hook disconnecting while you are over the other side. I either drag the strap down so its fairly tight and it just holds itself in place, or you can rest it/balance it in place on the lip just under the trailer deck and then go round the other side and pull the slack in quickly and in one firm pull (then hold it tight (and/or stand on the end?) while you attach the ratchet.
I hate strapping, but when I had to do some paper rolls the other day, the warehouse provided me with 2 step ladders which helped a lot, and they provided some corner protectors so the paper didn’t get damaged. The corner protectors were purpose made plastic type, but you could use bits of cardboard on some loads.
Just do your best, at least make an effort commensurate on what you are carrying. If you have roof straps I would use them (assuming they work and haven’t been run over repeatedly by forklift drivers). If you feel you are not doing enough, as I often do, look around you at pallet distribution hubs and see how few people bother using anything but the roof straps.
Godzilla41:
It might be easier if I tell you how I’ve been doing it and someone can point out where I’m going wrong.
So I’m on the near side and throw over the hook. Get it where I want to be. Then get on the trailer and thread the tail end through the ratchet and take up the slack. Then I get back down and tighten it all up when I’m happy it’s positioned correctly.
Is this the easiest way of doing this? I use the same method whether it’s a strap going over the top or across the back of a load.
I hope this makes sense. I’ve only been doing this 6 weeks and everything else is going well, just this strapping a load business.
I apologise as I’ve noticed this is posted in the wrong forum.
Any help appreciated
Throw the flat end over with the hook in your hand, pull the hook along and hook it underneath, pull the flat end round the closest pallet and over the top of the far one and down straight then ratchet it.
You can vary it depending on the load, sometimes I’ll have the hook 5 pallets deep, round the back, over then ratcheted 5 pallets deep if there are cleats to attatch them to.
Roll your straps up with the hook on the outside, hold the roll in your throwing hand and the hook in your other and heave it over. Don’t be one of those halfwits who throw the metal hook over. Hope this helps.
How to cross strap? Stand about 6ft forward from the rear of the load and throw a strap over aiming for the centre rear. Then just hook / strap round the corners
