Damage PreventionIntermediate

Stairway and Elevator Delivery Techniques

Techniques for moving bulky goods on stairs and elevators without injuring the crew or damaging walls, rails, or product.

Estimated time: 35 min

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  1. 1. Measure the vertical path before you unload

    Count flights, measure the tightest turn and the narrowest landing, and check elevator cab depth and door height against the carton. If the piece will not clear, call dispatch from the curb, not from the third-floor landing.

  2. 2. Run the stop points before anyone lifts

    Three checks decide whether the carry happens at all. First, the load against the rated capacity of your straps or stair equipment and against your trained limits. Second, the crew size against what the equipment procedure or your program requires for that weight. Third, the path against clearance, tread condition, handrail, and lighting. Any single failure stops the carry.

  3. 3. Use rated equipment the way you were trained

    Straps and stair equipment must be rated above the load and used per their instructions, in the crew positions that procedure specifies. Do not improvise a rigging, exceed a rating, or use equipment you have not been trained on because it is what is on the truck.

  4. 4. Pad rails, walls, and elevator cabs

  5. 5. Assign one caller and agree on rest points first

  6. 6. Escalate instead of forcing the turn

  7. 7. Inspect the vertical path on the way out

Tools

  • Shoulder or stair straps rated above the load, with their instructions
  • Stair-climbing hand truck rated above the load, only if the crew is trained on it
  • Blankets and tape for rails and corners
  • Elevator pads the building supplies
  • Tape measure, work gloves, and a flashlight for dim stairwells

Safety tips

  • Use only straps and stair equipment rated above the load, and only if you are trained on that specific equipment.
  • Never position yourself under an unsecured load. Crew positions come from the equipment's procedure and the path, not from a fixed rule about who stands below.
  • Reserve the elevator and confirm pad rules with the building before you arrive.
  • If the load, the crew size, or the path fails a stop point, do not attempt the carry — escalate.