HEALTH AND SAFETY

APEX STANDARD STEEL STRAPPING SPECIFICATIONS

13mm x 0.50mm	16mm x 0.50mm	19mm x 0.50mm

HEAT TREATED HIGH TENSILE STEEL STRAPPING SPECIFICATIONS

16mm x 0.51mm	19mm x 0.48mm	19mm x 0.63mm	19mm x 0.80mm	32mm x 0.80mm

HI TENSILE IS NOT HEAT TREATED HIGH TENSILE

As economic conditions get harder the temptation for inexperienced strapping suppliers to source cheap steel strapping is too great to resist.  The traditional HEAT TREATED HIGH TENSILE steel strapping is a minimum 900 MPA and a minimum of 7% elongation.  The higher the MPA of steel the more brittle it becomes, so for heavy duty applications the ability of the strap to with stand shock factors (pot holes, severe breaking, forklifts etc) is paramount to the safety of all who come in contact with the load. 

HI-TENSILE steel strapping is a cheap steel strap made for the Asian market where Health and Safety is not a consideration.  HI-TENSILE steel is manufactured to a high MPA to achieve a high break force.  However, without heat treatment the steel is left brittle and unable to with stand shock, the very reason for using HIGH TENSILE strapping.  

HI-TENSILE strapping can be easily compared to HEAT TREATED HIGH TENSILE strapping with a simple brittleness bend test.  HI-TENSILE strap will fracture after three severe bends in the same section of the strap.  In contrast, HEAT TREATED HIGH TENSILE strap will take more than 10 bends with out breaking.

HI-TENSILE strapping represents a major health and safety risk for not only your work place but to all road users.  It is a fact that once a load has been strapped all who come in contact with it treat it as being safe.  In heavy duty applications a brittle strap means a dangerous strap.