Was at a site today and was alongside a Bowker’s driver having a Euroliner loaded with palletised stuff (not sure what it was, big brown sacks shrink wrapped), it was bound for Germany. I watched as he made the forkie wait whilst he put non slip mats down, then all 13 rows were strapped down to the bed with lashings attached to the trailer, then wooden slats inserted between the roof supports.
Always knew they took load security seriously abroad, but never really witnessed the whole process. I was quite impressed to be honest & it made me wonder, why are they doing this abroad but drivers & many operators over here seem quite happy with flimsy internal roof straps or nothing at all (“the weight will hold it…”). Seems like we’re at totally different ends of the spectrum.
i would have thought that going to all that trouble to to secure load would be the norm across europe but of course if you are chopping and changing units and trailers all the time all that expensive gear is going to get lost damaged or stolen so it only works if the driver keeps the same unit and trailer or books items out from a stores and signs for it with a deposit even then stuff will go awol
He is just doing what the law requires, what he was trained and shown to do and what his employer requires him to do.
I honestly believe that here in the UK we are way behind mainland Europe when it comes to standards for load securing. What you described this guy doing is the right way.
As has been said the loader can be held liable if things go wrong.
The driver also knows that where he comes from a roadside check could result in a very large fine for him - not just £100 like DVSA give out over here - so he makes sure he satisfies the requirements which are all contained in the German standard VDI 2700.
Notimetoulouse:
i would have thought that going to all that trouble to to secure load would be the norm across europe but of course if you are chopping and changing units and trailers all the time all that expensive gear is going to get lost damaged or stolen so it only works if the driver keeps the same unit and trailer or books items out from a stores and signs for it with a deposit even then stuff will go awol
I believe the have a system on ferry trailers to account for straps etc, I think basically you sign for the straps you’ve used as part of the load and keep a receipt for them and then you can draw some more from the trailer company.
I used to load paper from CEVA at Mendlesham, and they used to make sure it was all strapped down with load protectors before it left, they even had somebody to assist you to secure the load. If you didn’t have enough straps or protectors you were loaned some and were expected to return them or the transport company was sent a bill for them.
shep532:
I honestly believe that here in the UK we are way behind mainland Europe when it comes to standards for load securing. What you described this guy doing is the right way.
When you do driver training in the army you’re also taught to secure loads that way too as well as straps around the back pallets.
The place where I’m at expect you as a driver to secure the load properly as well. Tonight I’ll be returning back with 27 tonnes of chipboard which is made up of 9 three tonne packs of chipboard stacked in threes. Each stack will have two straps going over the top of the bottom two packs then a further three straps going over the top of the stack of three so 15 straps in all. First stack loaded right up to the headboard, each subsequent stack butted up right next to the one in front of it. You have to try bloody hard to get that to shift.
Compare that to those doing it off Hull docks where a couple of straps chucked over each stack is the norm and you often saw the curtains going in and out as it shifted when going round roundabouts…
I was told by a VOSA jerk that they had been to Germany to see how the securing was done. We in the uk should also have a word with companies to tell them that shrinkwrap normally used for sandwiches, is not good enough for goods being transported across the uk and beyond, and that it should be a certain ply, then melted to aid safety for drivers and their goods. There are some companies in the uk who insist on loads being secured as noted above, and i normally have to carry and use, slip mats and enough straps and corner bits ( especially for paper reels ) and one of these companies ( in Norfolk ) were a german company. I have also loaded bags of sugar in silvertown, with no shrinkwrap, but still laid down slip mats and strapped every pallet, and had drivers asking Why are you doing that, i just load and go
once i tell them i had just paid £100 fine for insecure load on 30 x 3/4 ton builders bags loaded with china clay, they were gobsmacked.
Silverwolve:
It´s the law to secure the loading in this way…so it´s the right way…
Such kind of loading security is normal in Germany…
Anyone caught in Germany with a heavy load only secured with internal straps will need plenty money me,thinks.I loaded chipboard in Germany yrs ago and the com.would not let me leave without the correct no.of straps on the load and took pics before I left.
regards dave.
Silverwolve:
It´s the law to secure the loading in this way…so it´s the right way…
Such kind of loading security is normal in Germany…
Anyone caught in Germany with a heavy load only secured with internal straps will need plenty money me,thinks.I loaded chipboard in Germany yrs ago and the com.would not let me leave without the correct no.of straps on the load and took pics before I left.
regards dave.
I think the German thing of some liability being with the company who loaded the truck is something we should look at over here, might make a few think about how they pack goods for loading. There are already some who do it, like Truckboy I’ve also done paper reels in recent years (well about 5 years ago) and they had to be secured properly and done cardboard out of Norwich and that had to be strapped properly before you left the site.
also photograph before you can get your notes out of Capespan in wales, gotta be strapped, and corner boards ( supplied ) and a great gantry for accessing the trailer.