Ratchet straps are an extremely useful tool. They can be a firefighters best friend in many applications where a quick flexible tightening mechanism is required. One such application is vehicle stabilization. In the hands of a trained user, they work fast and perform very well. In the wrong hands a ratchet strap can be a nightmare.
 
I felt compelled to write this after seeing the ratchet strap misused by far too many firefighters. During a stabilization exercise, I witnessed a chief officer unfamiliar with the proper use of a ratchet strap render the tool useless and subsequently begin to scream at a junior firefighter for screwing up the strap. I had to bite my lip because the officer was at fault. I travel all over, and I see this same situation occur again and again. Fire/Rescue instructors need to integrate the ratchet strap into hands-on training, and give this tool the direct attention it needs.
 
A ratchet strap consists of several parts. They include hooks, a "fixed" end, a "free" or adjustable end, a ratchet mechanism, a handle, and a bale. There are basically three positions the handle can be in on the ratchet mechanism which will result in different effects. When the Ratchet handle is fully opened and locked open, the bale will free wheel. This position is good for loosening a tight strap when removing a strap from use. Another position is the locked closed position. This position provides for a positive engagement of a dog to prevent bale movement to maintain strap tension. Any position between these two locked positions is the range in which operation of the ratchet handle accomplishes strap tightening. Once a strap is tightened the ratchet handle should be left in the locked closed position to provide a backup means of preventing ratchet bale rewind.
 
There is only one correct way to use a ratchet strap. However, there are many ways to misuse a ratchet strap. Below I’ll address a few of the more common mistakes I’ve witnessed:
 
Mis-threading the bale:
 
On many occasions I’ve seen the loose end of the strap fed through the bale in such a way that the handle is covered by the strap. This mistake completely prevents tightening of the strap as the handle cannot be operated. The strap must be threaded through the bale and back under the handle.
 
Failure to pull out the slack prior to ratchet operation:
 
Another common mistake is to begin operating the ratchet prior to pulling out the slack from the free end. This may simply result in delaying the desired tension if only a moderate amount of slack exists. However, if too much slack exists, the bale will fill up to its capacity which will prevent any further tightening. If this is the case it will be necessary to unwind the strap and start over with the slack pulled out prior to operation. Unwinding the strap after filling the bale can be quite a chore depending on how far the operator went in overfilling the bale. Tightening begins almost immediately when the slack is properly pulled out.
 
Pulling the slack out of the free end in the direction of the fixed end:
 
When pulling the slack out of the free end, the proper way is to thread the free end through the bale then pass it back over the bale (under the handle) and pull back in the direction of the free end. Pulling the slack out in this fashion will have the effect of tensioning the entire assembly, the fixed and free end of the strap. This will allow for effective operation of the ratchet handle in quickly tightening the strap. Many people fail to thread the free end back between the handle and the bale in the direction of the free end. Instead they may thread it straight through the bale and pull the slack out towards the fixed end. This will leave the fixed end and the ratchet mechanism loose making it difficult to tighten the assembly without a third hand.
 
Binding loose end of the strap in ratchet gear:
 
When operating a ratchet strap, it is necessary to guide the slack side of the free end into the bale. Failure to do this may result in the slack end getting caught up in the ratchet gear. This will not only hamper the operation, but it may also damage the strap. Twisted straps will take up more space on the ratchet bale so it is a good idea to guide the strap onto the bale in a flat untwisted fashion.
 
Leave the ratchet handle in the locked closed position while strap is under load:
 
When the desired strap tension is achieved the handle should be left in the locked closed position which provides a means of assuring strap tension and preventing any possibility of bale rewind.
 
Position ratchet handle in locked open position to loosen strap:
 
In addition to a locked closed position, there is also a locked open position which allows the bale to freewheel. Another small handle nested under the tightening handle is used to release a handle from this position.
 
Know the capacity of the strap and its components:
 
As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The components in this chain are the hooks, the webbing, the tightening mechanism, and the components which connect these such as D-rings, etc.
 
There are many different styles of hooks and each have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of an S-hook, for example, is the versatility in connecting to many different purchase points with ease and speed. The S-hook, however, does not have the strength of other style hooks. The stronger hooks are typically bulky and less friendly in obtaining a speedy connection.
 
Webbing is made from various materials, and comes in various widths. Different material properties offer different resistance to chemicals. Wider webbing is stronger than narrow webbing.
 
Not all tightening ratchet mechanism are created equal. Different handle designs have different capacities. When determining a ratchet strap assembly’s capacity, be sure to include the parts that connect the major components as well.
 
A strap assembly’s working load limit is typically determined by using a factor of safety of three. In other words, the working load limit is one-third of the load at which failure of one component occurs. Some manufacturer’s will sew a tag into the web which conveniently lists the strap assembly’s working load limit (WLL).
 
Inspect a strap for damage:
 
Straps with acid damage, heat damage, cuts, punctures, or tensile damage should be removed from service.