Basic Truck Loading Safety - Part 2

There are some basic things that a person needs to take note of when in the process of setting up or tearing down a show. The norm would be: loading up the trucks, getting to the venue, unloading the trucks, setting up the equipment, tearing down the gear, and getting it all back to the office. But each of the above listed stages has it own set of dangers. For the final part of this article, I shall conclude with the unenviable but important subject of stacking stuff on the truck.
Stacking Stuff On The Truck

Depending on what types of side structure the truck has will most likely affect the way you load. Covered or open sided with wooden battens. Check the height limit of the loading bay that you are going to. Will stacking too high - even if it’s well secured - be under the limit/barrier?

Covered: Solid metal sides or canvas covers? Need to strap items down? Items might need to be secured even if it’s a canvased truck. The
canvas might not hold the weight if a corner is taken too fast. You will still need to secure items down. Do not for a minute think that the canvas will hold the flight cases.

Open Sided: How high are the wooden battens? Can it take the weight pushing outwards if items are stacked too high? How many ratchet straps should be used? If used, which part of the load should it be used at?
Will that cable or that small case slide out between the wooden battens? Do I need to fill that gap between cases to prevent any unwanted minute movements which might
lead to a large moving mass on the truck? And just how high can I stack the large cases? 

Different loads are packed differently. Let us say you have tall cases, with some smaller and/or shorter ones. Stack the tall ones in the middle space of the truck. Then on the outsides, you place the shorter ones. If wooden battens are not high enough, strap it all down.
You might have all tall stacks, but made up of smaller cases. This type of stacks should go in the middle of the truck, with tall one- piece cases going on the outside. The single tall cases will help to contain the “loose” cases that are in the middle.
At most times, as you all would know, the truck pack is different. There are seldom times when it’s the same pack. Truck sizes are different too. There is not one fixed method to load a truck. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle or a game of Tetris, everytime. You do your best to mix and match your cases on the truck. While loading, think safety.
Do not sacrifice safety for improper loading. Loading takes time. If the jigsaw puzzle needs to be redone, do it. If items need to come off the truck and be reshuffled, do it. If your pack is too high which might mean there is too much, then get another truck or do another trip. Do not overload in weight and height.
If you have the space, it might be a good idea to know what you are going to load. Make a space. Mark it with tape or use something similar. Limits of marking should be to the truck type you are going to use. Push your items and/or cases into this marked area. Even before the truck gets to your warehouse, you must know the layout of your pack. In the context of ballroom shows, all the gear will get pushed in at the same time. Loading will be easier if cases of the same dimensions gets up the truck together. These cases could be from the different aspects of the show: Lights, Sound,

Video, Trussing, etc. Mix and match the cases and you will most likely get a neat and well packed truck.

Take into account: Items that you might need first at the venue (to use), e.g., Motor hoists, Power DBs, and main power cables. Last on the truck, first into the venue.

Pack in a safe way: Think of the truck doing turns at a higher speed than normal. A good pack ensures your gear gets to the venue in one piece and not some random flight case on some road somewhere.

Rain: We all hate when it rains during a truck move. Should that happens, that particular canvas that goes over the load must be secured down well. The front end is the crucial part. No airflow should get under it. Airflow getting under it will rip it apart. Just like a sail, if it catches some wind it starts to balloon. Catch more wind, it will unfurl and balloon up and rip the canvas from its tie-downs. This means danger to your gear and danger to other road users as well.

Leave no room for doubt: From parking the truck, to handling of the cases, to loading the gear, and to the stacking, its always about safety. Never drift from it, stick to it. If in doubt, Stop-Think-Confirm, then continue. If something does not look right, it most likely is not. Stop whatever is going on and sort it out.

In conclusion: It could be any one, a part time loader, a freelance sound engineer, or an experienced rigger. It is everyone’s job to make it safe. Everyone should look out for everyone else during those moments of pushing and carrying heavy items onto that vehicle.
So with all these points to take note of, happy loading and look out for that tailgate! 

thanks clarenceeeeeee