Load restraints

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
41

At the end of the day it is DVSA that decides if a load is secure - NOT the driver… Guess who a magistrate is going to believe… :open_mouth:

A haulier I know has just invested in a five new curtainsiders with those reinforced load bearing curtains, on the changes that have been communicated to them. Like most hauliers he has short arms and deep pockets so he wouldn’t have spent that money on the back of a mere rumour.

Ultimately the drivers that know best will be getting the fines, after all now you have dcpc’s so no longer have the excuse of being ‘just the driver’.

42

nick2008:
Thought the solid bars inside would negate having to strap it all.

nope the load can still move around …
[/quote]
nope, not really, a euro-spec trailer with sideboards and an XL-securing certificate doesn’t require palletized loads to be strapped down, even in germany

43

think this guy has failed question is do you stand and watch or do you step in and save his embarrassment ?

44

milodon:

nick2008:
Thought the solid bars inside would negate having to strap it all.

nope the load can still move around …

nope, not really, a euro-spec trailer with sideboards and an XL-securing certificate doesn’t require palletized loads to be strapped down, even in germany
[/quote]
if the load can move I think you’ll find the fine is still payable :wink:

45

where can it move to? it’s against the boards on both sides with the curtain certified as load-bearing as well.

46

milodon:
where can it move to? it’s against the boards on both sides with the curtain certified as load-bearing as well.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85248&start=120#p1256725

Re: vosa insecure loads

Postby shep532 » Thu Aug 09, 2012 9:57 pm
Lee G wrote:

Phantom Mark wrote:
So the curtainsider I had the other week clearly stated in big letters LOAD BEARING curtains, how are vosa treating those ■■ Sorry if someone asked this before, read a couple of pages then got bored :slight_smile:
these curtains will approximately take a tonne per pallet as long as the load is attached to the pallet in a secure manner (shrink wrap if light enough or banding) so the curtains will hold in about 26 tonne, just make sure your straps are tight, if in doubt strap it. Simples

I have just been reading the recently published guide - “Transport Safety → An operators guide to safe loading and transport” published by The Health & Safety Laboratory (A4 size with 59 pages priced at £30 !!! :open_mouth: ISBN 978-0-9561228-3-4)

Section C - FAQ has a question regarding ‘XL’ trailers
Answer - These are trailers that have passed the higher standard of testing and are therefore considered load bearing. These are built to the standard EN 12642 ‘XL’. The guide explains these trailers will be issued a certificate explaining the conditions for using them and will be stickered/signed accordingly.

It goes on the say an ‘XL’ trailer can generally be used to contain 40% of the rated payload to the side without lashing, as long as the load packs out the load bed.
As an example - For a palletised load type, this works out as 24 pallets each weighing no more than 400kg.
Heavy loads and loads that don’t fill the load bed or meet other conditions of the test certificate, will still need securing inside the trailer.

It then goes on to say that anything attached to the weather-protection structure of a standard curtain-sider is not load securing and that includes the buckle straps.

The back cover of the book has this information.

“Driving a commercial vehicle is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK, but many serious injuries and deaths that happen as a result of load shifts are entirely preventable”

They have also just published a drivers version of this guide called “Load Safe Road Safe → A professional driver’s guide to safe loading and transport”. (A5 sized with 46 pages and priced at £15 - ISBN 978-0-9561228-4-1).

47

thanks for that, ever since the XL-certificate appeared, everyone has been talking how it’s no longer necessary to secure pallets anymore, if they’re filling up the trailer. lately I’ve only pulled curtainsiders with aluminum sideboards or tilt-curtainsiders like in the picture, so don’t have to worry

48

Hi All,

I am currently working for a large waste disposal company as a Health and Safety professional (please don’t hate me :slight_smile:). I am new into the transport side of things and have been asked by a site manager to check the safety of a certain job.

The job relates to waste bales that have been cross wrapped and then wrapped with plastic film, then loaded into a curtain sided trailer. It is loaded on to the truck with two lines of bales that are around 1m square each, there is then a third layer that is added and is placed down the middle of the two lines so basically from the front end it looks like a podium stand. As previously mentioned this is curtain sided vehicle so the straps are placed onto the bars at an easily obtainable height.

Now…

The issue the manager has is the driver of the truck is working at height and even more so if he needs to climb onto the waste bail to retrieve the strap with nothing stopping him from falling from the open side of the vehicle.

The manitou loading vehicle is within the stated 5metre restricted zone if the driver is going to stay in the rear of the vehicle strapping each 3 bales down when it has been loaded.

So my question, is there an industry standard way of using these straps so that the driver does not have to be in the rear of the truck close to the moving plant or having to climb on top of the load that in this case is wrapped waste and still be able to strap the load down as per the VOSA restrictions?

I hope I have explained this in an easy to understand way but if not I will try an explain in more detail.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

49

It looks to me like your driver has to climb/stand on the waste bales in order to retrieve the internal straps and place them where needed, Vosa are now saying that internal straps cannot be used, so you will have to buy a set of load bearing ratchet straps and as the vehicle is loaded and both curtains open, the driver can throw the straps over the load ratchet them to its tightness without ever entering the trailer…job done…a little bit of extra work and inconvience ( especially in bad weather ) but worth the extra time.