I have a question. … I’m working with a trailer that has internal trailer straps and I also have ratchets and straps on hand if needed.
I’m happy to use the internal straps but some of my colleagues are not.
Is there a right time to use them or not? ■■
Is there a weight limit on the internal straps, and should you use ratchets and straps on heavier items. … or its it just a common sense thing?
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The little label on the top of the internal strap will tell you the maximum weight it can hold. Normally 300-400 kg’s
I’d use the internals for that stuff. Only use ratchets when the stuff your strapping is strong enough not to get crushed.
Radar19:
I’d use the internals for that stuff. Only use ratchets when the stuff your strapping is strong enough not to get crushed.
+1.
Common sense as with everything, those boxes i’d be using internals if anything at all, 25+ tons of bagged palletised product especially on plastic pallets i’d be using full straps.
Fragile products need corner boards whatever you’re using to secure, just the same as they did in the days of ropes and sheets.
Using ratchet straps on cardboard boxes is just as useful as a chocolate fireguard… use the internals.
Looking at the picture of the internal straps in use then IMO they are about as much use as a bungee cord the way they are being used, if there is any weight in the boxes. They are doing next to nothing to prevent forward movement ie anchoring the load to the floor and not a lot to prevent sideways movement either. If the straps from the opposite side of the trailer were used instead then they would be far more effective for sideways restraint. As shown one wrapping of cooking film around the boxes is doing virtually SFA, so all that any roof or ratchet strap is doing is preventing one box falling off. Proper heat-shrink wrap is what should have been used encasing plastic edge protectors of the type often used around tall pallets of fruit, but hey-ho that might add 0.0001 of a penny to the cost of the individual product inside the boxes.
Edit add: There are enough pictures on t’internet of headboards that have burst open in a collision to concentrate the mind on what can happen.
I wouldn’t bother at all with them either straps or internals but that’s just me.
I reckon the internals will be ok unless they have a history of moving or are particularly heavy
I would just be cross strapping the back on that load with the internals.
the nodding donkey:
Using ratchet straps on cardboard boxes is just as useful as a chocolate fireguard… use the internals.
I did this once. Flat cardboard boxes wrapped up. Put internals over, they fell over (load spread out), bent the top bar, messed up some of the load. Got banned from the job. Didn’t care, bloody thing didn’t have a radio! 
That was a 7.5t with 5 pallets. I also really hate Somerset now, because the people at the drop called the TM to tell him I was “arsey”.
With respect mate, do a bit of reading up on loading, cos theres so many variables to these things. (strap ratings being just one). Theres tons of good stuff online. Impossible to have much of an opinion on the trailer pics without knowing what the load is and what the boxes/pallets weigh in at. If theyre heavy enough to NEED ratchets, those boxes need corner protection boards. If theyre pretty light, i see no problem with one curtain strap per pallet. (cross strapped at rear of course) Its only you that can decide on what constitutes a secure and legal load, but if youre a bit twitchy at any time, ask some other helpful souls around for their input.
Internal straps are largely used by drivers to merely show DVSA that they have taken an interest in securing the load, they aren’t actually any use for anything remotely heavy.
They can be useful for supporting stock on a pallet that’s poorly wrapped but that’s about it.
As above that load will be more than adequately restrained by the curtains I would only use internals if they were double stacked.
The only reason for doing anything with it is keeping the DVSA and their silly schemes happy and the whole training industry that seems to have sprung up chatting nonsense about a load security issue that never existed.
I would save time with the sop to the DVSA by just running a strap from the headboard to the pillar and one from the pillar to the back door.
cav551:
Looking at the picture of the internal straps in use then IMO they are about as much use as a bungee cord the way they are being used, if there is any weight in the boxes. They are doing next to nothing to prevent forward movement ie anchoring the load to the floor and not a lot to prevent sideways movement either. If the straps from the opposite side of the trailer were used instead then they would be far more effective for sideways restraint. As shown one wrapping of cooking film around the boxes is doing virtually SFA, so all that any roof or ratchet strap is doing is preventing one box falling off. Proper heat-shrink wrap is what should have been used encasing plastic edge protectors of the type often used around tall pallets of fruit, but hey-ho that might add 0.0001 of a penny to the cost of the individual product inside the boxes.Edit add: There are enough pictures on t’internet of headboards that have burst open in a collision to concentrate the mind on what can happen.
+1
The pallet loads should at least be wrapped and banded to start with.
While the straps attached to the trailer roof idea make no sense because they don’t provide any clamping force between the load and the floor of the trailer nor sufficient anchorage strength.Which then leaves the minefield of how heavy is each package and thereby each pallet load and depending on the answer is the packaging strong enough to support the required restraint forces.Realistically air cargo type webbing nets that can be thrown over each pallet load and anchored to the trailer in usual way as straps would probably be ideal in that situation because they wouldn’t put any concentrated clamping force at any single point on the packages.IE something along these lines.
I only usually use 2 to 4 ratchet straps on a a 24 ton load.
Simple question. Disregarding weather issues, if the curtains weren’t there to close up afterwards would you take either load out on the road?
load up…possibly strap the rear two depending on how close to the back doors they are…close curtans,and light er up…job done
dieseldog999:
load up…possibly strap the rear two depending on how close to the back doors they are…close curtans,and light er up…job done
Depending on the weight of this lot exactly how does strapping just the rear pallets stop the rest from going out sideways through the curtains or through the headboard. 
On that note the second example seems better than nothing or the first example.
