Last week while talking about all the different types of shipping containers I mentioned strapping and banding, closing up and securing D containers, and our loads. We had a few people write in asking if I could explain banding. A couple of listeners took strapping as securing the load in the trailer. So today I thought we’d walk through not only strapping and banding, but also the more common things we use for securing our loads. I’m Marty and I thank you for stopping in for another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career.  

Ok, so the two most common types of strapping are, steel strapping, which, in many instances, are referred to as Metal Banding, and then we have the plastic strapping, which can be comprised of Polypropylene or Polyester. Each has its own purpose, advantages, weaknesses, and safety concerns. And trust me, if you’ve ever had a steel band snap beside your face or watched a poorly strapped pallet explode in a trailer, you develop a lot of respect for all three!  

At its core, banding is about securing items for transportation, stabilizing product, preventing shifting, maintaining pallet integrity, and of course reducing product damage, and increasing safety. Think about what all freight goes through, a forklift or pallet jack running it through the warehouse, a trailer bouncing around on the roads and over potholes, rail transportation, ocean movement, temperature changes, stretch wrap tension and weight shifts during turns and braking.  

So, lets start with steel strapping or metal banding. Steel strapping is typically used for heavy industrial products, steel coils, lumber, brick and block, pipe, building materials, those kinds of things. Steel is chosen because it has very high tensile strength, doesn’t stretch much if at all and has excellent holding power. When a load absolutely cannot shift, steel often wins. But it doesn’t come without limitations and concerns.  

Steel banding is dangerous. A couple of concerns are, number 1, is snap back. This is probably the biggest danger. When tension is released incorrectly, steel can whip back violently. And I mean violently. That band becomes a razor-sharp spring under pressure. Injuries can include facial cuts, eye injuries, fingers and deep cuts to our arms. Some injuries could even require surgery. Early on in my banding adventures, I had tightened a band on a d container filled with heavy meter parts. I had used the tension ratchet to tighten it pretty tight on the pallet. While getting my crimping tool positioned it snapped at a corner post. Ever since that moment I give strapping and banding the respect it deserves! And number 2 is rust. Steel can rust in humid conditions, outdoor storage areas, and refrigerated environments. Rust weakens the strap over time. And the 3rd concern is the weight. Steel is heavier than plastic. That can mean higher shipping costs and more difficult handling. And lastly, product damage. Steel bands can crush or damage softer freight. Especially things like cardboard, consumer goods, appliances, food packaging.  

Now let’s talk about the most common strapping in today’s warehouse world. Plastic banding. There are two major types Polypropylene, used for light duty pallets, cartons, retail shipments, newspaper bundles and such.  And then we have polyester, used for heavier pallets, beverage loads, and many applications that were once dominated by the steel strapping. Polyester or PET is the stronger version and has replaced steel in many operations. 

Some of the advantages of plastic strapping? Well, there safer than steel. This is a huge reason facilities prefer plastic now. Plastic can certainly still hurt someone, but it generally does not whip with the same deadly force as steel. Less severe recoil. Less sharp edges. Still dangerous, but safer. And it’s lightweight. Plastic is easier to carry, use, store, and dispose of.  And it’s a little more flexible to work with. Plastic stretches slightly. That’s actually beneficial for loads that shift naturally, settle during transportation, and expand or contract with temperature. Think of my watermelon example being packed in d containers last week.  And another thing is plastic does not rust. This makes it useful in those cooler environments, in freezer operations and outdoor storage. Oh, and plastic is usually cheaper than steel. And in today’s operations, cost matters. But plastic isn’t perfect either.  Its strength is lower, even the PET or polyester strapping. Very heavy freight can stretch and snap plastic, allowing a shift during transport.  And it can be more heat sensitive. Extreme heat can weaken plastic. Think of a hot trailer in Texas during August?  

Let’s see, what else on banding. Oh, I want to mention how banding can be applied several ways. I’m most experienced using the manual tools. Hand tensioners, crimper sleeves and crimpers.  Probably more common today are the battery tools. These tools adjust the tension, the seal, and cut automatically. A Huge productivity improvement. But also dangerous if improperly used.  

And then you have the large automatic banding machines. They may be used in distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and production facilities. Loads pass through automated arches that apply straps quickly and consistently. They’re great for high volume, consistency, and speed.  

