Silver_Surfer:
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.
This ^
VOSA. Are now self funding so they will do all they can to pull a driver for unsafe load and earn a bit of cash, trouble is most of VOSA have never driven a truck yet alone have to secure a load so what would they know amounts to a safe,secure load? 
all loads on curtainsiders must have some form of load restraint to secure the load,we got given a piece of paper in our last CPC with a list of loads put into catageries and what is the minimum load restraint required to secure the load in VOSA eyes. Now can you tell me how you secure a full load of water on 36 euro pallets when you only have about 18 internal straps plus the strap is only holding the pallet, if the shrinkwrap comes away from the pallet the bottles will go all over! 
it is true though a curtainsiders trailer does not amount to making a load safe just because the curtain is there. A load can still move and become dangerous to unload at the other end.
Retired Old ■■■■:
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.
What about these ‘chip liners’, they’re always going to bulge, it’s the nature of the load, but the curtains are re-inforced (and damned heavy) to support the weight, but will bulge.
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
VOSA. Are now self funding so they will do all they can to pull a driver for unsafe load and earn a bit of cash, trouble is most of VOSA have never driven a truck yet alone have to secure a load so what would they know amounts to a safe,secure load?
But experience and stuff falling at you when you open the curtain has already taught you which ones you’d strap so they don’t fall on your head at the delivery point.
waynedl:
Retired Old ■■■■:
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.What about these ‘chip liners’, they’re always going to bulge, it’s the nature of the load, but the curtains are re-inforced (and damned heavy) to support the weight, but will bulge.
All ChipLiner drivers will now be issued with 48,000,000 ratchet straps to ensure not a single chip falls from the trailer. HTH 
newmercman:
waynedl:
Retired Old ■■■■:
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.What about these ‘chip liners’, they’re always going to bulge, it’s the nature of the load, but the curtains are re-inforced (and damned heavy) to support the weight, but will bulge.
All ChipLiner drivers will now be issued with 48,000,000 ratchet straps to ensure not a single chip falls from the trailer. HTH
It really does… BUT… a ratchet strap is material, so is still going to bulge… I think I better stop doing my other job now for fear of a fine… Is it £60 per moved item?? That’s a BIG fine on a chip liner 
Conor:
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?
I know where you are coming from in a way but we carry glass upto Scotland on curtainsiders double stacked front to back 52 pallets,fully freighted to 44tonne. Now do you honestly think that load does not need load restraint?? We use internals every 2nd pallet,criss cross them through the bottom of the top two pallets and then down the side and attaching them to the cross section of the trailer and pull down hard as f–k and clip down. The last 4 pallets we use 4 internals criss cross through both top and bottom pallets and attach to the cross section of the trailer again.
I carry a lot of boxes on pallets filled with food pots destined for food processing plants,they are normally about 6ft high with no real weight to keep them still on the bed ,they are shrink wrapped to the pallet so essentially the 12 boxes become 1 box on a pallet weighing no more than 50-100kg dependent on quantity of pots in the boxes.If i strap those pallets the boxes will crush and get refused at delivery .I make sure that the pallets are tightly packed stopping them moving and have never had a problem .
Re bulging curtains .I see a lot of Ramage curtain siders with bulging curtains ,they are obviously loaded that way and i do wonder how the driver can see the arse end of his trailer the bulge is so big ,so what are the regs on that ?
How about cargo nets like on aircraft? Straps are no good on most loads as per previous posters they either squash and damage packaging, or on a heavy load like palletised beer for example the strap would not hold a 1 ton pallet that wants to fall over.
098Joe:
How about cargo nets like on aircraft? Straps are no good on most loads as per previous posters they either squash and damage packaging, or on a heavy load like palletised beer for example the strap would not hold a 1 ton pallet that wants to fall over.
That may be the answer in some cases but in all cases i feel a liberal dose of common sense is called for
Yes common sense is best solution, and also driving sensibly particulary entry speed into roundabouts and that lovely junction M25 onto M11 southbound, we lost a few keg loads there on the way to Docklands when I was at Carlsberg.
Conor:
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?
I was being sarcastic, dont think i made it very clear lol… I strap or rope most things on the lorry. Dont understand how some people think that a few internal straps will hold a ton pallet 
, there handy for light stuff that you couldnt strap but for everything else there useless, cant understand why we dont have side boards in uk trailers as standard.
If goods are being damaged because of the restraints, then the correct vehicle or restraints for the job aren’t being used.
Not everything has to be on a pallet in a curtain slider, and straps are not the only restraint method available.
Question…
I see a few 20ft and 40ft containers on flat beds not chained or strapped down, do they ever move? Isnt it best pratice to chain them or strap them?
Just a question please dont throw things at me ive lost my tin hat.
Dan
I was told VOSA dont accept internal roof straps. When I asked my " masters who should know" all I got was blank looks. I think most companies are waiting until VOSA do one of there drivers and will then address the matter. Personally I have never seen a load, that had the curtains correctly fastened, come out of the trailer, unless it turned over.
Dan_1986:
Question…I see a few 20ft and 40ft containers on flat beds not chained or strapped down, do they ever move? Isnt it best pratice to chain them or strap them?
Just a question please dont throw things at me ive lost my tin hat.
Dan
Twist locks !
(One on each corner of the container)
martinviking:
Dan_1986:
Question…I see a few 20ft and 40ft containers on flat beds not chained or strapped down, do they ever move? Isnt it best pratice to chain them or strap them?
Just a question please dont throw things at me ive lost my tin hat.
Dan
Twist locks !
(One on each corner of the container)
Correct.
PS. You only need a tin hat if you bat for the other team or park in Kent apparently 
Loaded some polystyrene type insulation the other day, instructions said “strap load” so I did. Not difficult is it really, if that’s what they want and they are paying, then that’s what they get.
My company are itching to be pulled because we don’t strap and they want to take vosa on. We are told if get pulled ring in immediately with vosa mans name.
I couldn’t load out of a factory because I had no internal straps. So they sent me to the warehouse next door to load. Why? Because the curtains have to be opened and secured with the internal straps for driving around the factory, but you don’t need to open your curtains until you load at the warehouse! It seems the strapping of the load was irrelevant.
PS it was the same load, the shunter fetched it from the factory for a Tranship!