Concrete

Loading and Transporting Floor Machines Safely

Strap ratings, tie-down counts, and National's rules for moving ride-on scrapers: no ramps, lift gates rated for the load, and blades off.

Updated · 3 min read

Safety

This guide is general information, not a substitute for the regulations or a qualified professional. Follow OSHA's silica standard for construction (29 CFR 1926.1153) and OSHA's asbestos rules for construction, and use an EPA-accredited asbestos professional for testing and abatement. State and local rules may be stricter.

A ride-on scraper weighs more than a small car and carries most of that weight in a short wheelbase. Most transport incidents happen at the loading edge or from straps that weren't rated for the load. The rules below combine the machine maker's transport instructions with the federal cargo securement regulations.[1][2]

Check your machine's manual

Every model has its own weight and transport instructions. The figures here use the National 7700 as an example. Follow the manual for your machine and serial number.

Know the weight

Everything else in this guide depends on the real weight of the machine as you're hauling it.

  • The National 7700 weighs 2,572 lb for the machine alone and 2,757 lb fully weighted.[1]
  • Take off the blade, cutting head and added weights before transport.[1]
  • Check that your trailer, lift gate and hitch are rated for the loaded weight, not just the machine's base weight.

Getting it on the truck

This is where the manufacturer's guidance is strictest: a ride-on never goes up a ramp.

  • Never use a ramp to load a ride-on.[1]
  • Use a dock or a lift gate. For the 7700, the lift gate should be rated for at least 3,000 lb.[1]
  • Forklifts: set the forklift cups under the front and strap the machine to the forks with straps or chain rated 3,000 lb or more.[1] Whoever runs the forklift must be trained and evaluated under OSHA's powered industrial truck standard.[5]
  • Never leave the machine unattended on an incline.[1]
  • Walk-behind scrapers are the exception. Loading ramps are built for them, and a ramp is the normal way to load one.

Strapping it down

Federal rules set the legal minimum; the machine manual sets a stricter one. Meet both.

Rule Requirement
Federal total strap rating (49 CFR 393.106) The combined working load limit of all tie-downs must be at least half the weight of the load[2]
How straps count A strap from the trailer to an anchor on the machine counts at half its rating. A strap that goes over the machine to the other side counts at full rating[2]
Minimum number of tie-downs (393.110) Depends on length and weight; two for articles over 5 ft up to 10 ft[3]
Machine manual (National 7700) Straps rated at least twice the weight of the machine[1]

The federal heavy-equipment rule with its four-tie-down minimum applies to machines of 10,000 lb or more.[4] Most ride-on scrapers are well under that. Use four straps anyway.

Transport checklist

Run through this every time the machine goes on the truck.

  1. Remove the blade, cutting head and added weights.
  2. Lower the cutting head mount so the machine sits off its swivel caster.[1]
  3. Put the hydraulic levers in neutral.
  4. Chock the wheels, but never rely on chocks alone.[1]
  5. Strap to rated anchor points on the machine, not to handles, guards or hoses.
  6. Recheck strap tension after the first few miles.
  7. Disconnect the battery for longer trips, per your manual.

Common mistakes

Most transport problems come from shortcuts at the truck.

  • Driving a ride-on up a ramp. The manual rules it out.[1]
  • Relying on chocks. Chocks back up the straps; they don't replace them.
  • Counting straps at full rating when they only run to one side. Those count at half.
  • Leaving the blade on. It's a cutting edge in the back of a truck.

Ramps and moving equipment we carry

These are for walk-behind machines, carts and general loading.

Regulations and references

  1. National Flooring Equipment 7700 operating manual
  2. 49 CFR 393.106: Cargo securement, working load limits
  3. 49 CFR 393.110: Minimum number of tiedowns
  4. 49 CFR 393.130: Heavy vehicles, equipment and machinery
  5. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178: Powered industrial trucks (forklift operator training)

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