Imagine this scenario: you’re removing steel strapping from a consignment, and upon cutting the straps, they whip forward and cut you in the arm and face. Ouch! An accident on the warehouse floor! Is there any way this could have been avoided?

Well, yes and no. Strapping, in and of itself, is an integral part of operations; strapping can’t be eliminated from the process flow. What are the alternatives, in that case?

An immediate alternative for safety improvement would be to start using a steel strapping safety cutter. One of the most cost-effective solutions is a small pair of cutters with two pieces of rubber under the top jaw, acting as brakes to slow down the tension kickback from the steel. This would reduce the latent energy stored in tensioned steel strap. This is an imperfect alternative, however, as it’s not fool-proof and can still cut workers if the cutters break or fail to function correctly.

Polywoven strapping is one of a number of alternatives to steel strap. What’s impressive about polywoven strapping is that the tension that can be achieved with it is excellent. When the strapping is tensioned correctly, the buckle’s prongs squash down and lock the strap in place, ensuring that the strapped pallet stays absolutely firm for the duration of storage and transport.

The standard buckle used with polywoven strapping is the phosphated buckle; the roughness of the steel surface helps to grab the strapping. Another option for polywoven strapping fastening is the ladder buckle, which typically has four bars for the strap to thread through. This achieves great levels of tension when locking the strap. One observation regarding the ladder buckle is that the operator needs to pre-cut the strap before threading the buckle.

Polywoven strapping also has good UV stability; while the colour of the straps may bleach out, the woven fabric retains its integrity.

Polywoven strapping has more sideways flex than most other straps, which makes it easy to weave through items on a pallet or stillage. That is, if you need to lash down electric motors through their lashing eyes, polywoven works best, as you can simply twist the strap and feed to the left or right then under the pallet. Polywoven strapping is a safe, sturdy, cost-effective, and versatile alternative to steel strapping. Switch over to polywoven strapping today.

Ready to discuss your needs?

Talk to our team by calling us on 1800 620 941 or send us your enquiry here.