has anyone seen cages go through the front of a fridge. i think i’ve seen it happen about 3 times. twice at hilton park northbound.
not usually the heaviest of things, but the momentum of the rear cages pushing towards the front seems to cause plenty of trouble.
The following vehicle body types do not need to be assessed for load security unless there is reason for concern:
Boxâ€siders, refrigerated trailers, containers transported on vehicles fitted with twist locks, tilts, live animal transporters
Copied from VOSA’s load security matrix, so tilts,box vans and fridges don’t need any load restraints■■? What a load of tosh the whole thing is !!!
Trukkertone:
Straps just aren’t good enough… ask the Gist driver who left a few trays around m6 j40 roundabout this morning. his load was only strapped, not barred… the straps broke through and his load smashed one door open.
Fridge trailer?
Did it, or did the door come open because it wasn’t shut properly and then the trays fell out?
matamoros:
The following vehicle body types do not need to be assessed for load security unless there is reason for concern:
Boxâ€siders, refrigerated trailers, containers transported on vehicles fitted with twist locks, tilts, live animal transportersCopied from VOSA’s load security matrix, so tilts,box vans and fridges don’t need any load restraints■■? What a load of tosh the whole thing is !!!
No matter how many times you read it, VOSA’s statement simply doesn’t say what you think it does.
Regards,
Nick
Worst palletised loads are when the goods are stacked smaller than the area of the pallet are tall and/or not well wrapped.
All the pallets are touching each other but the load can still move very substantially if you have to hit the anchors.
The BAG German VOSA started all this load security,then Belgium though we will have a bit as well.
ncooper:
No matter how many times you read it, VOSA’s statement simply doesn’t say what you think it does.
You’re right Nick, it doesn’t directly imply what he’s saying. It mereley states VOSA are not going to check the solid sided type trailers, the same requirements are needed as for curtainsiders but they’re not going to check them. I personally think its because its easy to lift a curtain and look and its harder to start pulling stuff off and out of a box body to look /check. Thats the only reason…ease. Nothing to do with concern for saftey. I also reckon you won;t see any Tesco trailers getting stripped out or opened at a roadside check anytime soon !!
Here’s a HSE report (2008) on load saftey in curtainsiders, true to form and in modern political speak black is no longer black and white is no longer white, some may be considered grey…I say this because even though they commisioned/instigated /produced it, it still comes with this disclaimer…
Its contents,
including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily
reflect HSE policy.
Its contents,
including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily
reflect HSE policy.
hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr662.pdf
It gets better (the buck passing), here’s the FTA’s take on it…
fta.co.uk/policy_and_complia … hecks.html
During the past two years an industry-led working group which includes representation from FTA has been involved in discussions with VOSA and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to review current load securing practice, making recommendations for VOSA enforcement staff to be adequately trained in assessing load securing and has drafted guidance for operators, consignors and drivers which will be representative of, and coincide with, the training and guidelines given to VOSA examiners. The guidance is being funded and published by HSL, supported and endorsed by the industry working group representatives, and will be launched at this year’s CV Show in April. VOSA has produced a draft matrix to assist examiners
So after two years this industry lead working group (and they’d of had access to the HSE 2008 report) has come up with? Well in the words of the FTA themselves in their May 2012 FAQ on load security…
rha.uk.net/docs/Safe%20and%2 … ay2012.pdf
Q. What has changed?
A. Nothing has changed there is no additional requirement than there has always
been — that is that loads need to secured to the bed of the vehicle to prevent
forward, backward and side movement of the cargo whilst in transit. There is also a
need to check lashing and re-tension where necessary particularly in the early
stages of the journey
We’re all in a big money making game. And if you want to know how to not get burnt then book your place and pay your money…
The subject will also be covered in more detail in the spring round of member briefings on OCRS changes. More information and to book your place.
(FTA again )
ncooper:
I can see that bananas will stand on their own, those big boxes, banded onto pallets are pretty hard to turn over
and for that matter, not likely to be damaged much if they are.Regards,
Nick
I used to think that, until I loaded bananas, bit of a long story, but had to run them to Paddock Wood, I had just come back from Greece and tipped in Faversham, so going back to Dover to load Bananas on a Saturday afternoon was not on my list of things to do, not when I had arranged to meet an old slapper at a boozer in Charlton that night. I got loaded early enough so went back the yard, went to meet the bird and ended up with a lock in, it was daylight when we left the pub, so a quick knee trembler in the lorry and off I went to Paddock Wood, I had an hour to get there, so was giving it some, when I opened the back doors it was like someone had picked the trailer up, turned it upside down and shook it, [zb]ing monkey sticks were everywhere except on the pallets. My one saving grace was that I had two load bars and when they had moved they left a nice skid mark down the side of the trailer, so I only ended up with a two week suspension rather than the sack 
Mind you, two weeks suspension on full pay wasn’t too shabby, I did argue that it should’ve been a month, but they felt two weeks was ‘punishment’ enough 
I was on Trowel Services last week taking a break, vosa had bays marked out, and were pulling tautliners in and making drivers strap everything down, one guy had 25litre drums on plts well shrink wrapped, and they were making him put 2 straps on per plt…
newmercman:
ncooper:
I can see that bananas will stand on their own, those big boxes, banded onto pallets are pretty hard to turn over
and for that matter, not likely to be damaged much if they are.Regards,
NickI used to think that, until I loaded bananas, bit of a long story, but had to run them to Paddock Wood, I had just come back from Greece and tipped in Faversham, so going back to Dover to load Bananas on a Saturday afternoon was not on my list of things to do, not when I had arranged to meet an old slapper at a boozer in Charlton that night. I got loaded early enough so went back the yard, went to meet the bird and ended up with a lock in, it was daylight when we left the pub, so a quick knee trembler in the lorry and off I went to Paddock Wood, I had an hour to get there, so was giving it some, when I opened the back doors it was like someone had picked the trailer up, turned it upside down and shook it, [zb]ing monkey sticks were everywhere except on the pallets. My one saving grace was that I had two load bars and when they had moved they left a nice skid mark down the side of the trailer, so I only ended up with a two week suspension rather than the sack
Mind you, two weeks suspension on full pay wasn’t too shabby, I did argue that it should’ve been a month, but they felt two weeks was ‘punishment’ enough
Were they the expanding ones with the rubber feet or the spring type loadbars that go in the track?
