Need someone with experience to shed light on this
We are doing a contract for XPO for store deliveries
It’s nearly all in cardboard boxes and never heavy stuff - max single item 40kg I would say, lightweight stuff mostly, on pallets
Does this need to be strapped On a non load bearing curtain?
XPO have supplied us two trailers, one has got NO internal straps and the other has got some old looking suspended webbing kind of thing (not a clue how to use it), some of it is literally hanging off the rails in places
We are subbies and our protestations seem to be falling on deaf ears regarding the lack of adequate securing measures in the trailers
Not specifically answering your question, but if a curtain sider hasn’t got a suitable load restraint and you think a load needs strapping you could just use regular ratchet straps.
Especially being ‘just a subbie’ it’s better to have your own equipment than relying on the main haulier
BE5T D4D:
We are subbies and our protestations seem to be falling on deaf ears regarding the lack of adequate securing measures in the trailers
Thoughts?
Is your protestations gone as far as, “no straps no take” ?
If no securing restraints supplied with trailer then you use your own, if you haven’t got any, then I suggest you take the cpc course about load restrainting.
PA22:
Not specifically answering your question, but if a curtain sider hasn’t got a suitable load restraint and you think a load needs strapping you could just use regular ratchet straps.
Especially being ‘just a subbie’ it’s better to have your own equipment than relying on the main haulier
lifted a load of sheet sheel today each pack weighed around 2 tons 12 packs in total down the lenghth of the trailer , double stacked .
So 4 tons to a stack - first stack tight to the headboard and every other stack tight behind it all the way down the trailer .
Three 5 ton ratchet straps on each stack with corner protectors - so a total of 18 straps enough to hold 90 tons down in theory or 15 tons worth of straps to every 4 ton stack.
One job where I say its better to be safe rather than sorry - I’d hate to imagine what would happen if it got loose .
beefy4605:
One job where I say its better to be safe rather than sorry - I’d hate to imagine what would happen if it got loose .
Chipboard is the same. The packs we shift are either 3 tonnes a piece or just under 4.5 tonnes in three stacks of three or three stacks of two. Four 5 tonne straps on the stacks of two, five 4 tonne straps on the stacks of three, two going over the bottom two and three over the whole stack.
Need someone with experience to shed light on this
We are doing a contract for XPO for store deliveries
It’s nearly all in cardboard boxes and never heavy stuff - max single item 40kg I would say, lightweight stuff mostly, on pallets
Does this need to be strapped On a non load bearing curtain?
XPO have supplied us two trailers, one has got NO internal straps and the other has got some old looking suspended webbing kind of thing (not a clue how to use it), some of it is literally hanging off the rails in places
We are subbies and our protestations seem to be falling on deaf ears regarding the lack of adequate securing measures in the trailers
Thoughts?
As you say its mainly light cardboard boxes, I suspect they are shrink wrapped to keep them on the pallets ■■ if not why not,if they are heavyish boxes then its definitely corner boards and straps otherwise straps corner boards won`t be very effective.
Need someone with experience to shed light on this
We are doing a contract for XPO for store deliveries
It’s nearly all in cardboard boxes and never heavy stuff - max single item 40kg I would say, lightweight stuff mostly, on pallets
Does this need to be strapped On a non load bearing curtain?
XPO have supplied us two trailers, one has got NO internal straps and the other has got some old looking suspended webbing kind of thing (not a clue how to use it), some of it is literally hanging off the rails in places
We are subbies and our protestations seem to be falling on deaf ears regarding the lack of adequate securing measures in the trailers
Thoughts?
How much does a pallet full of the single items actually weigh? any pallet over 400kg in weight has to be strapped down with RATCHET STRAPS, NOT INTERNALS (I think its 400kg I work on tankers at the moment so not strapped anything for a while). If they weigh less than 400 but are double stacked for example, the same applies.
Less than 400 per pallet, depending on what type of load it was i used to use internals, remember you are the one who is driving, its you who will get the fine etc.
Guidance here gov.uk/government/publicati … r-guidance
So we are told, the non-load-bearing curtains are to keep out the wind and rain. The suspended straps really perform no useful function in terms of weight shifting forward or back, so are more to keep loads from going sideways and even then to a limited degree. For me strapping down cardboard boxes with light things in them with, for example ratchets, would be a largely pointless exercise.
