Preparing Machinery for Transport

Preparing Machinery for Transportation

When you sell or want to move a machine, there are a few things that need to be considered that you may not realise. Moving locally is not usually a big deal, but moving from one farm to another may mean removing all plant & soil from the machine for instance. Moving interstate may require a quarantine inspection.

As a general rule, it’s the customer that is responsible for preparation of machinery for transport. The transporter will be able to advise of things like what dimensions the machine needs to be broken down to & how they plan to load it, but for example, cleaning the machine is the senders responsibility.

Below is a basic, but not exhaustive list if what you need to do and consider when preparing a machine.

Preparation:

Is the machine free of dirt & plant material	Even if you are only moving locally, dirt needs to be cleaned off machines as any dirt etc that drops from a machine onto the deck of the trailer or onto the road is considered an unsecured load & can attract a sizeable fine. Even fluids dripping are considered unsecured loads
What are the quarantine requirements if you are crossing agricultural boundaries & or states ?	Crossing agricultural boundaries within states or state borders will required machines to be cleaned. This varies from state to state.
What are the bio-security requirements of the receiver ? Ie Are they certified organic etc ?	Not only does this have implications for the machine being carried but may require the truck to be cleaned prior to entering the property for delivery.
Are all panels, seats, exhausts, roof, batteries etc secured ?	Most machines are not designed to be doing 100km/h on the back of a truck !
Tyres pumped up to correct pressures ? Will they stay up ?	Uneven or flat tyres cause machines to move in one direction when you are loading/unloading & are unsafe
Does the machine have enough fuel in it ?
Are batteries in good condition & charged ? Is there an isolator fitted or can a terminal be removed easily for transport ?
Are there any hydraulic leaks ?	These need to fixed prior to loading. It’s not only an unsecured load but it leaves a mess for the next load & is an OH&S hazard.
Do the brake controls work ?	Not a show stopper but the transporter needs to know this to be able to make a judgement call on safety.
Are lights functional if loading at night ?
Broken or missing glass/windows ?	Holes may need to be tarped/taped up & broken glass removed.
Any flashing beacons that are magnetic that need to be removed ?
Mirrors folded in & secure
Spare parts needs to be boxed or secured on pallets to be transported	Most transporters will not have space in toolboxes to stow parts. No freight is carried in the truck itself.
Any personal items are at the senders risk & must be stowed appropriately.

Tags:

0Comments

For Comment you need to Login