Securing Loads in Vans
How to Safely Secure Your Van Load
Safety comes first. Securing loads in vans should be a priority. An unsafe load could go wrong in several ways, which will put you and other road users’ safety in danger. It’s important to take precautions against unsafe van loads to prevent a van rolling over from unsuccessfully constraining the load. This can cause items to move around in the load area, potentially leading to the truck rolling over when turning or braking.
In addition, drivers using pick up trucks, dropsides or tippers without knowing how to safely secure their load, jeopardize having their items fall on the road. This can put their lives and other drivers safety in danger. According to the UK government, during 2013 the highways agency recorded that over 22,000 road accidents are caused by items falling from vehicles.
This article will guide you through the right steps you should take to ensure that you safely load your van and alleviate worries about objects falling off on the highway.
The first step to a successful, safe and secure loading process is to plan it all out.
Have a Van Loading Plan Beforehand - Ask Yourself:
There are a set of questions that you should ask yourself before you go ahead and get on the road with your van loaded.
Is the load unstable?
Can the load slide forward or backward?
Can the load slide sideways?
Is there any item that is loose and might fall off?
Preparing for your load before you start loading any items is essential, as it will help you organize items strategically. Thus, knowing the items that you’ve got to load will help you maximize the space you have.
Load large and bulky objects first, starting from the back of the van working your way towards the front while making sure to load heavy objects evenly across the van surface. Keep in mind, items that are loaded first will be unloaded last. Having a loading plan can help you to strategically organize your items based on how heavy it is and which item you need to unload first, making the whole process easier.
Make sure the items in the back of your van are restrained to ensure the safety of the van driver and other drivers on the road.
Tie Your Items
Leverage anchor points in the back of your van to tether your items for higher security and prevent them from moving around. You can use lashing straps to tie up your items. However, make sure that your items are tethered to the van in the direction of the travel as opposed to perpendicular to the travel direction, which will add more restraint in case the items shake while moving.
It’s critical to often check your lashing straps for any kind of damage, a small tear can be the reason for less durability and safety to your load.
Floor Lining is Essential
In case your van doesn’t already have floor lining, using a 3/4“ plywood to line the floor will give extra grip to your items so it doesn’t slip. It’s a great solution for a non-slippery base inside a van.
Moreover, you might want to consider applying a heavy rubber mat that can be laid over the floor surface. Heavy rubber floor mats for vans increase the friction between your items and the van’s floor. It will also add more stability when walking inside the back of the van. The only downside of the rubber mats is that you will have to carry heavy items when loading or unloading, where before you may have been able to easily slide them across the floor.
Cover Your Items
If you have a pick-up van or a tipper, you probably have an open load area. It’s recommended to cover your loaded items before driving. Preferably with a tarpaulin material because it’s strong, flexible, and waterproof. If you’re looking for tarpaulin cover for your van click here.
Now that you know how important it is to safely secure your van load, next time you are hitting the road make sure you apply the steps mentioned above for higher security. Taking loading vans seriously will help reduce road accidents and save more lives per year. With that being said, have a safe journey on the road!
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