truck loading solutions

• Different Types of Trailers
• Weights and Payloads in Different Countries
• Securing Truck Loads for Safe Transport
• Moving Pallets
• Unit Load Devices (ULDs) for Air Freight and Air Cargo
• Avoiding Injuries: Moving Pallets Safely
• Working with Pallets and Trailers
• Loading Systems
• What are Modular Rollerbed Solutions for Trailer Loading

Depending on the needs of the company, a logistics operator will transport goods, materials or other items in one type of trailer or another. Below is a look at some of the different types of trailers you’ll encounter when dealing with logistics operators

Euroliners are a type of curtain-sided truck or trailer and, since they’re multifunctional, they can transport a wide variety of goods. Regardless of the nature of the goods, operators can load and unload these trailers easily. Euroliners have a sliding roof, sliding curtains, solid rear doors and firm sides. Operators can load and unload through the sliding curtains, the rear doors and if they use an overhead crane, the sliding roof.

In terms of dimensions, a Euroliner can have a cubic capacity of around 85 m³ and a design gross weight of approximately 39,000 to 41,000 kilos. These trailers can provide an internal length of around 13.62 metres, an internal width of 2.48 metres and an overall height of around 4 metres.

Double-deck trailers, as the name suggests, provide two levels of storage, increasing the number of pallets the logistics operator can transport in a single shipment. This makes them an environmentally friendly, cost-effective alternative for companies, and often they’re used to distributing light to medium weight goods.  

Double-deck trailers offer a higher payload, increasing from 66 euro pallets to 86, and there will also be room for cargo in the neck of the trailer. They may offer around 13.60 metres of internal length, 2.5 metres of width and, internally, 1.5 of height, and boast a weight capacity of around 1 900 kilos. A UK double-deck trailer can accommodate approximately 52 pallets, whereas an EU one may take up to anywhere between 66 and 86 depending on the trailer.

The payload is an important consideration when it comes to loading a vehicle. This is the amount of weight a vehicle can carry safely, not including the weight of the vehicle itself. The weight of a vehicle without any load is the curb weight, and the weight of the vehicle plus the amount of weight it’s safe to add is known as the maximum gross weight.

Understanding these is important because operators, and the public in general when dealing with trailers of their own, must observe certain limits. Exceeding legal limits can make vehicles unsafe on the roads. If a vehicle does exceed the weight limits, the driver can struggle to stop the truck in an emergency, and they may also find it harder to steer the vehicle.

It’s also in the interest of the operators to respect the limits so that they protect the axles of their vehicles.

When securing a load, the system you use to secure the load should be appropriate for the load and for the vehicle. Possible systems you may use to secure loads include:

• over-the-top lashings;
• rear kites;
• intermediate bulkheads;
• direct lashing to specific anchor points.

Axle weights and vehicle stability are two other important factors to consider. These are fundamental to check before starting out on a journey with a load.

Always ask the following questions when securing loads:

• Are the anchor points compatible with the equipment you’re likely to use to secure the load?
• Are the anchor points designed to distribute the weight and forces upon them into the main structure of the vehicle?
• Do the anchor points feature any moving parts? These parts should move as little as possible when loaded by a restraint. The movement will seriously impact the effectiveness of the restraint.
• Do the attachments meet the appropriate British Standards?
• Will you attach the anchor points firmly to the chassis directly or to a metal crosspiece or outrigger? If you’re attaching only to wooden members, these anchor points aren’t likely to be strong enough.

Note that if an anchor point isn’t in use, and if it’s fixed at or in an area to be loaded, this anchor point shouldn’t stick out above the level of the loading area.

If wear or damage forces you to replace any individual parts, be sure to replace the load-retention strapping, lifting cables, demountable lifting chains and other systems in sets if possible.

Here are some more basic tips for securing loads:

You should stack the load against the headboard and keep the centre of gravity as low as possible. To lower the risk of the load falling over during unloading, make sure it’s stable without lashings. If it isn’t, contemplate how you can support it. A stillage, placement in a box or a transport frame are three possible ways.

Think, too, about ways you can stop the load moving forward, or if items could slide over it if it’s not against the headboard. Blocking, sails, chocks or extra lashings are possible necessary options.

