Edge protection profiles - protection against sharp edges of the load

Edge protection profiles in load securing

Sharp edges on cargo pose a hazard during loading and transport. They can injure loading personnel, damage lashing straps, strapping bands, lifting slings, and round slings, thereby significantly jeopardizing transport or lifting operations. Torn or damaged lashing or strapping materials, as well as lifting slings, can destabilize the load and endanger the life and limb of loading personnel. Edge protection profiles thus contribute to occupational safety, cargo protection, and road safety. Sensitive edges and corners, such as those of painted surfaces, or soft edges like those of cardboard boxes or other cardboard packaging, must also be protected from damage during loading and unloading. The use of edge protection is part of the recognized technical rules for load securing in industry and logistics and is employed in many variations, such as strapping to form load units, tie-down lashing, and direct lashing. Edge protection profiles made of plastic or metal therefore also meet the requirements for proper load securing, as described in the road traffic regulations § 22 "Load" as well as in European standards and national rules and regulations.

Edge protection and edge protection profiles in laws and regulations

Section 22 of the German Road Traffic Regulations stipulates that cargo within a vehicle must not roll, shift, or fall off in order to avoid endangering the stability of the transport vehicle and road traffic. Furthermore, the cargo must not cause unnecessary noise that could impair the concentration of the driver or other road users and disturb residents. The law also specifies that the "recognized rules of technology" must be applied and internalized when securing cargo. This refers to applicable rules, regulations, guidelines, and standards for handling transported goods, as well as cargo securing devices and aids. The German Commercial Code further stipulates that the loading personnel, the driver, the vehicle owner, and the shipper are always responsible for securing the cargo and are liable for damage to the vehicle, cargo, other road users, and the environment.

Rules and regulations regarding edge protection

Proper cargo securing relies on trained personnel (shippers, drivers) who possess knowledge of appropriate load securing procedures and demonstrate a sense of responsibility. Furthermore, only tested and certified load securing devices and aids that meet the requirements stipulated by standards and guidelines may be used. Shippers, drivers, vehicle owners, and consignors are liable for violations resulting from inadequate or missing load securing.

Guideline of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) on load securing on transport carriers

One of the most important sets of regulations for securing cargo on trucks is the VDI Guideline 2700 "Load Securing on Road Vehicles." Here, professional drivers, freight forwarders, and transport companies will find all the information and instructions they need regarding the forces that occur during the transport of loads, as well as procedures for securing cargo in trucks. The guideline also contains further information on calculation models and instructions for various vehicles and load carriers, as well as for different types of cargo, load securing devices, and load securing aids. The specifications of VDI Guideline 2700 also serve as a basis for the judicial and regulatory authorities to assess proper load securing.

International and national standards and rules

Furthermore, when using lashing materials, the requirements of the European standards DIN EN 12195-1 ("Calculation of lashing forces") and EN 12195-2 ("Lashing straps made of man-made fibers") must be observed. The first part of the standard contains definitions, explanations of forces and methods for their calculation, testing regulations, and application and calculation examples for lifting and lashing equipment. The second part provides legal information on the labeling requirements for lashing equipment, applicable safety requirements, hazards, information on fittings (e.g., hooks, fittings) and tensioning elements (ratchets), testing standards and criteria for prototypes, and instructions for the use and maintenance of lashing materials. Other EU directives, such as 2014/47/EU, refer to the use of edge protectors as protection for lashing straps, lashing chains, and lifting aids. Further guidelines for the use of edge protection and edge protection profiles can be found in the regulations of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and in the regulations of the employers' liability insurance associations. The latter contain information on load securing situations and procedures for individual occupational sectors. In particular, they take into account the types of loads that are common in these sectors.

Metal or plastic edge protection profiles: the right model for every load

The selection of suitable edge protection and edge protection profiles depends primarily on the type of load and the type of load securing or lifting equipment used. Edge protection profiles are available as clamping profiles, for example, for protecting flat and protruding edges (doors, sheet metal, plastic, glass), and as sealing profiles, for example, for sealing windows, doors, or flaps of all kinds. These edge protection and sealing profiles have a fixed or flexible clamping area. Edge protection profiles are also available as corner protectors and edge protectors for load securing. Depending on the application, a wide variety of materials are used, such as plastic, PVC, rubber, steel, aluminum, or silicone.

Edge protection profiles for protecting loading edges in our online shop

Our edge protection profiles protect the corners and edges of sensitive and heavy loads during transport and lifting. Our robust and reliable polyethylene (PE) edge protection profiles with double-rib technology are also suitable for heavy-duty applications. This angle offers high-tech "Made in Germany" at a competitive price. The double-rib technology and dimensionally stable honeycomb structure of the plastic angle guarantee damage-free and safe transport in heavy-duty applications, for construction companies, and in the building materials industry. The edge protection angle is ideal for transporting concrete slabs or precast concrete elements, as well as for standardizing and stacking flexible packaging and small packaging units such as bagged goods, big bags, octabins, or building materials (stones, gravel, cement). Even flexible packaging is optimally protected with this flexible plastic edge protection profile. These edge protectors are available in our online shop with leg lengths of 120 x 120 mm or 190 x 190 mm and in blue and orange. Our edge protection profile can be used with lashing and tensioning straps as well as strapping bands in widths of 25, 35, 50, 75, and 100 mm to reliably secure your load. This edge protection is available as a profile in lengths from 80 cm to 2 meters. Custom dimensions are also available upon request. For custom-made angle profiles, please contact our team by email, WhatsApp message, or phone during our business hours.

The Big One edge protection profile is ideal for bagged goods, big bags and heavy loads.

Big One features a leg width of 185 millimeters on both sides and is made of polypropylene. This material guarantees high impact resistance and is cold-resistant. Raised side panels secure the strap, and a cavity on the inner edge of the black edge protector provides additional protection for the cargo edges. Big One is flexible to a certain degree, allowing it to adapt to the shape of the load. It is also feather-light and stackable, requiring minimal space during transport and storage. In addition to bagged goods and big bags, this edge protector also secures concrete products, squared timber, stacks of panels, and chipboard. The edge protector is available online in black and in lengths from 40 centimeters to 1.15 meters.

In our shop you will also find angle profiles and edge protection angles made of anodized stainless steel, black plastic with a slotted hole for strap attachment, as well as the flexible Cargo Safe edge protector and our edge protection tube with PVC sheathing. Upon request, our customers can also obtain custom-made products outside of our regular range at a reasonable price.

Edge protection profiles made of plastic or PVC for protecting sheet metal, doors and as a seal

These edge protection profiles are not only used for load securing. These edge protectors are mostly designed as clamping profiles and are made of PVC, soft PVC, EPDM, TPE, silicone, or rubber. They secure sheet metal, glass, or fragile panels during transport or lifting and have flexible clamping areas, for example, with an embedded steel insert or metal clamping strip, allowing the edge protector to be adapted to the surface being protected. This significantly simplifies installation. Different profile shapes, such as U-profiles and C-profiles, serve different functions and applications. Edge protection as a sealing profile is used to seal windows, doors, car doors, or metal flaps, such as those on electrical cabinets. This rubber edge protection is available as an accessory from specialist retailers in various thicknesses and also with different profile shapes, sealing materials (foam rubber, silicone), and clamping areas. These rubber profiles are available in various colors such as white, black, gray, or transparent, and also with self-adhesive backing.