A wheeled container goes through the warehouse with one person, and at the vehicle door the gap between ground and bed begins. A loaded roll cage can weigh 500 kg or more; HSE advises getting help on ramps and uneven surfaces, pushing rather than pulling, and never going faster than walking pace.
| Method | When it fits | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed dock or ramp | Bed level with the dock | Gap between bed and dock |
| Portable ramp | No dock available | Ramp length and rated capacity |
| Tail lift | High bed, loaded container | Load diagram, platform size, edge |
| Hand lifting | Empty container only, two people | The container's own weight |
On a portable ramp the gradient is the height difference divided by the ramp length. With an 80 cm bed a 2 m ramp gives about 40 percent and a 4 m ramp 20 percent. On a short ramp a loaded container is hard to push up and picks up speed on the way down. A container on a slope is never left unattended, brake or not.
The brake stops the container rolling while it is positioned before and after the transfer; in transit it does not replace lashing. Lashing points and straps are set up in the body before loading, because an unsecured castor lets the container shift all the way.
The method can change by delivery point; writing which one applies where on the route card saves the driver deciding each time. The same height difference exists when the container returns empty.