Be aware that dynamic forces are much stronger than static forces. You’ll need more force to secure a load when it’s moving (dynamic) than when it’s still (static). Underestimation of the level of restraint necessary to keep a load secure will cause incidents.

The purpose of double-deck trailers is to maximise the space in the trailer.

Due to the problems working at height entails, which make loading double-deck trailers especially problematic, operators should conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify the most practicable way of securing goods on the vehicle. For instance, it’s possible to attach netting and securing systems to the trailer roof, pull them in place over the load and secure them to the vehicle chassis from ground level. This allows the operator to secure the goods without accessing the load bed.

If a palletised load weighs up to 400 kilos, it’s a ‘light pallet’ load. If it weighs more than 400 kilos, it’s a ‘heavy pallet’ load. Avoid at all times using the upper deck for carrying stacked pallets or pallets that weigh more than 400 kilos.

When securing heavy pallets or stacked light laden pallets, you should use rave-to-rave lashing or a similar method.

In general, you should secure pallets that you’re transporting on the lower deck or on the swan neck of a double-deck trailer as if you were carrying them on a single-deck trailer. When you perform your risk assessment, you should be able to ascertain whether, for light goods or crushable loads, it’s practicable to use internal curtains or hanging straps on this lower deck.

On the upper deck of curtain-sided, double-deck trailers, you should stack any laden pallets singly. These pallets should weigh no more than 400 kilos. You can mitigate any risk of objects falling while unloading or working at height further by using an extra internal curtain with integral straps that are designed to hug the load on the upper deck.

Any operator or trailer manufacturer can use this. Although the recommendation is especially suitable for new trailers, it’s possible to implement it retrospectively. The benefit of this type of curtain is that it contains the pallets more effectively than mere internal straps, improving road safety and workplace safety.

When it comes to securing loads, rigid-sided vehicles are no different to any other vehicle. They’re still subject to load securing requirements.

A lot of rigid-sided vehicles will have a gate-type system. The sides’ security depends on locking the sides to an anchor stanchion (or stanchions) with which the bed of the trailer has been fitted. It’s important to keep these items in good condition. Repair any defects as soon as possible if securing the load relies on the sides of the vehicle.

Although rigid-sided vehicles offer some load security, you still need to consider the impact of box shift on the stability of the vehicle. Secure any goods in containers to stop them from moving around during the journey.

Pallets are big, bulky and heavy, and they’re impossible to lift with your bare hands. You’ll need some special equipment to take care of the job. There are several different ways you can move pallets around warehouses or onto truck trailers.

Pallet conveyors are superb at allowing workers to build or pick pallet loads as the load goes through the facility. Often, manufacturers will use them as a takeaway from a palletiser or a build process so the pallet can continue on its journey through the facility touch-free once they’ve been built. Conveyors are safer than forklifts and are more efficient if you have pallets or other large loads moving from one point to another, whether with stops or without, but you should remember that they operate in a fixed location.

When processing a load for shipment, you can place it on a conveyor for transportation to a shipping dock where forklift trucks or other means can load them onto trucks. This keeps forklift trucks out of the plant or at least minimises their presence in the plant, and in the loading bay where it’s easier to control them. It also keeps their function to loading and unloading and takes them out of the equation when it comes to transporting pallets around the plant.

ULDs play an important part in transporting cargo safely, quickly and cost-effectively. They make it possible to assemble single items of cargo, mail or luggage into a single unit, enabling logistics personnel to load them onto the aeroplane swiftly. The first three letters of a ULD code are important because they indicate the size, shape and type of ULD, and help to determine the type of aircraft with which the ULD is compatible.

Of course, the ULDs can move during the flight and, potentially, damage the aircraft, so the plane will have loading and restraint systems to hold the ULDs in place as securely as possible. These systems will interface directly with the ULD. This means the system will, in effect, lock the ULD into place so that it forms part of the aircraft.

There are several reasons why you might prefer to use a container:

• containers make it easier to load cargo onto an aeroplane and unload the cargo off it;
• containers offer better protection against all types of weather;
• containers protect cargo better against damage;
• containers offer the aircraft more protection against potential damage by the cargo;
• containers stop anyone from accessing the cargo who isn’t authorised to do so.

