I heard that D V S A don’t recognise load bearing curtains anymore and every load that goes on lorries have to be strapped,is this true.
Think there is some truth in it.We have been told that we have to use ratchets and straps when loading bales of paper for shotton.Also been told that all securing methods are under review but will wait and see what comes of it.
It all depends on what you’re carrying, how it’s loaded, and whether you have load bearing curtains or a fully load bearing trailer.
Anything over 400kgs requires strapping.
Its why we run VanHool tilts, tough as old boots, sling most anything on and it doesnt need to be strapped as the side boards will hold it. 36 bulk bags with 6 doubled up over the bogie doesnt go anywhere…
All loads should be secured against moving.
There are lots of different methods to achieve this.
According to the nice vosa man who relieved me of £100…he said…if it aint strapped…its a insecure load, and is also equal to £100…that was with 18 bags or china clay powder in builders bags…3/4 of a ton each, and never moved 1/8th of an inch from Bordeaux to where i got pulled on the M23…who are these people ■■
truckman020:
I heard that D V S A don’t recognise load bearing curtains anymore and every load that goes on lorries have to be strapped,is this true.
On their website it says unstrapped loads are ok, if the the trailer (not just the curtains) is constructed to the XL load rating and that the load fits the criteria of being a positive fit.
The website was updated in October, so I think it should still be current advice.
truckyboy:
According to the nice vosa man who relieved me of £100…he said…if it aint strapped…its a insecure load, and is also equal to £100…that was with 18 bags or china clay powder in builders bags…3/4 of a ton each, and never moved 1/8th of an inch from Bordeaux to where i got pulled on the M23…who are these people ■■
Idiots mate, thats who they are. We’re the same with bulk bag aggregates (polished stone). try to strap that down and youred be forever tightening them. Thirty on the floor and six more on top and he whole lot just settles into one big immovable mass…
Carried all sorts of things in curtainsiders without straps, nothing moved or budged. All this ‘insecure load’ stuff is just a money spinner for VOSA.
Nothing like changing the goalposts!!
I’m sure it’s nothing to do with the increase in the use of Load bearing curtains effecting their income. Not in the slightest.
truckyboy:
According to the nice vosa man who relieved me of £100…he said…if it aint strapped…its a insecure load, and is also equal to £100…that was with 18 bags or china clay powder in builders bags…3/4 of a ton each, and never moved 1/8th of an inch from Bordeaux to where i got pulled on the M23…who are these people ■■
pricks who try to squeeze what money they can from drivers knowing they can get away with it using the law,having said that they are not all like that,but some do have a real attitude problem,our company uses a truck wash facility which is on DVSA land,i went in there one day to use said wash,didn’t know who to ask so asked some short axxe where I go,i did ask politely and the reply was and I quote I think this badge here[pointing to his little vosa badge] tells you i’m nothing to do with the washing facilities,unquote,and he walks away,i thought you ignorant little sxxt,but as I say there are some decent ones,very few and far between but they are out there.
gov.uk/government/publicati … r-guidance
DVSA examiners ask themselves a series of questions:
How much can I fine you?
can the load slide or topple forwards or backwards?
can the load slide or topple off the side?
is the load unstable?
is the load securing equipment in poor condition?
is there anything loose that might fall off?
does the vehicle present an immediate likelihood of causing danger of injury due to its load security or stability?
The examiner will refer to the load security matrix if they answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions.
muckles:
truckman020:
I heard that D V S A don’t recognise load bearing curtains anymore and every load that goes on lorries have to be strapped,is this true.On their website it says unstrapped loads are ok, if the the trailer (not just the curtains) is constructed to the XL load rating and that the load fits the criteria of being a positive fit.
