Maybe he had toilet paper for a load.And if that was the case would anyone strap it apart for 2 accross the back to stop backward movement.
Colin_scottish:
Maybe he had toilet paper for a load.And if that was the case would anyone strap it apart for 2 accross the back to stop backward movement.
Maybe the OP could let us know what the stock was but I would guess he was asking for straps because he considered it needed it and was therefore more than toilet rolls.
I was taught that ALL loads need to be secured against wandering. Even if mathmatically/technically they dont.
Next time ask for it in writing from the TM.
Own Account Driver:
Priest:
that’s quite interesting. i am yet to see a company that straps its pallet load, given the lorry is almost fully loaded. Not that i have seen many, but those i have done just tell me “we have no straps mate, it is gonna be ok, we do it this way every day”
that’s why i prefer box trailers now
The posts on here have a fair bit of detachment from reality. It’s the same at our place it’s a backdoor tip job on to bays and I’ve yet to see a driver arrive with pallets, in a curtainsider, have to undo any straps.
this is getting a bit confusing now for a newbie 
it is illegal as to my understanding but everyone does that and expect you do the same 
surely there is something i am missing?
Priest:
this is getting a bit confusing now for a newbieit is illegal as to my understanding but everyone does that and expect you do the same
surely there is something i am missing?
It is not as simple as ‘illegal’ or ‘legal’ as there aren’t any black and white rules apart from your load must be secure. Secure might mean strapped down, or it might mean contained inside a vehicle that it cannot escape from or cause the vehicle to become unstable. A tanker contains the liquid/powder. A tipper contains the product. An XL rated curtain can be used to contain the load as we have a known strength for the body/curtains.
Therefore on a standard curtain sided vehicle the load cannot be contained as the ‘container’ is not strong enough - so the load must be secured via restraints of a suitable capacity.
I always use the analogy of a ‘free’ Tesco carrier bag and a bag for life. One WILL carry 4 big bottles of milk whilst the other MIGHT carry 4 big bottles of milk but occasionally the milk lands on the floor when the bag rips - it’s a gamble. This is our standard curtain or XL curtain. The XL will hold ‘X’ amount of weight - the L won’t but might if you drive carefully that day.
i understand what you are saying re black and white. However the DVSA guys have it i reckon in exactly black and white when issuing the fine, no?
shep532:
The reality is that the Highways Agency say they had to close a road 22,000 times last year due to load security issues - that’s 60 times a day at an average of 20 minutes per closure. That is only the ones that get reported - there are thousands of incidents that go unreported.Still … if we’ve always done it like that it must be OK
Shep - don’t take this the wrong way, but I think your reality could do with a bit of context.
It’s all well and good giving us statistics from your presumably well researched and reasonably priced Load Security CPC course 
But is that particular one totally pertinent? Is it 22000 closures caused by loads coming through curtains?
Or does include any scaffold plank and branch/debris that bounces off a Transit too? Does it include that involve rollovers where the load ends up in the road and needs clearing?
If it just curtainsiders then that is indeed a WOW stat. But I doubt it… 
jbaz73:
the agency sent me to dhl today. . the supervisor looked at me
Nothing else need be said.
Juddian:
jbaz73:
the agency sent me to dhl today. . the supervisor looked at meNothing else need be said.
F-reds:
shep532:
The reality is that the Highways Agency say they had to close a road 22,000 times last year due to load security issues - that’s 60 times a day at an average of 20 minutes per closure. That is only the ones that get reported - there are thousands of incidents that go unreported.Still … if we’ve always done it like that it must be OK
Shep - don’t take this the wrong way, but I think your reality could do with a bit of context.
It’s all well and good giving us statistics from your presumably well researched and reasonably priced Load Security CPC course
Or does include any scaffold plank and branch/debris that bounces off a Transit too? Does it include that involve rollovers where the load ends up in the road and needs clearing?
