Tips and Tricks of flatbedding

Really? Can I wear socks too?
Does it have to be a t shirt? No wife beaters or polo shirts?
Is mauve ok, or are pastels better?

 

Socks in the rain? I don't know about that.

 

chartreuse or safety lime green, mauve would be third on the list and barbie pink for pipeyards. reflective safety strips on the bottom of the basketball shorts and the edge of the flip flops please.

 

Would glitter or glow-in-the-dark make-up suffice?

 

Good question.

For ANY flatbedder you should get out of your truck prepared to meet the minimum requirements of your shipper or receiver. That includes:

- Steel toes boots

- Hard hat

- Safety Vest

- High Impact safety glasses

- High Impact gloves

- Hearing protection

In some cases you may need more than that, like fire resistant clothes or an H2S monitor (for oil wells or refineries). Always get out of your truck with required PPE's (Personal Protective Equipment). This shows that you are a professional.

Yes, I've been to shippers and receivers where drivers get out in far less than proper PPE. I don't. I make it a habit to be fully ready for any requirements when I get out of my truck.

Edited to add comments about rainwear:

The best and cheapest rainwear is Frogtoggs. You can find it at any Walmart in the outdoor section. About $20 each for jacket and pants. I use them for chaining or load securement IF fire resistant clothes aren't necessary. If FRC's are needed, then I use a Carhartt rain jacket and bibs. THOSE are expensive, BUT not by any means necessary for the average flatbedder.

 

I started using Frogtoggs riding motorcycles in the rain. They are the best at keeping you dry and not to bulky or heavy to interfere with movement

 

When Goretex rainwear first came out in the late '70's it was a "trilaminate". This means that the waterproof/breathable layer of stretched Teflon was sandwiched between an outer layer and an inner liner layer. Trilaminate fabrics are noisy. So WL Gore, under the urging of retailers and brand name manufacturers started building bilaminate fabric in the 1980's. The Teflon layer was laminated ONLY to the outer fabric, then the manufacturer could add a separate inner liner. This stopped the noisiness of trilaminate fabric, and made it drape better, BUT it reduced the ability of Goretex to pass water vapor (sweat) through the fabric.

I know, because I did extensive field testing of outdoor products and helped design products for use in extreme conditions in the '80's and '90's. The new bilaminates SUCKED at being able to do the MAIN job of waterproof/breathable fabrics: BREATHE.

The original patents on Goretex trilaminates are long expired. Frogg Toggs started filling that gap years ago. Trilaminates ALWAYS are going to pass water vapor (sweat) far more efficiently than bilaminates.

Frogg Toggs went one better. The outer layer is a nonwoven fabric. Nonwoven fabrics are more abrasion resistant. Goretex never produced a fabric with a nonwoven outer layer. FT is by FAR the best trilaminate I have ever used. I have never been drenched in sweat after securing a load or laying in the snow or mud to chain up.

FT's are available in one color. Henry Ford black. For that reason I add a reflective vest if I am chaining up near traffic.

 

I agree and wear a vest as well. It always amazes me how dry they keep me both from sweat and from rain snow.

 

There's other benefits to Frogg Toggs. First, they are CHEAP. About $20 each for tops or bottoms.

Second, you can wash them with your colored clothes and toss them in the dryer. You can't do that with expensive Goretex.