Strapping Pallets on Curtain siders?

Was parked up at Hilton park when the chap next door opened his curtains and started strapping the pallets (grocery), said that vosa were checking and that other vehicles from his company were fined £60 if all the pallets were not strapped. Is this a new rule or have I been driving a box for too long? I used to only strap the last two pallets or when necessary.

VOSA now class curtainsiders as flat bed trailers, so any load has to be properly restrained or they will punish you

2013-03-14 14.32.40.jpgAnd do VOSA have powers to “come aboard” and check? We’re advised not to let any non-employees in the curtainsider, partly h&s and partly hygene reasons. I have larger pallets shrink wrapped which holds them tight, but I only ever strap the large wheatfeed bags like those shown in the pic.

I can see the TIR cord getting used more often

Vosa, “open the back please driver, checking for load security”

Driver “Sorry mate, no can do…its sealed”

You will notice now that all, accompanied / unacompanied trailers from the continent are strapped. Pain in the ■■■, but safety is paramount.

According to the fella who done our CPC day the other day, anything over 400kg has to be strapped/secured, anything under is fine, how true that is I don’t know

Unless VOSA have a warrant how do they check the load? or is this more driver b/s?

When I was at Stobarts I was told palletised goods don’t need to be strapped at all. Sometimes the back 2 were strapped, sometimes not. Except for the double stacked tissue paper, that was strapped every 4th pallet.

Same at Unilever in Cannock, went there a few times and they never strapped pallets either.

Load also has to be right up against the headboard, If this can’t be done without overloading the front axle on a rigid, the gap must be filled with empty pallets or there must be a form of restraint to prevent the load moving forward under braking.

vosa can and do stop and check inside curtainsiders to make sure the load is secured i.e strap
a lot of new curtainsiders dont have straps hanging down from a central rail , instead you have a series of shackles recessed into the floor running parralel with the chockrails , so you then ratchet straps over the load from side to side

i got done last thursday by vosa had a load of fertilizer on one bag was slightly out of line so there was a very slight bulge in the curtains and that was enough for them and the bulge was not because the bag had moved it was the way it was loaded

Strapping a load in a curtainsider, what a ridiculous idea that is…

what about bulk bags of sand on flatbeds only a ■■■■■■■■ the rear ones nothing not even curtains to stop them moveing

I’d say best practise would be to secure everything especially now vosa’s self funding they’ll do you for anything.

SO IF YOU are carrying soft goods or pallets of goods that will be damaged , then your employer will do you if they are refused on point of delivery because of strap damage

Think someone should tell the guys I have seen regular on the m180 with an iso container on a flatbed no twist locks occasionally a strap thrown over for all the good it would do.

ALL goods must be secured to the platform of the vehicle by some means other than by it’s own weight.
You can’t get away from this. The only defence for not securing a load inside a curtainsider would be to bring evidence that the curtains were capable of containing the load SECURELY within the confines of the vehicle’s bodywork. Most modern curtains are reinforced to some extent but cannot be relied upon to hold the load without bulging, therefore not within the bodywork.
If VOSA, police or , heaven forbid, HSE decide to prosecute, you can bet your life that they will bring enough experts to court to ensure a decent chance of a guilty verdict.

Muckaway:
0And do VOSA have powers to “come aboard” and check? We’re advised not to let any non-employees in the curtainsider, partly h&s and partly hygene reasons. I have larger pallets shrink wrapped which holds them tight, but I only ever strap the large wheatfeed bags like those shown in the pic.

Yes they do have the power to inspect the load. You can refuse and they’ll just issue an immediate prohibition.

Saaamon:
Strapping a load in a curtainsider, what a ridiculous idea that is…

You do know that not all curtains are designed to restrain loads?

It’s my load, my responsibility, I will strap it if I think it needs strapping.

Nothing more retarded than a load with 13 straps on it that was in zero danger of falling over.