31Oct 2013
Safety Tips when Loading and Unloading

Without a doubt house moving is a major stressful event in your life. Not only is it costly, disruptive and incredibly time consuming but also it can be dangerous if you do not carefully load the removal van properly.To avoid causing any damage to your goods or sustaining any injury to yourself, here is a little guide to help you along!Safety tips for loading and unloading-removalsPlanning:Planning is absolutely vital! To ensure that everything goes as smooth as possible careful planning and consideration prior to the moving date, is crucial! Examine the amount of contents required for the removal, and book an appropriate van size to accommodate those goods. Take extra care to pack breakables and sharp objects!Allow enough time to correctly pack and label all of the boxes, ensure glass items and any other breakables are sealed and protected properly because not only would it be disaster for the item, if it were dropped but it could potentially be dangerous to you. Also be sure that all sharp objects like, knives, utensils and tools are also packed up securely.Equipment checkLifting and carrying heavy furniture and boxes can be a tremendous strain on your back, make sure that the correct equipment is available, to reduce the strain. Trolleys are great for stacking boxes; they reduce the time it takes because you do not have to keep going back and forth and it saves lifting and holding the boxes for long, simply pop the boxes on the trolley, push the trolley to the van and then load onto the van! Strong boxes that will not split are preferred because it saves time in having to clear up any disasters! If you do not have the equipment handy, make sure that there are enough lifters around to make the job lighter! Loading the vanI know that you are probably eager to just get the job done ASAP, but throwing it all in is not a good move! Things get broken, crushed and the space will be limited! Think about building a massive jigsaw, and fit all the pieces (boxes!) together to form a compact (less movement) puzzle. Start with the larger items and remember to use ropes etc to tie them up and so they don’t roll around and crush the rest of the stuff. Then, stack the boxes in order of heaviest to lightest. Hopefully you would have already labeled those boxes so that you can determine the heavier ones are or which boxes can withstand more weight, over the delicate and lighter ones!Use blankets and sheets to help protect the corners of wooden furniture and to prevent any scratches from occurring! Health and SafetyBack problems are the most common injury with house moves, keep your back straight when lifting all boxes and make sure that you don’t try to lift something that is far too heavy for one person to lift; a back strain injury at this stage is definitely something that you could do without! Use your legs to lift the weight of boxes and be careful never to twist your back when you are bent over.Remember that a break is always important, don’t get dehydrated on the job, and keep plenty of water available for you and those who are helping.Finally, once the van is loading and you are ready to go, drive carefully, the van is going to be double its weight at this stage, so take corners slowly and reduce the speed limits on dual carriage ways as to prevent any accident occurring. UnloadingUnloading is simple, follow the loading guide but start with last in, first out. Do not try to squeeze out some box stuck at the back! Be careful with lifting and be patient and the rest is simple.Well done you successfully completed a move, and nobody or nothing was harmed!
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