Although pallets may seem like harmless objects, you should still be careful how you handle them and how you move them. Below we provide a few tips on how to move pallets safely around your warehouse and load or unload them onto your truck trailer:

The ends and corners of rack aisles are immensely susceptible to hits by pallet trucks. Place steel guard rails and post protectors 1 to 3 inches in front of the deck to protect your pallets. Use wire guards or netting to protect your rack bays. They’re not particularly expensive, and in areas in which there’s lots of traffic or order picking, they’ll prove their value.

Empty pallets standing on end will be unstable. They can cause injury if they tip over and land on a foot or a leg, so never stack empty pallets on their ends. Whether a pallet is in use or otherwise, you should always stack it carefully.

Wear gloves when handling pallets. Put on safety boots, too, to protect your feet in case you drop a pallet on them.

Now, we’ve just mentioned stacking pallets manually above, but ideally, you should use forklift trucks or automated pallet dispensers when handling pallets, if possible. These powerful pieces of equipment are specially designed to deal with pallet stacks and do so easily. To avoid injury, you should use them whenever possible.

If you’re lifting a pallet manually, keep it vertical and close to you. This will help to maintain a close centre of balance. Holding out the pallet in front of you will create a higher risk of a fall. At the very least, it will give you a sore back.

Safety is paramount when loading or unloading pallets from trailers or onto them, especially when you’re working with forklift trucks. Below we look at loading and unloading your trailer safely.

Before loading or unloading with a forklift truck, the operator should perform some important checks and procedures:

• Make sure the driver has parked the vehicle correctly and is aware that the loading or unloading is about to start.
• Confirm the delivery vehicle engine is switched off and that the driver has removed the keys from the ignition. Chock the wheels if you have to.
• Check the trailer bed is clear and that there are no obstacles. You must be able to lay the pallet or load down on the trailer bed easily.
• If you’re loading or unloading on the ground, check there’s enough space for the forklift truck on both sides of the vehicle. The ground surface must be firm and even. There should be no potholes or manhole covers that may disrupt the stability of the forklift truck.
• If loading or unloading from a bay, check carefully the brakes have been applied. The vehicle could move due to the large forces the movement of the forklift truck is exerting on the trailer bed.
• Is the trailer uncoupled? You may need a prop or jack to place it under the front of the trailer to stop it from tipping over while you’re loading or unloading.
• Get confirmation of the delivery vehicle’s capacity from the driver to check the vehicle bed and bridge plate are strong enough to withstand the weight of the forklift truck and the load. To avoid exceeding any limits, the forklift truck operator needs to know both.

Operating a forklift truck and loading pallets onto one is a responsible job, and you must take care when doing it:

1. Ensure the forklift has reached a complete stop and that the mast is vertical. You should make sure you line the arms of the vehicle up completely with the pallet you’re removing from the trailer.
2. Approach the pallet at a safe, reasonable speed to avoid damage to the goods. Insert the forks slowly until the pallet reaches the backrest.
3. Once the pallet is against the backrest, lift it high enough that it’s clear of the truck tray. Look behind you to check you have a clear path and that there’s nothing behind you. Slowly reverse the forklift away from the truck or trailer after you’ve made the check.
4. When you’ve lifted the load off the truck or trailer, lower the load and tilt it backwards. This is to make sure the load won’t fall off the arms of the forklift while you move it around to another part of the facility.
5. Check again to confirm there’s a clear path before you transport the load to its destination. Drive at appropriate speeds and unload the goods gently where they belong. Repeat the process until you’ve unloaded all the items from the truck or trailer.

There are some circumstances in which you might prefer to use a pallet and net combination instead of a container. Here are a few reasons you could choose to transport your cargo on a pallet instead:

• pallets cost less to use than containers;
• pallets can hold cargo that is hard to fit into containers, such as oversized cargo;
• pallets can take special load cargo that it’s only possible to load on open pallets;
• pallets are stackable, making it easy to store them when they’re empty and return them by plane.

Our loading systems reduce the damage from forklift trucks greatly and often require only one or two workers to load or unload the vehicle. Although implementing the system still calls for some manual effort from the workers, this is minimal, and they’ll be able to load or unload trailers quickly. The manual nature of these loading systems makes them a great alternative when you’re looking to keep your costs down but increase the efficiency of your logistics.