The website was updated in October, so I think it should still be current advice.
interesting to know ‘‘muckles’’ haven’t checked the trailer yet but my curtains are 2XL,think it has armoured on it as well.
truckman020:
muckles:
truckman020:
I heard that D V S A don’t recognise load bearing curtains anymore and every load that goes on lorries have to be strapped,is this true.On their website it says unstrapped loads are ok, if the the trailer (not just the curtains) is constructed to the XL load rating and that the load fits the criteria of being a positive fit.
The website was updated in October, so I think it should still be current advice.
interesting to know ‘‘muckles’’ haven’t checked the trailer yet but my curtains are 2XL,think it has armoured on it as well.
Id also check if your curtains are only xl rated when used in conjunction with aluminum interlocking lats.
Instead of blaming them for expecting the load to be secure blame those who didn’t bother and inconvenienced thousands of people when they chucked their load all over whatever major road closing it for hours.
The clampdown is as a result of an increasing amount of lost and shot loads. Saw one the other week on the A66 Eastbound at 2am, wagon in first layby at start of first dual carriageway east of Temple Sowerby along with what looked like a manager from British Gypsum both scratching their heads wondering what they were going to do with the load of plasterboard bulging 4ft out the side of his curtainsider held in purely by the curtain but far from safe to drive any further. Bet the driver was like some of the pricks commenting in this thread and thought XL curtains, internal straps, good to go sod ratcheting it down. I was carrying 9 4.5 tonne packs of chipboard in three stacks of three strapped down with 5 ratchet straps per stack, perhaps if that clown had done the same he wouldn’t have ended up in the situation he did.
Conor:
Instead of blaming them for expecting the load to be secure blame those who didn’t bother and inconvenienced thousands of people when they chucked their load all over whatever major road closing it for hours.The clampdown is as a result of an increasing amount of lost and shot loads. Saw one the other week on the A66 Eastbound at 2am, wagon in first layby at start of first dual carriageway east of Temple Sowerby along with what looked like a manager from British Gypsum both scratching their heads wondering what they were going to do with the load of plasterboard bulging 4ft out the side of his curtainsider held in purely by the curtain but far from safe to drive any further. Bet the driver was like some of the pricks commenting in this thread and thought XL curtains, internal straps, good to go sod ratcheting it down. I was carrying 9 4.5 tonne packs of chipboard in three stacks of three strapped down with 5 ratchet straps per stack, perhaps if that clown had done the same he wouldn’t have ended up in the situation he did.
I smell a rat there anything that comes out of British Gypsum has a minimum of 12 starps on it.I know that because i load out of there and if its not strapped it does not leave the site.The loaders have to sign off every load and take pictures to say and show its fully strapped and secure.
phoned DVSA today and there is nothing I can do about it,just have to accept it and carry on strapping,i even explained to the guy the type of curtain I have on my trailer,wouldn’t except what I said about it,i tried to explain to the other drivers from other companies about strapping their loads and that it was law but they said it was rubbish,if DVSA decide to blitz our area there will be a lot of fines going to drivers.
I think a lot of firms have been taking the ■■■■ with ‘load bearing curtains’ and XL trailers, by basically treating them as box vans.
Even on these trailers, the load can’t be strapless unless it fills the entire floor space of the trailer with no more than 80mm gaps around the edge. With a 26 pallet load you can get away with just strapping the back two, but that’s it. Look up DVSAs definition of ‘positive fit’.
It’s all a load of ■■■■■■■■ though… leave Coca Cola with no straps and get fined for endangering the public, but put in place 26 flimsy roof straps and your good to go…
I agree it’s a combination of ott H&S ■■■■■■■■ and a good way of screwing cash out of drivers.
As somebody said you once could get away without strapping many types of loads, but not now.
I just play their game nowadays and spend an extra 30 to 45 mins strapping everything, knowing they won’t have me over by doing me out of a few quid and safe in the knowledge I get paid by the hour, so I’m in no hurry.
Better to turn all this type of crap to your advantage rather than risk it all purely for the sake of impressing your boss by getting stuff there quicker, which I aint interested in.