242 Containers

The Postal Service makes extensive use of containerization. Contractors who handle containers on a dock or transport them should use common sense and must abide by the following guidelines:

1. Push, do not pull, containers.
2. If moving containers manually, move only one at a time.
3. If a container is particularly heavy, get help.
4. Be sure that you can see to the front and sides of a container while moving it.
5. Always set the brake on a container when leaving it unattended.
6. Do not park your vehicle on an incline when loading or unloading bulk mail center (BMC) containers.
7. Do not load any container higher than the top of the container.
8. Keep your feet clear of the container’s wheels.
9. Secure rolling stock containers so they do not move when the vehicle is in transit. This includes setting the brake and pin on every container that has them, and securing rolling containers including hampers with the proper number of shoring bars or straps. Also secure stacks of bed-loaded items such as tubs, trays, sacks, and outsides with a proper number of shoring bars or straps to keep them from sliding.
10. Load pallets and pallet-based boxes in a pinwheel fashion. Secure the load with shoring straps or bars when possible.
11. Close and lock trailer/vehicle doors. On swing-out doors, be sure all locking pins are properly engaged.