Had a chat with gaffer yesterday and he’s explained that he’s had notification from RHA that vosa (or whatever they’re called) that new rules regarding load restraints are going to be strictly enforced from 1st September.
He stated that ALL loads MUST be strapped to the bed. Internal straps are no longer acceptable.
He pays me and wants me to do it that way so I will - do the job I’m paid for
In my opinion there seems to be someone in authority that has no real clue about the job and sits behind a desk trying to make their job viable. Ropes are no longer acceptable as they are not ‘testable’ although they have been used since - forever.
So there is some truth on whats been knocking about… no longer a rumour
To me, a cutain sided trailer is just a flat bed with a fancy cover , don’t really like them internal ones…so it looks like companies are gonna have to splash out on more straps… I personally carry my own ratchet straps now, seems when I have been out on the odd occasion with a curtain sider the internal ones where damaged…
My outfits gonna have kittens if this newsflash is true! Theyll actually have to spend some MONEY stocking up on straps. A fair few of their trucks` internal straps are only just up to the job (crushed and twisted buckles, frayed material etc), and all they really want you to do is sod off out of the yard ASAP. This will obviously add to their precious wages bill as well, with all the extra time this will take.
Usually get an email alert from DSA of relevant changes, but nothing so far.
Just thought - Ill be taking a load of Life Fitness gym equipment to Chigwell in the early hours of Monday. Some of it quite chunky (and some of its bound to exceed 400kg too). Bet your bottom dollar that my trailer will be pre-loaded and “secured” with just internals. Where does that leave me, i wonder?
Swampey2418:
So there is some truth on whats been knocking about… no longer a rumour
To me, a cutain sided trailer is just a flat bed with a fancy cover , don’t really like them internal ones…so it looks like companies are gonna have to splash out on more straps… I personally carry my own ratchet straps now, seems when I have been out on the odd occasion with a curtain sider the internal ones where damaged…
Yeh it might seem a bit more work but who cares…
That’s ok until you have to do trl swaps down the road as I did on eu work,what then?cant undo trl because its sealed.You lose your straps.Only alternative is for boss to buy every driver a set of 24 straps and ratchets,a lot of exspense.
regards dave.
The instructor on the dcpc course I did in June mentioned this. As regards pallets everyone must have a strap across it and the back row two straps across. Whilst this is the way it has been for flats for a long time, the same will also be expected of curtainsiders too now unless they have proper load bearing curtains.
To be fair this has been coming for a long time, as we’ve all seen drivers that just close the curtains and make no effort at all to secure the load. Driver has a minor shunt, load goes through the curtains and blocks off the road for hours. It was inevitable that one day someone would do something to redress this.
That’s ok until you have to do trl swaps down the road as I did on eu work,what then?cant undo trl because its sealed.You lose your straps.
Good point Dave,being forewarned about swapping a loaded trailer to an empty one, I wouldn’t use my own straps…
it generally works if you use the same trailer throughout the shift and get unloaded before you finish…
A mate of mine is always having issues, does his daily checks , then goes to checks for straps to find that someones been lifting them, asked the boss for more to get told " just go and find some " probably some agency driver lifted them …
End of the day why shouldn’t the companies spend out of this sort of equipment, seems pretty basic requirement for road haulage in my view…
Doesn’t anyone think it odd that there is nothing about this anywhere online? DVSA, FTA, RHA, HSE, Commercial Motor, Transport News, none of these have any information about these “new” regulations. The only mention it gets anywhere, is ill informed rumour on forums such as this! The rules haven’t changed at all recently, but VOSA (now DVSA) recently issued new guidelines to it’s staff that they have been over-zealous in enforcing. So use some common sense, and think about it logically. Are DVSA going to walk into Walkers crisps and tell them they have to strap pallets of crisps to the Deck of the trailer?
dri-diddly-iver:
Had a chat with gaffer yesterday and he’s explained that he’s had notification from RHA that vosa (or whatever they’re called) that new rules regarding load restraints are going to be strictly enforced from 1st September.
