About 50 percent of in transit damage is the result of ineffective stretch wrapping. Which is a troubling statistic because most of us stretch wrap our loads to ensure they arrive at their destinations undamaged
When it comes to stretch wrapping just applying film around a load isn’t enough. But how do you know you’re doing it right? To help navigate these murky waters check these three simple indicators:
1. There’s enough containment force.
Containment force is the squeezing pressure the film puts on the load. It‘s what holds your loads together and is the best indicator of a load’s safe arrival at its destination.
The amount of containment force a load needs depends on its weight and makeup. If you don’t know how much containment force your loads need, you can find some guidelines here. And if you are interested in how to measure containment force, click here.
2. The load is locked to the pallet.
Millions of loads slide off their pallets every year because they weren’t properly secured to them. Loads should be locked to the pallet with a film cable.
Applying film all the way to the bottom of the pallet doesn’t properly lock the load to the pallet. When a forklift or pallet jack picks up the load the forks tear a hole in the film which could spread up the load, reducing containment force and increasing the risk of load failure.
3. There are no long or dragging film tails.
Long, dragging film tails can get tangled in downstream equipment like conveyors, wheels on forklifts, or even in automatic storage and retrieval systems. These tails create the risk of film unraveling or pulling products off the pallets. It’s best to eliminate that risk.
The back of a truck can be dangerous for your loads. If you observe these indicators, you can rest assured knowing your loads have the best chance of arriving at their destinations undamaged.
To learn more, download our 10 Step Process for Damage Reduction Through More Effective Stretch Wrapping.
This post was published on April 27, 2016 and updated on September 13, 2017.
April 27, 2016
