Too small to tarp a flatbed?

Okay, the lady in charge of the CDL program at the school I went to is a little thing of about 5'2" tall and SHE did flatbed for about 15-20 years, including tarping a covered wagon trailer when she had to.

 

One thing I will pass along to any prospective flatbedders. New guys usually wind up doing alot of lumber because the rates are low and the "old guys" tend to avoid it like the plague.

Now lumber is usually stacked quite high and usually pretty "green" (full of sap) even when kiln dried. That tends to make it quite slippery, especially when it gets wet. You will wind up having to climb up on top of it to lay straps, tarp, etc. You need something to enhance your grip so you don't fall off.... that hurts big time.

Go to a good farm/logging supply place and get you a "pulphook" or "balehook".



You can use this to give you a secure handhold without doing more than superficial damage to the load (the loader will scar them up worse) while climbing up or down. A lifesaver if your load just came out of a snowbank. You'll find lots of other uses too.

This is the kind of thing us "old guys" are talking about when we say "work smarter". We're always looking for stuff that will let us do stuff easier. Never be afraid to ask "old guys" about the things you see us using. We learned by trial and much error.

 

Not everywhere lifts your tarps the ones who dont I just fold mine on the deck then I don't have to pick them up

 

I can't tell you the number of times people told me that I can't. I not only could. I did it. Did it as well or better than them.
If you want to avoid putting tarps on. Work hauling out of drywall factories. Every one I went to. They put the tarps on. They left securing the tarps on the trailers to the drivers. In fact, they had rules and signs that you were forbidden to crawl on the trailer.

 

I think its more about the strength of your back and legs and your form when lifting. I weigh about 150 and I used to hit the weights hard and got up to 195. I feel way better between 135 and 150 though.

I would suggest learning proper deadlift form and then performing deadlift workouts a couple of times a week. You will be surprised how quickly your strength and work capacity will improve. Also Farmer's Walks are really good as well. You will probably be able to carry more than your bodyweight in no time. I was doing them with 120 lb dumbbells so I bet I could still do 75's.

I grab a couple of 50 lb bags of Ol Roy dog food and pick them up every so often just to make sure I am strong enough for flatbed if I choose to switch from dry van.

Proper form is key so you don't get injured.

 

I was in my first year of high school... When this was started.

 

You just need to be smarter than a tarp.

 

Holy expired thread Batman!

 

I was at your weight no fat and all up for flatbed work. My first tarps was about equal to me in weight. And up they go all the way up top.

God those were the days. Ive gotten big due to wife, quit smoking, home cooking and other things...

I'll share a story. It's first hand happened to me.

I was assigned to a facility as a roustabout (A old word) to dismantle the entire warehouse from inside. Gut the place to 4 bare walls. It's about a acre of steel shelving etc. That stuff needed a gang of big men to move here to there and gone.

My first week, I discovered just how runt and weak I was with these fellas. All day yer weak, quit go home stop it now child etc. All week day and day out.

I got angry. Then I applied that to the work.

I did 6 weeks with them until the place was out and finished. I know enough never to do that kind of work with those men in that style ever again. It's just too small for that kind of hefting. They did say good bye with a little bit of love for the heart I had. But that company will not be assigning anymore tinys to that place and work.

It was something. Some days I thought I would cry. But no. It's get this #### 3000 pound structural big stuff out. Sheesh. With more of the same...

 

I had a older feller about 76 77 years old he helped me yank off my lumber tarps on top of a glass load , he was movin faster than me . tarps is the heaviest thing u will lift . find a propane jockey to put em up too for u, thats what they get paid to do. The worst part is tarping in the wind. If that tarp gets a flappin, dont be a hero let it fly away because u aint stopping it. It will rip ur shoulder right out of socket if u hang on , or it will take u right off the trailer. Just be careful with flatbed and tske ur time. Bad #### happens when u start to rush. Thats when u slip n fall or trip over urself on the deck and fall off