5 Safety Tips for Moving a Shipping Container
If you're buying a shipping container and moving it to your home, there are a few safety tips you should keep in mind. To keep yourself and others as safe as possible, check out these essential safety tips.
1. Make Sure the Trailer Is Safe
You need to move shipping containers on a trailer. Whether you own the trailer or are hiring it for this task, take some time to make sure that it's safe. In particular, make sure that you can adjust the mirrors in your ute or truck so that you can see along the sides of the trailer and as far back as possible.
Also, make sure that the brakes lights and indicators are working. Finally, if the trailer has built-in brakes, make sure they are working correctly.
2. Even Out the Load
If you're transporting the shipping container whilst it's empty, you don't have to worry about this step. Otherwise, make sure that the container is loaded evenly. Ideally, you want the heaviest items on the bottom of the container and spread evenly throughout the container.
When you're using a shipping container for long term storage, you may want to create paths through the container so you can easily access your stuff. If you plan to move the container, fill these paths with stuff. That will help your items to stay more stable during transport.
3. Don't Load Anything on Top of Your Shipping Container
If you have to transport anything besides your shipping container, make sure to put those items inside the container, or hire another trailer for that load. Putting anything beyond a small tarp over a shipping container can make the height of your load too high.
It can also cause unevenness that may lead to tipping, and if items aren't secured, they may fly into traffic, creating dangerous road obstructions.
4. Make Sure the Shipping Container Is Strapped Down
Before taking off, make sure that the shipping container is strapped down tightly. That is imperative from both a legal and a safety perspective. Tie down straps usually work fine for this job.
5. Have a Crane to Unload
Typically, to unload your shipping container safely, you need to have a crane on standby. You can hire a crane for this job. To ensure you hire the right crane, talk with the hiring company about the size and projected weight of your shipping container.
