I know this has been done over and over on previous threads.
Was loading pallets of bottled water earlier. It was loaded on a bay through the back doors. My notes say my 24 pallets weigh 25300kgs.
Out of every driver I saw pulling off those bays while I was there every single one just cross strapped the back, shut the doors and was off.
I opened my curtains and strapped every pallet with a strap at the side then did a double cross at the back. Now judging by age all the guys just doing a single cross at the back were much more experienced than me, but 25 tons with no straps other than the back? Really?
I looked at my tacho and from pulling off the bay it took me 20 mins to open it all to, strap it, the close it again.
Are the majority just the lazy that they can’t be bothered to spend 20 mins putting straps on or am I going totally over the top and doing something unnecessary? Regardless I know how I’d rather have it I’d dvsa wanted a little look.
So, question…
Would you do it like I did it? Or would you do it how the experienced guys did it? And before someone says it yes I know stobarts only strap the back as well.
You don’t need to strap every pallet. There is no way you will accelerate hard enough to have a ’ backwards ’ shot load. If the pallets ■■■■ up nicely against the headboard and each other, they won’t shoot forward either.
Which only leaves lateral movement. Professional and smooth driving will negate that.
Rowley010:
I know this has been done over and over on previous threads.
Was loading pallets of bottled water earlier. It was loaded on a bay through the back doors. My notes say my 24 pallets weigh 25300kgs.
Out of every driver I saw pulling off those bays while I was there every single one just cross strapped the back, shut the doors and was off.
I opened my curtains and strapped every pallet with a strap at the side then did a double cross at the back. Now judging by age all the guys just doing a single cross at the back were much more experienced than me, but 25 tons with no straps other than the back? Really?
I looked at my tacho and from pulling off the bay it took me 20 mins to open it all to, strap it, the close it again.
Are the majority just the lazy that they can’t be bothered to spend 20 mins putting straps on or am I going totally over the top and doing something unnecessary? Regardless I know how I’d rather have it I’d dvsa wanted a little look.
So, question…
Would you do it like I did it? Or would you do it how the experienced guys did it? And before someone says it yes I know stobarts only strap the back as well.
Before anyone else says it.
Shut the doors and crack on drive.
daftvader:
Yep.Just crossed strapped at the back for me too.After all.A single internal strap down the side is’nt really going to do much anyway.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
By that logic why even bother with the back then? They aren’t going to do anything there either
Crossed straps on the rear two pallets will stop a collapsed pallet from 2atting you when you open the barn doors. It also shows a bit of effort if DVSA have a quick nosy without demanding that you open the curtains.
when I used to get bottled water out of Buxton i was always dubious. technically they were 2 heavy for the internals.so I used to ratchet 1 every 3. I was lucky I had some really good corner boards that protected the bottles.
I was nearly ran of the road on 1 occasion by a Mr lomas coming the other way on the racing line of the a515 who was late for his tea. if I hadn’t strapped them I would of been picking several thousands bottles of Buxton water out of the fields, as I had severe curtain bulge and 1 of the pallets bent the trailer retaining brace.
hairy momemt
Also open the curtains fully at nestle Buxton water on a windy day at your peril.
If you work for a reputable company I’ve worked for then you put straps on the back (not crossed) and leave the rest for the XL curtains to hold - all drinks cans and bottles. Runs at 26T loads pretty much all the time.
Mind you, having part tipped over a trailer with XL curtains full of Nestle water, the curtains held but no way you could tip the load with a forklift…or drive with it…or anything beyond putting it immediately in a bay. Straps are defo worth the time.
eagerbeaver:
You don’t need to strap every pallet. There is no way you will accelerate hard enough to have a ’ backwards ’ shot load. If the pallets ■■■■ up nicely against the headboard and each other, they won’t shoot forward either.
Which only leaves lateral movement. Professional and smooth driving will negate that.
You know that. I know own that. Probably nearly every driver on here knows that. DV$A know it too, but they’re out in force raising funds for this year’s christmas bash and I for one, am not contributing! The sad thing is, it’s nothing to do with common sense, or even safety. It’s all about complying with their rules.
eagerbeaver:
You don’t need to strap every pallet. There is no way you will accelerate hard enough to have a ’ backwards ’ shot load. If the pallets ■■■■ up nicely against the headboard and each other, they won’t shoot forward either.
Which only leaves lateral movement. Professional and smooth driving will negate that.
You know that. I know own that. Probably nearly every driver on here knows that. DV$A know it too, but they’re out in force raising funds for this year’s christmas bash and I for one, am not contributing! The sad thing is, it’s nothing to do with common sense, or even safety. It’s all about complying with their rules.
eagerbeaver:
You don’t need to strap every pallet. There is no way you will accelerate hard enough to have a ’ backwards ’ shot load. If the pallets ■■■■ up nicely against the headboard and each other, they won’t shoot forward either.
Which only leaves lateral movement. Professional and smooth driving will negate that.
You know that. I know own that. Probably nearly every driver on here knows that. DV$A know it too, but they’re out in force raising funds for this year’s christmas bash and I for one, am not contributing! The sad thing is, it’s nothing to do with common sense, or even safety. It’s all about complying with their rules.
where I work, we have shunters and strappers to make it easy for us old retards who should be retired by now…
we aren’t allowed on the trailers either…
I know, it’s a struggle…
Whenever I’ve been to Coca Cola we were told just to cross strap the back 2. This was company policy. I personally prefer to wrap the strap under the pallet and strap to the back on the trailer. 2 reasons for this. It’s easier to undo the strap when you come to unload as you don’t have to fiddle around down the side of the pallets. Plus, half the time the idiots at Coca Cola put the pallets on top the strapping hooks and I got fed up with asking the forkie to push the pallet over.
Given how well their packing is though, if you do something to make the load come out the side of the curtains you’re probably going to tip over anyway.
I mean, there’s literally hundreds of trucks running out of Coca Cola every day with just 2 straps on and how often do you hear of roads swimming in shot bottles of Coke and Fanta ?
Two types of trailers are internal straps that are attached to the roof in the middle of the roof, these are a pain in rear end.
At the delivery, goods in want the internals pulled to the bulk head, as they get in the way of the flt.
Open curtains, pull internals but they get stuck in the eye lets in the roof.
Climb on top of the load of beer tins and glass bottles breaking them.
Other trailers are internals on both sides, much easier.
Coca Cola like crossed over restraint on the last two pallets.
Bottled water plants like two empty pallets on last two with straps.
Ratchets on any drink load will burst the cans or bottles.
Plastic corners to fanny about with.
Vosa love straps…any missing and its £100…thats what they did me for with three quarter of a ton bags of powder…so your choice but i would strap the lot and a cross on the back…i aint losing another £100…better to be safe than sorry…but that driver who did it all in 20 minutes need a medal, takes me about an hour…lol
truckyboy:
Vosa love straps…any missing and its £100…thats what they did me for with three quarter of a ton bags of powder…so your choice but i would strap the lot and a cross on the back…i aint losing another £100…better to be safe than sorry…but that driver who did it all in 20 minutes need a medal, takes me about an hour…lol
My thoughts exactly.
We all know you can’t ratchet strap them
We all know an internal strap isn’t going to hold one of those pallets if it’s going to move.
DVSA know an internal strap won’t hold it.
We all know if there’s enough force to shift one of them your more than likely tipping over anyway.
But, if throwing an internal on every pallet keeps them happy and saves me £100 fine, then it’s worth doing as far as I’m concerned.