All of these, everything I’ve mentioned can be dangerous. Some common safety mistakes are standing directly in front of a tensioned strap.  Improper cutting. Associates sometimes cut steel banding without controlling the tension. That strap explodes outward.  And we should never use damaged strapping. A kinked strap is a weakened strap. And never reuse bent steel, frayed plastic, or cracked seals. Oh, and always use edge protectors.  Edge protectors prevent product crushing and helps prevent load shifting. Skipping them can and will causes failures. And another biggie for me is too much tension. You’re going to crush cartons, damage packaging, and, as we’ve learned, it’s just not safe, or even useful.  

Wither you’re operating the bander, any type of bander, or training or assigning associates to work with banding, we should always wear the proper ppe we’ve been assigned to use. Our safety glasses, cut resistant gloves, even face shields in heavy steel applications, and then long sleeves in some environments.  

So, my thoughts on steel vs plastic. I don’t think one is universally “better.” I think the correct question is what type of freight are we securing, and why are we securing it? Because really the freight determines the strapping. Here’s what I really think the takeaway is. Banding is one of those warehouse tasks people underestimate. It looks simple. But it combines stored energy, sometimes heavy freight, sharp materials, and human behavior.  And that combination can become dangerous quickly. A properly strapped pallet travels safely across the country. A poorly strapped pallet becomes a workplace accident waiting to happen. And just like everything else in warehousing, the little things matter. The associate applying that final band may be the last person protecting the freight, the driver, the receiver, and the customer.  

Ok, talking about how we use strapping to secure loads made me think of a few other tools, probably more common tools, we use every day to help us secure the loads. Let’s talk about a few of those real quick.  

First up bulkheads. Bulkheads are used to separate and secure product areas within a trailer. They create a barrier that prevents freight from shifting forward or backward during transportation. You’ll see solid bulkheads or ridged dividers used in things like grocery or food distribution to keep the freezer and cooler areas at temperature and the freight separated. Kind of creating temperature controlled vaults or compartments in the trailer. Then we have Bubble Bulkheads or Inflatable Bulkheads. These are pretty cool because they function almost like giant airbags. They’re placed in empty spaces between freight sections and inflated. Some advantages they bring to the table are how they are lightweight, flexible, and can fill any odd-shaped spaces. Of course there are some limitations. They can puncture. They’ll require proper inflation, and there not always suitable for heavy shifting loads.  Next up the Cardboard Bulkheads. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. These are heavy corrugated dividers used to separate lighter products. Sometimes there used to identify different stops for the driver too. There inexpensive, disposable, and lightweight. But they have limited strength, they can crush under heavier pressure, and they can present some moisture concerns.  

And then anyone that’s ever looked down the walls of many trailers, you’ve probably noticed those long metal rails with repeating slots. Those are E-tracks. E-tracks are mounted horizontally or vertically and create attachment points for securing freight. The straps that clip into them are called E-straps. These things are great and allow for fast installation, and they are easily adjustable, they allow for multiple anchor points, and they are reusable, for like ever! They can be used for securing almost any type of freight. Appliances, furniture, palletized freight, and mixed loads. In distribution there great to secure the wall of freight as we stack down the deliveries. The mistake people sometimes make is thinking it’s clipped in, so we’re done. Well not exactly. The e straps still require proper tension and placement. A loose strap isn’t securing anything. It’s just decorating the trailer wall! 

One of my personal favorites as a driver is the load bar. Load bars are one of those tools many people have seen but never really thought much about. They’re adjustable bars placed horizontally between trailer walls. They apply pressure and help keep freight from moving or falling forward towards us or the back door. There fast and easy to setup, reusable, and excellent for partial loads.  

Oh, and I should probably mention the butterfly load bar. Butterfly load bars work like the pole or regular roll bar but use wider stabilizing ends or wing-like designs that spread pressure over larger areas. These create increased contact area, better load stability, and reduced pressure damage. These are great for the route and delivery drivers.   

The customer never sees the banded or strapped d container or banded pallet, the load bar, the E-strap, the bulkhead, or any of the other precautions us light industrial professionals have taken to protect their products. They only see the result when the trailer door opens and is delivered without damages. Our freight protection tools and our efforts may never get the recognition, but they’re often the reason the product arrives looking exactly like it did when it left our warehouse. That’s ownership in my opinion!  

Speaking of ownership, I’ve got to get back to work now myself. I hope you enjoyed todays topic, if so please tell a friend about us. Y’all be safe out there this week and always put safety first.