Practically when I have done multi-drop, despite the load being sent out loaded correctly, I have found some pallets stay on due to lack of access etc. I have sometimes used a pallet truck to put the pallets I have towards the bulkhead so they are at least packed against each other and also to distribute weight better in terms of what side the weight is on. When there are internal straps, I use them regardless of whether I think they are useful or not. If stopped you are bound to be questioned why you haven’t used internals.
When it comes to ratchets, I have operated on the basis of what I feel needs ratcheted down usually with a view to making sure of a load not shifting forward or sideways. In terms of calculations, I, like probably 99.99% of drivers up and down the country, wouldn’t have a clue. If there is a special load, then this should be taken out of the driver’s hands because we are not qualified to deal with such things and it would be unfair to put that onus on us. If you are unsure about taking a load, say I am not sure about this load and am not willing to take it.
What is the law regarding the EN 12642 XL reinforced curtain trailers?
Some advice has been that in the UK you still strap everything as per an unreinforced other advice that its only necessary to load to the headboard and strap at the rear to prevent rearward shift.
2000AD:
What is the law regarding the EN 12642 XL reinforced curtain trailers?
Some advice has been that in the UK you still strap everything as per an unreinforced other advice that its only necessary to load to the headboard and strap at the rear to prevent rearward shift.
Leaves a bloke feeling very uncertain…
Its in the guidance at point 6.1 gov.uk/government/publicati … r-guidance, pay particular attention to this bit… ‘‘or the load must be secured as it would in a non xl rated vehicle’’
2000AD:
What is the law regarding the EN 12642 XL reinforced curtain trailers?
Some advice has been that in the UK you still strap everything as per an unreinforced other advice that its only necessary to load to the headboard and strap at the rear to prevent rearward shift.
Leaves a bloke feeling very uncertain…
Follow shullbit`s link gov.uk/government/publicati … r-guidance
"Trailers and vehicles built to the EN 12642 XL standard can withstand a minimum of 40% of the rated payload to the side - without extra load securing - when following the manufacturer’s guidance.
DVSA accept an EN 12642 XL rated vehicle/trailer keeping 50% of the rated payload to the side without any extra securing, as long as the load fills the entire load area to the front, rear and to within 80mm of the side. This is often called a ‘positive fit’."
So, assuming a positive fit, headboard stops movement to front. Curtains stops movement to side.
Only needs restraint on back unless a positive fit there also.
I use mostly those trailers, and regular, well wrapped boxed goods on pallets need a cross on back only. Fine with one(-ish) ton pallets on full loads.
Poorly shrink wrapped pallets get a bit wrapping from me, and often internals as well. If the pallet is “wobbly” on the forklift it wont get past the first roundabout.
Timber, steel etc need ratchet straps.
But nice regular pallets? Often no need for extra restraint except a cross on back.
no way that any of the pallets, even the biggest ones weigh anywhere near 400kg
Not even 100kg, or hardly. Yes they are shrink wrapped, but because of the shape and size of some of the items they are not able to pack them in snugly to each other (Bicycle boxes for example are far longer or wider than pallet they are on)
I’ve got a single ratchet strap and I think I’ll have to start slinging that over the rear of the load at the very least
IMO you should treat a curtain-sider like a flatbed with rain protection. Would you be happy not to strap your load onto a flatbed? Maybe I’m over cautious, but that would be my thinking.
BE5T D4D:
We are subbies and our protestations seem to be falling on deaf ears regarding the lack of adequate securing measures in the trailers
Thoughts?
Emails with pics showing unsuitable trailers for the job sent to XPO managers asking for advice . A clear chain of emails with pics asking for advice will be your best defence when it all goes wrong .
" We knew it wasn’t right , we asked for advice / help and got no reply . " Just because your a subby dosen’t mean XPO can forget about the saftey of the loads that you pull for them . Its their problem - docuement what your expected to do with pics of the trailers that your being asked to do the job with . Trailer numbers , managers on duty all need to be recorded and kept for furure reference .
If you make it their problem they will fix it .