If it just curtainsiders then that is indeed a WOW stat. But I doubt it…
OK - point taken - lets ignore 365 days worth of road closures and the other incidents that undoubtedly went unreported even though they exist and do count. I do think that statistic is pertinent though because it shows ‘part’ of the problem. But it probably does include all the little bits you mentioned - although most of the roll overs you mention are caused by shifting loads
It isn’t just about loads coming through curtains - that is some of it and that does happen. What about loads that shift and cause vehicles to turn over. These may be where the driver had to swerve because of some other idiot but had their load been secure they may have remained upright.
What about those larger loads that come straight through the headboard - don’t mock me - it happens and once is too many if it is a fatality.
I was involved in running a fleet of about 70 - mainly general haulage and I know first hand how much we forked out on damage to loads and vehicles. I know first hand how much we forked out on paying drivers by the hour to restack or handball loads and I know first hand how much our insurers paid out on liability claims when incidents happened regarding loads and drivers got injured.
I also know how much labour was wasted in our warehouse with lads struggling to off load shifted loads and how often curtains arrived bulging as though waiting to give birth and we had to struggle with back door tips by hand.
I think the problem is we only know it has gone wrong AFTER it goes wrong so if it hasn’t happened to the driver ‘yet’ he believes it won’t. Most drivers who have had a lost/shifted/damaged load will have been surprised when it happened. Anyone carrying a load that isn’t actually secured/restrained to the vehicle is potentially taking a large risk. The heavier the load the worse it’ll be.
I’ve been up and down the M62 everyday this week and laugh out loud at some of the pathetic attempts at securing a load I have seen - couldn’t see inside the curtains but I’d hazard a guess what was in some of them. But maybe I don’t know what I am on about.
I suppose we could look at this along the lines of the Health & Safety at Work Act. The idea is to stop it happening before it happens - risk assess.
Either way - when I look how a large number of loads are carried in the UK and compare this with mainland Europe (I lived in Germany for years) there appears to be a big difference in standards and also enforcement. Yes there are idiotic/cowboy European drivers by the hundreds but the majority secure their loads, use friction enhancing materials (something you rarely see in UK) and have ‘XL’ rated vehicles (which are also about the strength of the headboard/sides/doors and not just curtains).
But yep - you caught me out. I’m one of those DCPC bods who’s never driven a truck, doesn’t have a clue and preaches nonsense 
I just can’t help myself
I think I took your comments the wrong way didn’t I?
i find it odd that a ‘rope net’ can hold down a trailer load of bricks!
sometimes theres just one strap over 2 pallets of bricks. nothing in between them so one big bump and that strap is loose…
but they don’t fall off so i must be missing a magic brick trick.
Evolved:
i find it odd that a ‘rope net’ can hold down a trailer load of bricks!sometimes theres just one strap over 2 pallets of bricks. nothing in between them so one big bump and that strap is loose…
but they don’t fall off so i must be missing a magic brick trick.
Depending on your seating position you might not have seen the velcro
shep532:
seen the velcro
6,000 bricks stacked properly with a rope round the back when I were a lad out with me father. Never lost any, mind you, the old Leyland Hippo he was driving was flat flat out at 28mph… eventually.
Having said that, I was always in the make sure it won’t move school.
i came past the weighbride at Carlisle earlier in the week they had two Stobart trucks in there with the back doors open and the vosa blokes stood there looking in.Never seen a Stobart pulled before.
Voluntary stop, excellent for staying in the green. Unless driver films VOSA bods with camera then looks like a right ■■■■.
i am now thinking about investing in my own ratchet straps. saw a set of 10x 5m 1500kg 25mm straps for around £40
Priest:
i am now thinking about investing in my own ratchet straps. saw a set of 10x 5m 1500kg 25mm straps for around £40
Don’t they aren’t proper straps and wouldn’t hold down a cup of coffee
so which ones would you recommend?
found a set of 10x 50MM 6 Metre 5 Ton for £54