If you own a variety of lawn and garden equipment, chances are you will probably need a loading ramp to transport some of your heavier or cumbersome pieces. Some types of equipment are just too heavy to lift and you surely don’t want to run the risk of injuring yourself while trying to maneuver it all on your own. Therefore, you should consider buying a loading ramp specifically designed to be used with your garden equipment. These can be set up quickly and used to take a load off of you while you accomplish a hard day’s work.
Here are some tips on how to safely use the loading ramps to prevent accidents that might cause serious injuries.
Keep the angle low
The steeper your loading ramp is, the higher the chances of having an accident. When the loading ramp is steep, your garden equipment might roll back, injuring you or those around you. It will also be challenging to push it up a steep slope. Hence, you need to ensure the angle created when the loading ramp touches the trailer, tailgate, or other supporting surface, isn’t too large. You can do this by making sure the ramp is long enough for your application. Longer ramps can create a much more manageable angled surface that will allow you to move your garden equipment easily. There are various types of lawn and garden ramps in a variety of lengths that you can use to make your work easier.
Ensure it is attached
Falling from a loading ramp or being hit by garden equipment is one of the worst accidents you could have. Therefore, you need to ensure you are using the ramp properly to help avoid such accidents. If you are using a vehicle to transport the garden equipment, you need to ensure that the loading ramp is properly attached to the back of the vehicle. The equipment loading ramp can be secured using chains, hook connections, or safety straps. If the safety straps or chains are too long, you need to adjust them to ensure there is no gap between the loading ramp and the supporting surface. Such gaps created by lawn and garden ramps can cause serious accidents.
Use anti-slip surface
When using a loading ramp, you want to make sure that you have a secure grip. Therefore, it is advisable to use a loading lamp with an anti-slip surface. This kind of surface will help to ensure that you and your equipment will safely make it up or down the ramp, thus preventing you and it from falling or slipping. The anti-slip surfaces are also made to help withstand different types of weather that you may need to be out in while loading and unloading your lawn and garden equipment. Therefore, when you purchase a loading ramp, it is important to choose the right anti-slip ramp that can stand up to the weather that you’ll be facing.
Use caution when loading and unloading
When loading your garden equipment up the ramp, be sure to exercise extreme caution as you do not want to run the risk of falling down or off of the ramp. Also, if driving up the loading ramp with your lawn and garden equipment, such as a riding lawn mower, it’s important to make sure the vehicle will not tip backward or drive off the ramp during travel. The main reason why people use loading ramps is to prevent accidents from happening while lifting the garden equipment; don’t invoke injury while using an assistive device that should be easing the work for you.
When buying loading ramps, you need to choose the most conducive one to move your garden equipment. These ramps come in different sizes, and therefore, choosing the wrong size can make it impossible for you to easily move your equipment. If you are not sure of the right size to buy, it is always advisable to seek an expert's advice.
Safety is always a priority, and the best way to observe such safety is by buying the right loading ramp for your equipment. When using a ramp, you will realize just how easy it is to move your garden equipment wherever you need it to be. With the help of a loading ramp, you might not have to seek help to work in your garden anymore because you are able to move the equipment by yourself. Another important thing to note is to ensure you use the lawn and garden ramps correctly. The above guidelines will help you prevent accidents that might occur while you are moving the garden equipment. Most of the garden equipment is very heavy and can easily cause you a major injury. Avoid such accidents by buying the best-fit loading ramps.