Keep Your Flatbed Safe – Warning Signs & Safety Equipment

Make sure your cargo gets where it’s going safely. Learn about different types of warning signs and related flatbed safety products that will keep your truck, yourself and others safe.

For flatbed operators, safety is a top concern. Without the proper flatbed safety products, hauling a load can become a liability rather than a boost to your business. It can also create serious risks for others that are on the road. Ensuring the safety of your load isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s required by law. This flatbed safety products guide was created to help better explain various pieces of safety equipment, how they are used and how they keep you protected.

Safety Starts with a Secure Load

Flatbed safety begins with a properly secured load. This not only requires having knowledge and training in how to load the cargo onto the truck but also having the correct straps, tie downs and tarps to keep cargo in place for the duration of the trip.

Flatbed operators should ensure that the tie downs and straps they are using:

•    Fasten Securely
•    Have an Adequate Breaking Strength
•    Have an Adequate Working Load Limit

Cargo Equipment Corp is well known for their quality truck tie down products that can be custom-made to meet your exact specifications.

Types of Flatbed Safety Signs
There is a wide variety of warning signs designed to keep your flatbed truck, yourself and others safe. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of warning signs and why they’re so essential to flatbed safety.

Oversize Load Signs
Oversize Load Signs are used when hauling loads that exceed the operational parameters set by each state. They must be affixed to both the front and the back of the flatbed or load. In addition, if a car/truck is accompanying the flatbed to the front or rear, the vehicle must also have an Oversize Load sign affixed to it.

Wide Load Signs
Wide Load signs serve the same purpose as Oversize Load signs, however, some states require the sign verbiage to say ‘Wide Load’ instead of ‘Oversize Load’. Check with the state department of transportation that you will be traveling within to verify which sign should be used. Regardless of the verbiage, all Wide and Oversize Load signs must have black lettering on a yellow background.

Warning Flags
Warning flags are square pieces of red or orange material that mark the extremities of the load as well as the corners of the truck. Most states require that warning flags must be used by commercial flatbeds anytime a load extends four inches beyond the sides of the truck or four feet from the rear of the truck. The Warning flags must be at least 18 inches square.

Cargo Corp currently offers a variety of safety sign products for flatbed trucks.

•   Oversize and Wide Load signs can be found in durable vinyl or a vinyl coated poly-mesh, which allows for up to 30% more airflow.
•   Make sure you’re covered in every state with a reversible Oversize Load/Wide Load sign.
•   Wide selection of warning flags to choose from: jersey, mesh, with staff, with wire loop, with grommet or with bungee hooks.

Related Flatbed Safety Equipment
There are a number of additional flatbed products built with safety in mind. All operators should make sure their truck is equipped with the following:

•    Reflective Vest
•    Traffic Cones
•    Conspicuity Tape
•    Warning Triangles

All these pieces of equipment and more can be found in Cargo Equipment Corp’s new line of truck safety products.