{"id":4574,"date":"2020-03-10T16:25:15","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T15:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/?p=4574"},"modified":"2020-03-10T16:25:15","modified_gmt":"2020-03-10T15:25:15","slug":"4574","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/03\/10\/4574\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Working Load Limit When Securing a Load"},"content":{"rendered":"

Understanding Working Load Limit When Securing a Load<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tie-down straps should be properly employed and of decent quality with their working load limits, or WLLs, affixed to the material or on tags. Never use torn or frayed straps.<\/p>\n

There once was a small industrial service company that wasn\u2019t well run. Its employees cleaned electrical equipment\u00a0in confined quarters\u00a0with strong solvents and sometimes\u00a0wore respirators \u2013\u00a0it was\u00a0that sort of outfit.<\/p>\n

One day a worker loaded some gear into a pickup truck and took off down a freeway. Among the items in the bed was a long step ladder that the guy hadn\u2019t bothered to tie down. Wind blew the ladder out of the truck and it went through the windshield of a following car, killing its driver, who happened to be a middle-aged physician. Aside from the\u00a0human\u00a0tragedy, imagine the monetary settlement on that incident. And the\u00a0negligent\u00a0employee wasn\u2019t particularly remorseful over it.<\/p>\n

It simply makes sense to secure anything that\u2019s\u00a0loaded into a truck or onto a\u00a0trailer\u00a0so it stays put.\u00a0Ropes work, but unless you\u2019re an ex-sailor or Boy Scout who mastered the art of tying knots, that square knot you\u00a0fumbled\u00a0with\u00a0might or might not\u00a0keep the rope taut and the item in place. Wind from road speed is one thing, but sharp turns and sudden stops\u00a0can\u00a0exert\u00a0even more force on an object, causing it to shift and perhaps depart like an errant missile from your conveyance.<\/p>\n

Instead, use\u00a0decent-quality straps or,\u00a0in some cases,\u00a0strong chains. Straps can be had with ratchets or cam buckles. Both let you tighten the strapping;\u00a0a\u00a0cam buckle is\u00a0quicker\u00a0but the ratchet lets you put some\u00a0serious tension on the strap. If the strapping is\u00a0of stout nylon or similar material, it\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0stretch or break.<\/p>\n

Do\u00a0not\u00a0use\u00a0a\u00a0frayed strap because\u00a0it\u2019ll\u00a0probably\u00a0break under stress\u00a0and a motor carrier inspector will treat it like it\u2019s not there.\u00a0In general, the thicker and wider the material, the stronger the strap is, but you never know unless the strapping is labeled with a rating.<\/p>\n

Working Load Limit<\/h5>\n

What you\u2019re looking for is a\u00a0working load limit, or WLL. It will appear in pounds or kilograms or both, and should\u00a0be\u00a0printed, stamped,\u00a0or embossed on the strap\u00a0and\/or a label that\u2019s firmly attached. That rating must\u00a0be visible and readable\u00a0for your convenience and peace of mind, and to satisfy any\u00a0curious\u00a0law enforcement officer.<\/p>\n

Federal regulations\u00a0(which might or might not apply to your operation)\u00a0require the total ratings of all the straps you\u2019ve used to be at least half the weight of the load you\u2019re carrying. That goes for chains,\u00a0which also carry industry-standard ratings, and yes, none should have any weak links.\u00a0Most carriers use 3\/8-inch chain.<\/p>\n

The federal rules also specify how many straps should be employed for the load\u2019s length. For things like lumber,\u00a0you need two straps in the first 10 feet of a load, and one for every 10 feet thereafter. Multiple items should be individually strapped, with lower load tiers secured first, then the uppers. If you\u2019re hauling a backhoe or\u00a0some such\u00a0on a trailer, each corner should be secured by an approved chain. Some cargoes\u00a0need to be protected from shifting, and that can be done with braces, blocks, void fillers or friction mats.<\/p>\n

If a van is loaded right to the walls, then\u00a0cargo shouldn\u2019t\u00a0move\u00a0unless the walls flex or break in a wreck.\u00a0Then you\u2019ve got a mess on your hands.<\/p>\n

by Tom Berg<\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.automotive-fleet.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

FLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/h3>\n

Fleet management is the use of a set of vehicles in order to provide services to a third-party, or to perform a task for our organization, in the most efficient and productive manner with a determined level of service and cost.<\/p>\n

Fleet management activities are shown in the following graph 1:<\/p>\n

\"fleet<\/p>\n

Graph 1: fleet management activities<\/p>\n

The proposal audit analyses and assesses all fleet management activities shown in the graph 1, and its main goals are:<\/p>\n