No-climb truck tarping systems
A series of tip sheets on labor efficiency for nursery field work.
by Astrid Newenhouse, Marcia Miquelon, and Larry Chapman
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Healthy Farmers, Healthy Profits Project
Climbing trucks to pull a tarp over a load of trees and shrubs can put nursery workers in danger of falling. Workers who are lifted up in skidsteer buckets or standing on fork arms to tarp a load are at even greater risk of falling and injuring themselves. You can get the job done more safely and quickly with a truck tarping system that lets you stay on the ground. We’ll describe four “no climbing” truck tarping systems: pole hook, truck mounted tarp roller, skid steer hook, and flagpole.
Benefits:
Saves time.
You can tarp a load faster with these systems compared to climbing onto
the truck bed or trailer to crawl around the load and fasten the tarp.
Some systems can be operated by one person, which cuts in half the typical
amount of labor hours needed.
Improves product quality. When you crawl around a load of trees and shrubs hauling a tarp, it’s easy to step on branches and break them. This is especially true with mixed loads of plants with different sizes and shapes. Standing on the ground to haul the tarp prevents this branch breakage.
Efficient. Wind can make the job of tarping trucks unpredictable. Even a 12 mph wind can start to lift a tarp, and gusts over 19 mph cause real problems. It’s easier to set up a tarp and maintain control of it if you are not climbing onto the load.
Profitable.
The “no-climb” systems we describe here fall into four cost
approximations: ~$60, ~$300, ~$650, and ~$2120 plus. You will save labor
hours, reduce risks of worker injury and reduce risks of product replacement
caused by damage. Depending on your needs and the system you choose, you
could quickly recover your costs. If you factor in the potential for reducing
medical or workman’s compensation costs, the tarping system’s
payback period is even shorter.
Less risk
of serious injury. Workers who are lifted high into the air to
tarp a load may fall and break bones or suffer sprain injuries, head injuries
or bruises. Workers who climb onto a truck or trailer and crawl around
the load to secure the tarp may suffer similar injuries. Jumping down
from the truckbed or trailer also risks injury to worker’s knees,
ankles, and feet.
Old way: greater risk of falls and injuries.
A simple extension pole keeps workers on the ground.
How do they work?
The pole hook method (~$50-$90) uses a set of two telescoping
fiberglass paint roller extension poles with a modified hook on the end.
Choose a pole length to fit your needs, such as 6’ x 12’ or
longer, and buy two. Buy two lightweight metal paint rollers with a single
rod spool. On each, remove the endcap of the spool opposite the handle
end. Bend the remaining metal rod at a 45 degree angle to form a hook.
Screw the paint rollers onto the poles. To use, first secure the tarp
to the front end of the truck or trailer bed with two short pieces of
rubber bungee cords. With a worker on either side, hook the extension
pole into grommets on the other end of the tarp. As each person walks
towards the back of the load, they can lift the tarp up to 25’ above
the ground.
Roller-type tarping systems (~$300) are designed
to permanently attach to the truck, just behind the cab. The tarp is on
a spool and either a manual or motor-driven system unrolls the tarp over
the load. Tarp rollers come in different sizes to fit different types
of trucks.
Roller-type tarping systems are available through the following companies:
Pioneer Cover-all, North Oxford MA, 01537, 800-237-0225 www.pioneercoverall.com
Pulltarps Mfg., El Cajon, CA 92020, 800-368-3075 www.pulltarps.com
Roll-Rite, Alger, Michigan 48610, 800-297 9905 www.rollrite.com
These references
are provided as a convenience
for our readers. They are not an endorsement by the University of Wisconsin.
