Industry veteran Bob Rogers and the industry association ULD CARE have teamed up to release a book, ULD Explained, that will provide critical information to the air cargo industry around the world that will improve flight safety, reduce injuries and prevent damage of unit load devices (ULDs).

 

“This book is packed with critical information that anyone touching a ULD needs to have to ensure these devices are loaded, moved and handled properly,” says Rogers. “I have written ULD Explained to impart the best-practices I have developed over 35 years in the business.”

 

Rogers adds the book will fill a need in the market to ensure that all companies and employees handling the assets will do so properly, increasing flight safety, employee safety and reducing damage and loss costs from mishandling.

 

“Far too often ULDs are perceived as being nothing more than a piece of material handling equipment, used to provide convenience for handlers and terminals,” he says. “Most undoubtedly ULD do provide such convenience, and indeed have opened huge new possibilities, such as the transport of high end pharmaceuticals by air. But all too often the primary flight safety function of the ULD is completely ignored, and ULDs that are damaged or incorrectly built-up find their way onto the aircraft, creating damage to cargo holds, violating civil aviation regulations and creating potential accidents.”

 

“We’ve seen increased attention from regulators to ensure safety and proper handling of ULDs, particularly the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S.,” says Urs Wiesendanger, President of ULD CARE. “This book is part of a new Code of Practice that we are establishing to ensure the best methods of ULD handling become the norm across the industry.”

 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States released a report that linked improper loading of ULDs as contributed to the crash of Fine Air Flight 101 in 1997. ULD CARE has advanced the creation of procedures and standards to ensure that all industry players have the proper information available in a format that is accessible to them, says Wiesendanger. ULD CARE will be releasing additional information products to support the industry, he adds.

 

ULD Explained will be available in printed copy and eBook formats at www.ULDCARE.com.