One for our waste specialists today..... The practice of shunting of RORO skip vehicles to discharge the contents is common on a clients site. The client considers that this is the only way to discharge. The practice - driving forwards and slamming the brakes on - has serious risks to the damage of the vehicle AND risk of injury to people if the driver travels further than they intend. I want to offer the clients alternatives to this practice before looking at ways of making the process safer. Do other practitioners have experience of alternatives to this method to discharge card/paper/bottles/cans/plastics All ideas and observations welcome thanks Martin

Loads do sometimes stick Bob. I worked on Grab (Hi-Ab) Lorries for a time and loads regularly stick when the tipper mechanism is at full extension, particularly when the load is wet. That is when the risk of the vehicle tipping over is at its greatest as its usually the material at the bulk head that sticks making the vehicle unstable. For me this is something the coachbuilders should address, but as always its all about the extra costs=less sales.

All of the control measures I can think of are down to the loading of the ro-ro containers. The materials you've mentioned are all dry recyclables and probably being compacted into the containers with something to improve density (and weight) and reduce transport costs. When I've had the problem (and witnessed the consequences of vehicles on their sides) it has been down to the loading of the containers in wet or freezing conditions when the load has stuck. If it's happening at other times, then I would think it's down to too much material being compacting into the containers and the compaction rates being too high. Need to reduce compaction rates and then you shouldn't have the problem, unless the base of the containers is damaged and too much friction for it to come out. Another thought is to make sure the lorry is able to fully extend its tipping arm so that graffiti can do its job. I've seen shunting take place because you can't tip fully because of the building height. If I remember rightly, there's now a big dent in the side of the building where it went wrong! There's a few points there. Hope they help. Richard