Restraining chemicals, Dangerous Goods (DG’s) or IBC’s into shipping containers for export is an essential step in the supply chain for many manufacturers throughout Australia. Many chemicals come in the form of liquids, granules or powder and are likely to have a devastating effect on human lives and the environment if released during transit. It is vital for manufacturers or those responsible for packing containers to ensure correct and compliant restraints are advocated and practised. There are two areas generally where securing chemicals for transport is essential:
1. Creating a stable load:
When packing drums or containers onto pallets, workers must ensure the loads are strapped to the pallets correctly. The X-PAK Strapping system comes in various sizes and comes with system strengths of up to 2700Kg. It’s also Internationally Certified and non-metallic, making it a safe, secure option to palletise chemicals on pallets or skids. There are also cases where 44 Gallon drums or IBC’s are packed loose into containers. In this situation, it is often best to strap loosely packed items together to create a greater surface area, therefore increasing friction and reducing potential slippage or load movement.
2. Securing into the container:
Lashing drums, containers or IBC’s into containers can be a tricky task. They are often loose, slippery and easily dislodged. Strapping these items together into bundles is critical before lashing them utilising the container lashing points. It’s often best to use ‘droppers’ – a strap running down the container wall from top lashing to bottom, providing a rated band to run horizontal straps off and pull your load back towards the rear of the container.
FAQ’s
How do I make sure I am securing my load correctly?
Many marine surveyors may have differing opinions on how best to secure your load. You cannot ship without getting their sign off anyway, so you’re best to listen to their opinion. The National Transport Commission also provides industry with the Load Restraint Guide, which includes helpful information on the forces acting on loads and how best to combat these by correctly securing cargo. (Working with us means we can provide loading diagrams or engineered workings to show the best way to secure chemicals for export.)
I want to use a strapping restraint but am concerned it will ‘bite into’ my bags or drums. What should I do here?
Lashing anything from bags of fertiliser to drums of Oil can be tricky at the best of times. It’s crucial to ensure your straps remain tight but don’t damage your product simultaneously. Edge protection is essential to a) Provide less friction to assist the strap feeding around edges and b) protect the product whilst maintaining tension. X-Pak provides a standard range of cardboard, metal and plastic edge protection and provides custom sizes depending on your application.
How can I get consistent tension on my straps every time?
Using a manual tensioner is the preferred method by many clients as they are the most cost-effective option. These, however, can have disadvantages such as manual handling risks and inconsistent tension. X-Pak provides both battery and pneumatic-powered tensioners. These tools can be set to your required tension – ensuring the ultimate tension that will provide maximum load stability.
X-Pak provides certified cargo straps to Australian Chemical manufacturers, which are safe for transporting hazardous goods. Businesses can trust that their stock is secured correctly and have peace of mind that the loads will arrive at their destination safely and unaffected by damage.
Call us today on 1300 551 281 to discuss, or click here to arrange an on-site demonstration from one of our experts.
