Long story short, got laid off Monday due to a slow down in the construction company I worked for. Same day I managed what I thought was a nice number delivering beer kegs to pubs, clubs & so on.
So I turn up the following day to find the 26 tonnes part loaded with beer kegs. The kegs are on wooden pallets & have a bit of cling film wrap, thinly holding them together with another pallet of kegs on top, same set up.
I asked the drivers mate where the ratchet straps are to, well strap it down■■? We don’t have ratchet straps he replies. I said what none at all? Nope came the answer.
I went to see the transport manager & had a pleasant chat about how I’m expected to secure the load. He said to just use the curtains. The curtains were missing the odd strap, wouldn’t flap much but if a keg came loose & found a ‘sweet’ spot I’m sure it could escape out the curtains. Bare in mind a keg weighs 59kg ‘big buggers’
So on that note I polite declined the offer of the job & going out on the road.
Was I right to walk? What would have you done? I was told curtains are weatherproofing only & not load restraining.
Some curtains are designed to be load bearing and are clearly marked as such.
I wouldn’t trust them anyway to be honest.
Got to agree with you. I’d have done same. Not worth the risk.
Your licence and your freedom.
Andy56:
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So I turn up the following day to find the 26 tonnes part loaded with beer kegs. The kegs are on wooden pallets & have a bit of cling film wrap, thinly holding them together with another pallet of kegs on top, same set up.
I asked the drivers mate where the ratchet straps are to, well strap it down■■? We don’t have ratchet straps he replies. I said what none at all? Nope came the answer.
I went to see the transport manager & had a pleasant chat about how I’m expected to secure the load. He said to just use the curtains. The curtains were missing the odd strap, wouldn’t flap much but if a keg came loose & found a ‘sweet’ spot I’m sure it could escape out the curtains. Bare in mind a keg weighs 59kg ‘big buggers’
…
I have done a similar job on agency for Matthew Clark. I am surprised it was 26T - MC had special low motors with twin rear axle but were 21T or 22T with rear steer. Anyway; if it had load bearing curtains or XL curtains as they are called there is a plate on the curtain saying “XL” in gold lettering usually at the rear. Also one can tell XL curtains from the side as one can see the strengthening web as 1ft squares along its length.
At MC kegs were secured on pallets by netting which was pulled down from the roof (then secured to the truck sides) with an elastic chord system. The curtains were not XL. To get kegs off you would have had a 1m sq cushion to drop them onto. On the points I’ve mentioned you did wise. I used to shift kegs but vast quantities of spirits to pubs and night clubs by sack barrow sometimes a trucks load could be £80/90k worth. Some 1L bottles of spirits could be £50 worth - 2 boxes and say 5 high - £3k per barrow. Goes without saying drivers have been known to be attacked.
So for other reasons perhaps you were wise to leave. If you have a HIAB ticket why bother doing beverage work - it is the hardest handball work out there I think.
Andy56:
…
So I turn up the following day to find the 26 tonnes part loaded with beer kegs. The kegs are on wooden pallets & have a bit of cling film wrap, thinly holding them together with another pallet of kegs on top, same set up.
I asked the drivers mate where the ratchet straps are to, well strap it down■■? We don’t have ratchet straps he replies. I said what none at all? Nope came the answer.
I went to see the transport manager & had a pleasant chat about how I’m expected to secure the load. He said to just use the curtains. The curtains were missing the odd strap, wouldn’t flap much but if a keg came loose & found a ‘sweet’ spot I’m sure it could escape out the curtains. Bare in mind a keg weighs 59kg ‘big buggers’
…
I have done a similar job on agency for Matthew Clark. I am surprised it was 26T - MC had special low motors with twin rear axle but were 21T or 22T with rear steer. Anyway; if it had load bearing curtains or XL curtains as they are called there is a plate on the curtain saying “XL” in gold lettering usually at the rear. Also one can tell XL curtains from the side as one can see the strengthening web as 1ft squares along its length.
At MC kegs were secured on pallets by netting which was pulled down from the roof (then secured to the truck sides) with an elastic chord system. The curtains were not XL. To get kegs off you would have had a 1m sq cushion to drop them onto. On the points I’ve mentioned you did wise. I used to shift kegs but vast quantities of spirits to pubs and night clubs by sack barrow sometimes a trucks load could be £80/90k worth. Some 1L bottles of spirits could be £50 worth - 2 boxes and say 5 high - £3k per barrow. Goes without saying drivers have been known to be attacked.
So for other reasons perhaps you were wise to leave. If you have a HIAB ticket why bother doing beverage work - it is the hardest handball work out there I think.
Thank you for the reply. Yes, these were definitely not load restraining curtains there was definitely no XL or extra reinforcements on them.
There certainly was a few thousand pounds worth of drink on board. I’m glad I went with my gut instinct and didn’t get too involved with it all.
I do have an Hiab ticket & will be looking for something in that area. Again as you say it’s much easier than muscling it down in cellars & what not.
Even if they were load bearing curtains to begin with, having one broken strap means they no longer are! There’s other caveats with them too, like positive fit and securing from the rear movingon.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/22 … -vehicles/