An 80-pound appliance box, an oversize flat-pack, a rolled carpet — these stops slow down a route and put your back at risk if you don't approach them correctly. Here's how to handle heavy and oversized deliveries without spending the next week in pain.
Spot the Heavy Stops Before You Leave
Your manifest usually indicates weight or oversized status. Flag these stops during your pre-route review so you know they're coming. Mentally plan for them: where are they in the van (they should be low and accessible), what equipment do you have (dolly, hand truck, straps), and where will they need to go at the delivery point?
A 70-lb box that you've planned for is manageable. A 70-lb box that surprises you mid-route when you're already tired leads to bad lifts and injuries.
The Two-Person Rule and What to Do Alone
Many companies have a two-person rule for items over a certain weight. Know your company's threshold. If a package requires two people and you're alone, your options are: request assistance from dispatch, ask the customer to help receive it (for home deliveries, many customers are willing), or note it as undeliverable due to safety requirements and return it.
Don't risk a serious injury to deliver a heavy item solo when that's not what was arranged. Document it properly and let dispatch resolve the logistics.
Using a Hand Truck Correctly
A hand truck (dolly) is the tool for heavy and oversized items. Use it. Tips:
- Tilt the item back onto the dolly at an angle that balances the weight over the wheels — not so steep that it tips.
- Use straps if the item is unstable on the dolly.
- Go backwards up steps (pulling the dolly up while leaning it toward you), and forward down steps.
- On smooth surfaces, push rather than pull where possible — easier on your lower back.
Keep a hand truck in your van on any route with known oversized stops. If you don't have one, request one from your company.
Navigating to the Right Entry
Oversized items often can't go through front doors. Before approaching the delivery point with a 60-lb box, knock and ask: "Is there a wider door or side entrance?" Many homes have a garage or side entry that's significantly easier to maneuver.
For commercial deliveries, ask specifically about dock access or service entrances. Trying to get a large item through a revolving lobby door is a bad time for everyone.
Photographing Oversized Deliveries
For large items left outside a door (because no one was home or they can't fit through an entry), take extra care with your POD photo. Capture the item, the address marker, and the placement clearly. A customer claiming a large package was never delivered is harder to contest when your photo is ambiguous.
JWA Logistics includes handling notes on oversized stops wherever we have that information. Check your notes, use your equipment, and don't be a hero with heavy freight.