He stated that ALL loads MUST be strapped to the bed. Internal straps are no longer acceptable.
Absolute rubbish, internal starps on a curtain sider are acceptable to a point, I have this from a large company that had a one on one discussion with the DVSA.
However there are weight limits and as mentioned if in in doubt a curtiain sider should always be treated as a weather protection cover, unless XL rated and even then the load should be secured so it can’t move forwards, sideways or backwards.
Obviously I’m talking about pallets of food stuffs / light goods, for heavier items they should be secured by straps / chains etc.
Your gaffer will of course be supplying you with all the equipment neccesary to complete this task.
He may be confusing his info with the roadblocks and dedicated HGV lanes that will appear on the 10th September on ‘Operation DQC’, I have it on good authority that the DVSA will be very active on this date…
Well I’m laughed at because (on taking advice from here) I wedge my pump and sack trucks under the pallets and strap them to the pallets (which are also strapped). Apparently those rubber stop blocks even though they’re excellent, are not approved methods of securing the pump truck.
Swampey2418:
So there is some truth on whats been knocking about… no longer a rumour
To me, a cutain sided trailer is just a flat bed with a fancy cover , don’t really like them internal ones…so it looks like companies are gonna have to splash out on more straps… I personally carry my own ratchet straps now, seems when I have been out on the odd occasion with a curtain sider the internal ones where damaged…
Yeh it might seem a bit more work but who cares…
Are you saying you have bought your own, if so your boss must love you saving him money.
Internal straps are rated therefor acceptable up to that rating otherwise they wouldn’t be allowed to be fitted.
When was the last time you saw a trailer manufacture taken to court for supplying a vehicle that had inter load restraints that didn’t conform
I should add that on a complicated load I have always used ropes as a ‘secondary’ load security measure they may not be load rated but it looks good if they are used. It saddens me that the skill to tie a dolly knot maybe lost or even a double dolly to get extra tension.
Luckily I’m a box jockey now but if confronted with a load that needed straping / roping / sheeting i would happily secure it for safe transportation. Unfortunetely the old hand who taught me is no longer with us but i will happily pass on this knowledge to anyone who asks.
Dipper_Dave:
I should add that on a complicated load I have always used ropes as a ‘secondary’ load security measure they may not be load rated but it looks good if they are used. It saddens me that the skill to tie a dolly knot maybe lost or even a double dolly to get extra tension.
Luckily I’m a box jockey now but if confronted with a load that needed straping / roping / sheeting i would happily secure it for safe transportation. Unfortunetely the old hand who taught me is no longer with us but i will happily pass on this knowledge to anyone who asks.
In all the years I used R&S you might see a flatbed on its side fully loaded but with the load still attached to the trailer and when up righted the load still not moved and they say its not safe anymore unless stress rated
Dipper_Dave:
I should add that on a complicated load I have always used ropes as a ‘secondary’ load security measure they may not be load rated but it looks good if they are used. It saddens me that the skill to tie a dolly knot maybe lost or even a double dolly to get extra tension.
Luckily I’m a box jockey now but if confronted with a load that needed straping / roping / sheeting i would happily secure it for safe transportation. Unfortunetely the old hand who taught me is no longer with us but i will happily pass on this knowledge to anyone who asks.
In all the years I used R&S you might see a flatbed on its side fully loaded but with the load still attached to the trailer and when up righted the load still not moved and they say its not safe anymore unless stress rated
Yes nick you are right mate,if its done right not much moves on a roped and sheeted load and you can keep your eye on things better with a flatbed load.
regards dave.
chaversdad:
rightly or wrongly ,if i can move the pallet by hand it doesnt get strapped
lol, I do it the other way around. If I can’t move it by hand, then it doesn’t get strapped, as I deem it to be good under it’s own weight. Never let me down yet
, don’t really like them internal ones…so it looks like companies are gonna have to splash out on more straps… I personally carry my own ratchet straps now, seems when I have been out on the odd occasion with a curtain sider the internal ones where damaged…
and they say its not safe anymore unless stress rated 