Do you secure container twist locks?

[over9five]

Feedah drivers!

OK, you're down at the railyard picking up a container. You do your pretrip and latch the container twist locks. NOW, do you secure the twist lock with a tie wrap?

Myself, I would NOT pull a container unless the twist lock was secured. Many times I've been in a tractor with no tie wraps. I've had to scrounge the railyard lot looking for pieces of wire or something I could secure them with.

Many drivers do not secure the twist locks. I see containers in the Chema yard all the time unsecured. And you know what? There is no UPS policy on this, so technically they're not doing anything wrong.
Fed guidelines say something about securing them if they're loose. I'm not sure I've ever seen one that was NOT loose!


FYI for all, a twist lock secures the container to the chassis trailer.

 

[pickup]

Over, you are so correct . No training on this whatsoever. Do you know how many times I have seen guys pull unsecured containers through the front gate? A lot. I have found that the plastic ties are unnecessary for the most part. A couple bangs of a hammer can put the adjoining piece of metal that holds the couple in place, in the right position(until manually manipulated). And when that doesn't work(rarely), I use electrical tape to keep it together.

 

[over9five]

Thanks Pickup! Apparently, we're the only two that even know they lock.....

 

[cachsux]

The safety committee chimes on this all the time especially know that we have so many. We have boxes of zip ties in the bldg so drivers can grab a handful.
I use those but I also found spring loaded steel lock rings (like climbers use) and I put those on too and remove them down at the yard once I'm there.

 

[over9five]

The safety committee chimes on this all the time especially know that we have so many. We have boxes of zip ties in the bldg so drivers can grab a handful.
I use those but I also found spring loaded steel lock rings (like climbers use) and I put those on too and remove them down at the yard once I'm there.

And someone suggested that here. If the company is too cheap to buy zip ties all the time, provide us with something we can re-use and have all the time. Then we return to, "Well, UPS has no policy to secure container locks".

Sorry, I find this a HUGE safety hazard and an unacceptable risk.

 

[over9five]

And someone suggested that here. If the company is too cheap to buy zip ties all the time, provide us with something we can re-use and have all the time. Then we return to, "Well, UPS has no policy to secure container locks".

Sorry, I find this a HUGE safety hazard and an unacceptable risk.

Just wanted to add, it is no risk for me. I will secure those things one way or another no matter what.
I worry about those guys that couple and run....