When transporting cargo, it is important to ensure that the cargo is safely and securely transported to the desired destination. To ensure this, tie down straps (also called ratchet straps, lashing straps or tie downs) are used to hold down and secure cargo during transportation.
Ratchet straps are perhaps the most versatile tie-down options that can be used in a range of applications. They are mainly used in the transportation industry for securing cargo. There are other tie-down options people use as well, such as ropes and chains, but sticking to ratchet straps will serve you better for a few reasons.
First off, ratchet straps are easy and convenient to use; their ratcheting mechanism provides enough leverage to make fastening even the heaviest of equipment a breeze. You can even tighten and secure them with one hand. The drawback of using ropes is that they don’t offer the advantage of leverage and require some knot tying skills. Chains, on the other hand, are heavy and you need to use lever chain binders to secure them in place. This is much harder to do than just using a ratcheting mechanism that only needs a few cranks to get things right and tight.
A working load limit is located on the webbing of a ratchet strap. It is the safe working load strength that the tie-down strap is rated for and any tie-down strap without a working load limit should not be used. If the working load limit is not visible or legible, then the tie-down strap is not safe to use for any cargo transportation uses.
A working load limit is based on one-third of the breaking strength of the tie downs. In other words, until the strap is unable to handle any more weight and becomes broken in the process. A working load limit was created to keep safety in mind when hauling tie-down straps. Without a working load limit, you could easily be going down the road not knowing what your tie down straps are rated for and lose your cargo load, potentially injuring others in accidents, as well as potential fines or even jail time.
Where does the one-third of the break strength come from? It was created with the idea that although the straps can handle more weight, unforeseen circumstances could occur. An example of this would be going down the road and an accident in front of you happens and you have to slam on your brakes. This would cause a lot of force on the cargo load attempting to move forward, which is hard for any tie-down strap to handle with ease. One-third of the break strength ensures that the cargo remains secure and helps prevent any factors from playing a role in the strength of your tie-down straps.
A few more examples of this could include going down the highway and being cut off by other motorists causing you to quickly lane change without warning. Life doesn’t always go exactly as planned and due to some of these unforeseen circumstances, you always have to have a plan of action. The last thing you want from transporting cargo is someone to get hurt and your cargo to remain safe.
Ratchet straps are another type of cargo straps and the most common use for ratchet straps by far has to be to secure cargo. Ratchet straps can be used if the load is on the back of a pickup truck or a big rig trailer, there is no job too big for a Ratchet Strap. Cargo securement has come a long way in the last 50 years and ratchet straps have been deemed as one of the most popular ways to keep loads secured and prevent moving from occurring to prevent accidents from occurring.
At Cargo Tarp and Net, “excellent customer service” is not just a catch phrase. Our around-the-clock service differentiates us from our competitors. We also offer the lowest prices with the best quality – put us to the test and call us today for all your cargo strap needs.
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