Avoid Injury when Loading Shipping Boxes into a Moving Truck

If you are in the process of a move and are loading your shipping boxes on your own, it is important to take steps to ensure you are being safe and avoiding injuries. Some tips for safely loading your items are outlined below.

Load Preparation

Pre-planning is important to reduce fatigue and loading time before you begin loading your moving truck.

• When possible, use corrugated cartons and moving boxes that are similar in size.
• Ensure that boxes are labeled to indicate their contents and where they will go in your new home.
• Remove shelving from bookcases and armoires, and wrap them separately.
• Disassemble large furniture pieces if possible, including dressers, entertainment centers, and kitchen tables.
• Remove screws, parts, and other hardware from furniture, and place them in a separate and sealable bag.

Loading the Truck

Take the following tips into consideration when you are loading your shipping boxes and items into your moving truck:

• Ensure that your route from your home to the truck is free of obstacles.
• Secure each level of item with rope or straps to ensure that they don’t move or shift during transport.
• Load appliances and your heaviest pieces of furniture first, and pace them along the walls of the truck in order to distribute weight evenly.
• Stack boxes from the floor to the ceiling, and put the heaviest items on the bottom.
• Load the most fragile items or those that are shaped awkwardly last, and ensure that they are secured tightly in order to prevent damage.
• Use rolled up rugs or bags of clothes to fill in empty spaces to prevent other items from moving.

Stay Safe While Loading

While many people take precautions to ensure that their belongings are safe during transport, fewer take the proper steps to ensure that they avoid injury during the process. By following some simple tips, you can stay safe when loading your shipment:

• Get help when lifting the heaviest items, and consider renting a dolly, if necessary.
• Wear supportive footwear that has good traction, and never wear open-toed shoes.
• Never wear clothes that are loose and could snag when carrying furniture and other items.
• Avoid uneven and slippery surfaces when carrying and loading items.
• Bend from the knees when picking up items, and lift from your legs.
• Take your time, and take breaks if you have a lot of items to move.
• Wear gloves when handling bulky items that have sharp corners or edges.

[2/3/2014]