Loading ramps are usually built with a gradient of five to ten per cent; a figure that means nothing to a person walking is the first determinant for a loaded wheeled container. The UK Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) pushing and pulling tool grades the floor in three bands, so a difference of two degrees changes the band:
| Gradient | Approx. per cent | HSE |
|---|---|---|
| Level | 0 | Good |
| 3° - 5° | 5.2 - 8.7 | Reasonable |
| Above 5° | Above 8.7 | Poor (steep ramp) |
No special instrument is needed to measure it: the height difference over one metre gives the percentage, and 10 cm is ten per cent, about 5.7°. Measure the ramp once and write it into the store file; that number decides how full a container goes there and how many people it takes.
A container left on a ramp has its brake applied, and on a slope you walk beside it, not in front.
In the vehicle the brake goes on and the container is also strapped, because an unsecured container slides forward under braking.
