Bathroom Pods Transport

PACKING

To prevent any damage, during the loading and shipment phases, any external element of the pod including junction boxes, is adequately protected. External handles, light switches or sockets are stored inside the bathroom pod or delivered on site in a separate box, to be installed afterwards. If the pod is provided with a door, polystyrene strips will be applied to it to prevent stains or damage on the surface and any moisture forming due to condensation.

Finally, each pod is completely wrapped in a heat-shrinkable polyethylene sheet that adheres perfectly and protects it from the bad weather during the transport and successive phases of handling (loading and unloading) and storage.

 

HANDLING

For the handling, each pod is supplied alternatively with:

-    four metal bushings properly anchored to the structure and located along the perimeter of the pod ceiling panel to ensure a steady lifting. A suitable leaded and threaded loop will be screwed in each of these metal bushings to be removed after the positioning. In case of hooking from the street level, adequately longer loops will be provided.

- four loop anchored to the base of the pod for a steady lifting

    

LOADING

Depending on their shape, size and weight, pods can be loaded on standard road trailers, with normal flatbed, by means of an overhead crane or of a forklift truck.

If pods are to be unloaded on site with a forklift truck, they are loaded onto the truck bed on blocks made of wood or similar material, located at the corners of the pods, to facilitate unloading once on site. If installation on site is to be carried out by means of a lifting crane, pods are placed onto the truck on strips of polystyrene and adequate space is left between one pod and the other to prevent collision during transport. It is driver's responsibility to judge if pods require to be secured further to the trailer by means of straps.

For long distances it is preferable to ship the pods by means of sheeted trailers to ensure extra protection to the pods along the way.

  

 

UNLOADING 

At the arrival on site, the trailer must be placed on a perfectly level surface for the pods to be unloaded by means of forklift truck or crane.

Unloading with forklift truck: the forks must be long enough to lift up the whole bathroom pod to avoid distortions and damage to its basement.

Unloading with crane: it is carried out by means of the four metal bushings on the pod ceiling and the loops provided by the manufacturer. 

If pods are to be unloaded with a crane, it will be necessary to find the four metal bushings along the perimeter of the pod ceiling and cut the protective sheeting only in correspondence of the holes, then screw completely the loops into their seats to prevent falls and damages. To hook the loops, four heavy-duty chains with a suitable length (at least 2,5 meters) will be required, provided with built in safety hooks at the lower end and with safety hooks or loops at the top end; alternatively a self-balancing lifting device will be supplied by the manufacturer if his technicians consider it necessary. The bottom end of each chain will be hooked to one of the 4 loops and the upper end will be hooked to the main hook of the crane. The angle between the chains should not be greater than 60°. Pods must be lifted keeping them horizontal and avoiding any sudden movements.

Two people are required to unload pods; one maneuvering the crane; the other screwing the loops and giving instructions to the crane operator. 

Starting from this situation (safe handling) the pod can be stored or installed immediately. 

 

STORING ON SITE

If pods are to be stored on site prior to their installation it is important to make sure that they are suitably protected against bad weather with tarpaulins or other protective material to avoid any possible damage, to the wood or fiber panels of the pods, due to highly wet environments.

Pods must be located on a level surface, on wooden or metal spacers (at least 30 mm) in correspondence to the corners of the pod to avoid damage and breakages to the pod base due to any debris on the storage floor.

If pods are unloaded by crane, it is important to remember to unscrew the loops from their seats and to patch up the holes or any accidental tears in the protective sheeting in order to avoid any water seeping through the sheeting and damaging the pod wall surfaces, doors or exterior fittings. The manufacturer will provide a number of loops adequate for the efficiency of the unloading.

  

In the exceptional cases of projections at the base of the pods, for laying purposes pods will be provided with protection spacers, which can be removed once the pod will be placed in its final position, or left as supports, according to the manufacturer.

 

COPYRIGHT © STERCHELEGROUP® - Credits > OTO Agency