Crazy securement you have seen?

I get that a lot, got a large item on the deck and five chains ... always some smart butt will come to me and say "i haul it with two chains".

The reason for my post today is being stuck behind a manards delivery truck with a load that was ready to topple off the truck. Mind you this guy didn't use any turn signals to make lane changes, seemed to know what was going on but didn't care.

So to paint a picture the best I can, there was a single stack of two bundles of wood fencing (those 8x6 fence units) with a bundle (24) of 4X4X8 on top of that. With a pallet of cement behind it and a bundle of lumber behind that.

Now it doesn't sound bad ... right?

It wasn't about the 8 foot high stack of fencing or the 4X4s on top or the bundle of lumber that was loose and could fall off. (By the way, the 4X4s were above the bulkhead of the trailer so any sudden stop would send it flying over the cab.)

It was the fact that everything leaned to the left of the truck. With the fencing leaning so badly that the top bundle right side was in the air and the 4X4s looked like they were going to topple off the truck despite the straps that were barely holding it together - it was almost off the stack but just on enough to hold the right side of the top bundle of up in the air.

Oh did I mention that the entire stack was leaning so much that the driver would not be able to see what's behind him because his mirror was blocked?

Not to worry, if that didn't hit someone, the pallet of cement was placed on top of something and had pretty much the same lean, just ready to launch off the trailer and land on a car. It too had loose straps. Now bundle of lumber was rattling around on the back end, I could see it shift when he was making a turn.

I am disappointed in myself because I had my phone in my hand and could have taken a picture of this idiot and his load.

Oh I think he got on th freeway, I don't know because as soon as I could pass him, I was gone. I did call manards but they were as helpful as ... oh nevermind, you understand.

 

Nice number, 666

 

Yup, that's the model my dad has on his hobby farm.

 

I hear ya. Its some crazy things people will do and call it secure (please don't think I'm commenting on previous posts here, I'm not).
Guys I work with yank my chain for it on occasion too. But I've never had a unsecured load ticket and have passed a couple random inspections with the DOT commenting on my efforts to keep my loads inside the trailer.

 

No vertical bracing, no choke straps. So no securement on the middle 4 bundles. Shiskabobs for dinner if he brakes hard.

 

It sure looks like all 4 in the middle are being held down by there own weight only..... hes putting alot of faith in that 1/4 inch of aluminum

 

That's how the other guys were doing it.

 

Now as someone looking at possibly getting into the industry one day, what would be the right way of securing this load? My common sense is telling me I would have them loaded together tight, then cinch the bundles together tight with several straps, then strap the load to the trailer. Is there a better way?

 

You cant, at the unloading site they will crane it off and need the space. You have 2 choices, choke strap each bundle or use T boards, a 2x4 tall enough to be above load, nailed to a 2x4 that lays in the same direction as the dunnage under the load, you can have the bundles tight to the T boards, choke the whole load, and still have room for a crane to strap up.

 

The crane can get it off without space between bundles.

When we haul it actually stack it up a little bit, with six bundles it might be four layers on the bottom and two on top. A few choke chains and straps will make the whole thing nice and secure.