Handling Drums and Barrels on a Truck: Loading, Chocking and Securing

A customer wants twelve drums of palm oil, water or paint moved from a yard to a new store. Each drum is round, heavy and slippery, and a single one that rolls on the first bend can damage the load, the truck or a person. Drums are not difficult once you respect them. The trouble comes from hurrying.

This guide is for drivers and helpers on bulk jobs. Customers who are preparing a load will also find it useful.

Ask before you accept

Drums can hold very different things, and the answer changes how you carry them.

1. What is inside: water, oil, paint, chemicals, fuel or something else?
2. How big is each drum, and about how heavy when full?
3. Are the lids sealed and the drums free of leaks?
4. How many are there, and are they on pallets?

If the contents are fuel or something hazardous, be careful. Follow the manufacturer's guidance and do not accept a job you are not equipped to do safely. Put your questions in the request chat before you send your offer.

Check your vehicle and your limit

Full drums add up fast. Work out the weight before you accept, and remember a pickup van has a limit of 2,400kg. Many drum loads belong on a truck. Never overload for one extra drum. Our post on moving building materials without overloading the truck shows how to count.

Loading drums safely

Do not lift drums by hand if you can avoid it. Use a ramp, a drum trolley, a forklift or a strong crew, and wear gloves and boots.

• Tilt a drum on its bottom rim and roll it on the edge, not on its side, when you can.
• Keep your back straight and use your legs. Ask for help with anything you cannot control.
• Never stand below a drum on a ramp.
• Load one at a time and wait until each is secure before the next.

Our guide on lifting heavy items safely covers body position in more detail.

Stand them upright, tight and chocked

Upright drums should stand side by side with no gaps. Tight packing stops them from tipping on a turn.

Place the first row against the cab wall or headboard. Fill each row fully before starting the next. If the last row has space, fill it with wooden blocks or sacks so nothing shifts.

If the drums must lie on their sides, chock them with wooden wedges or timber so they cannot roll. Never stack drums unless they are rated for it and the layers are separated with boards.

Strapping and covering

Drums need straps across the top of each row and, for tall loads, a second line lower down. Pull the straps tight and recheck them after the first few minutes of driving, because loads settle. Use edge protectors where the strap crosses a sharp corner. More on tension and knots is in our guide to securing a load with straps, ropes and tarpaulins.

Cover the load if rain is possible, but do not cover so tightly that you cannot check a leaking lid. In Lagos or Ibadan, a wet road makes braking longer, so drive more slowly with liquids on board. Read driving a loaded truck in heavy rain for more.

On the road

Brake gently and early. A heavy liquid load moves inside the drum, and a sudden stop pushes the whole truck forward. Take speed bumps and potholes slowly. Stop to check the straps after the first few kilometres and again after any rough stretch.

If a drum leaks, pull over safely, keep people away and do not smoke or use a naked flame near it. Tell the customer by call or chat straight away.

Offloading

Offload in the reverse order of loading. Open the tailgate carefully, because the first row may lean. Pull the straps, remove the chocks and roll each drum down the ramp one at a time, with someone at the bottom guiding it. Put each drum where the customer wants it, and count them with the customer before you leave.

How to do this on Sphere

When you see a drum request, read the description carefully and use the request chat to ask the questions above. Check the weight, access and who will help load. Send an offer or counter-offer that reflects the real effort, then agree loading and offloading help with the customer before you accept. Drivers are approved before taking jobs, so keep your documents current. See how drivers are approved on Sphere.