I’ve been reading up from 2013 on trucknet about the Strapping Pallets debate & wondering if any rules have been made crystal clear yet?
It all seemed like 70% were saying “No one would strap an entire curtainsider load down, that’s stupid” and the other 30% seemed to be on the side of “It’s the law”
I ask because i did my first day vlog on my YT channel (Deady2012) and i had 4 pallets on the back, 2 up at the headboard, then 2 down the middle, hardly any weight on any like >50kg apart from one that was probably 100kg & someone informed me that, that was illegal & i could have faced a hefty fine.
No one in the yard had anything strapped down & there was only 2 straps on my wagon. So i got a little confused like…
Any advice greatly appreciated.
I was always taught that if you think a load needs strapped then strap it, if you don’t think it needs strapped or aren’t sure just strap it down anyway. For the time it takes to throw a couple straps on, it eliminates that uncertainty of whether you’ll get shot for it or not.
Dee Dee 2012:
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I ask because i did my first day vlog on my YT channel (Deady2012) and i had 4 pallets on the back, 2 up at the headboard, then 2 down the middle, hardly any weight on any like >50kg apart from one that was probably 100kg & someone informed me that, that was illegal & i could have faced a hefty fine.
No one in the yard had anything strapped down & there was only 2 straps on my wagon. So i got a little confused like…
I used to do pallet freight and had a fair bit of experience of loads; from heavy stuff like batteries and cable, to bulky and light stuff. In your example you have light stuff. the golden rule is that weight should be uniformly distributed along the length of the vehicle. But how you strap depends on the height and weight - the load has to be secured and I have heard that an EO can fine the driver £100 where each strap should be in his opinion should you be stopped. Over 1m high you should be able to strap with the restraining straps from the central roof bar or bar running down each side (if you have these you can cross them over for lower loads which is quite useful).
Lower heavy stuff like batteries and cable really need a ratchet & strap across the bed. Worst thing is the forklift driver who will often just load and quite often I found myself with all the weight at the front and say 4-6 pallet spaces spare at the rear. Too much weight up front. I often had to insist on the forklift driver moving all the pallets back to the rear of the bed and putting in 2-4 stacks of empty pallets at the front to get the weight distributed more evenly distributed.
So they give you two straps? (ratchet & strap I gather). Like all driving jobs fight your corner - YOU MUST secure the load. Often folk don’t bother strapping the load - until they are caught.
Rules are generally, if its under 400kg then internals will do and over that then ratchet straps or other similar method.
However even in that case you should really strap the back pallets to prevent backwards movement and I would highly recommend strapping anything tall where it could fall backwards onto a smaller pallet.
Its kindof a feeling you get for smaller stuff. Like batteries mentioned, you really don’t want those flying in an accident as the effects could be cery nasty, so I’d ratchet them even if they are below 400kg.
2 ratchets in a truck - go ask the office for the rest. Artic needs at least 10 and rigid 6-8. When on agency I carried my own as so many don’t have them its ridiculous.
Oh and don’t worry about all those “I never strap up and have never had a problem” people. They either been very lucky or lying but they will come unstuck.
Dee Dee 2012:
I’ve been reading up from 2013 on trucknet about the Strapping Pallets debate & wondering if any rules have been made crystal clear yet?
It all seemed like 70% were saying “No one would strap an entire curtainsider load down, that’s stupid” and the other 30% seemed to be on the side of “It’s the law”
I ask because i did my first day vlog on my YT channel (Deady2012) and i had 4 pallets on the back, 2 up at the headboard, then 2 down the middle, hardly any weight on any like >50kg apart from one that was probably 100kg & someone informed me that, that was illegal & i could have faced a hefty fine.
No one in the yard had anything strapped down & there was only 2 straps on my wagon. So i got a little confused like…
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Granted I haven’t passed my theory or anything yet but I watched your vlog and when you walked into the back of the trailer even I thought it was a bit strange you hadn’t strapped anything down, you kinda just wedged the pallet lifting thing against the other items then strapped the pallet loader down. I don’t know if it was illegal what you did but it did catch my eye, probably best to strap the lot down just in case, what with it being your first few days etc would be silly to get a fine / official warning so early into your career.
trevHCS:
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Oh and don’t worry about all those “I never strap up and have never had a problem” people. They either been very lucky or lying but they will come unstuck.
These folk also NEVER bother strapping the pallet truck. Sitting it on a tyre is what some folk claim is fine.
Believe me a pallet truck will ‘fly’ on sudden braking… particularly out the side and possibly hitting a pedestrian. I used to put the handle against upright support at the back and carried a short length 5T ratchet strap fastening low down at the base of the handle - thus preventing any movement.
One can tuck under a pallet and then strap the handle with a forward V configuration to secure it. But it’s different with each load being carried.
There is a patented method which is a bit like a “T handle” which locks itself through the pallet truck forks onto the modified truck floor. Cheaper alternative would be a couple of secured lifting rings to attach straps to… but that would cost about £10 per truck - hmm expensive the firm would say.
I know this is abit dated now and don’t know whether you’ll read it or not, but i have opted to strap everything down. For the extra 10 mins it takes to do it, it’s better being safe than sorry.
Thanks for your advice Guys & thanks for not ‘Ridiculing’ me.
I appreciate it.
As said above, simple rule is ANYTHING above 400 kg must have ratchet straps, but if I was you I would just strap EVERYTHING until you get a bit of experience, no matter what other lads in the yard might say. You may have a small pack of 8 x4 plywood that only weighs 360kg for example, experience will tell you to use ratchets ■■■■■■■■ that 
And if you end up with that as your only pack on the wagon, you will have to use other methods to stop it moving like bearers against the empty side etc.
Everytime you see someone unloading/loading, have a look at how they have strapped up the kind of load they have(assuming they follow the rules] because you may have a similar load in the future.
I have got it at the moment, lads telling me i only need internals on 1 ton pallets ‘‘we only use internals’’ I dont listen to them and I use ratchets.
Some more advice, especially with timber for example, when going round corners and roundabouts…DRIVE IT LIKE IT ISNT STRAPPED