Utterly useless don’t think I’ve ever arrived anywhere with them still located in the original track holes I put them in. Have no idea why anywhere has these over the cup bracket and slot in bar type.
I work for DHL & I brought up the subject of trailers havin no internal straps only to be Told by an assessor that H&s state internal straps are cosmetic, & load straps should be used I told the geezer he was a fanny & was full of ■■■■,anybody came across this ■■
Mike-C:
ncooper:
No matter how many times you read it, VOSA’s statement simply doesn’t say what you think it does.You’re right Nick, it doesn’t directly imply what he’s saying. It mereley states VOSA are not going to check the solid sided type trailers, the same requirements are needed as for curtainsiders but they’re not going to check them. I personally think its because its easy to lift a curtain and look and its harder to start pulling stuff off and out of a box body to look /check. Thats the only reason…ease. Nothing to do with concern for saftey. I also reckon you won;t see any Tesco trailers getting stripped out or opened at a roadside check anytime soon !!
Here’s a HSE report (2008) on load saftey in curtainsiders, true to form and in modern political speak black is no longer black and white is no longer white, some may be considered grey…I say this because even though they commisioned/instigated /produced it, it still comes with this disclaimer…Its contents,
including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily
reflect HSE policy.Its contents,
including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily
reflect HSE policy.
hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr662.pdfIt gets better (the buck passing), here’s the FTA’s take on it…
fta.co.uk/policy_and_complia … hecks.htmlDuring the past two years an industry-led working group which includes representation from FTA has been involved in discussions with VOSA and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to review current load securing practice, making recommendations for VOSA enforcement staff to be adequately trained in assessing load securing and has drafted guidance for operators, consignors and drivers which will be representative of, and coincide with, the training and guidelines given to VOSA examiners. The guidance is being funded and published by HSL, supported and endorsed by the industry working group representatives, and will be launched at this year’s CV Show in April. VOSA has produced a draft matrix to assist examiners
So after two years this industry lead working group (and they’d of had access to the HSE 2008 report) has come up with? Well in the words of the FTA themselves in their May 2012 FAQ on load security…
rha.uk.net/docs/Safe%20and%2 … ay2012.pdfQ. What has changed?
A. Nothing has changed there is no additional requirement than there has always
been — that is that loads need to secured to the bed of the vehicle to prevent
forward, backward and side movement of the cargo whilst in transit. There is also a
need to check lashing and re-tension where necessary particularly in the early
stages of the journeyWe’re all in a big money making game. And if you want to know how to not get burnt then book your place and pay your money…
The subject will also be covered in more detail in the spring round of member briefings on OCRS changes. More information and to book your place.
(FTA again )
I agree with all you have said, my original post was intended, in an ironic and much shorter way, to highlight the inconsistencies of VOSA’s matrix.
Do VOSA really think that stuff never falls off tilt’s or box vans,unfortunately we will all be subject to the vagaries and inconsistencies of VOSA’s loading matrix. I am well aware of the need for load restraint in solid sided vehicles, if only to presrve the integrity of the load.
ncooper:
bald bloke:
What about load security in fridges ? We hardly have any of those bars and the ones we do have are ones that have been left behind. If we pick up a load of bananas which are about 6ft high we can’t restrain them in any way, also some pallets of juice or yoghurts can be quite tall and hefty, but our lot say we don’t bed them.Fridges are extremely strong and it unlikely that any normal palletised cargo would ever get out, even in an
accident.
I’ll remember that if I ever have to clear up another few hundred crates of M&S finest loch fine fish products out of the carriageway on a damp, dark wet friday rush hour when the drive pulls off a bit sharpish & they all come out of the back doors 
, if I can find the pic from the hanet camera i’ll stick it up.
It’s all very well saying use straps, but in a box trailer or body that only works if you’ve got somewhere to anchor them. On a lot of older boxes there are no strong points on the floor anyway.
Worst loads I had were when i was running for UPS Logistics (formerly Haulast) on the Health Foods Wholesale contract out of Nottingham. We had DAF CF65 box vans, which had a chiller up on the bulkhead; not a proper seperate compartment, just a normal chest freezer adapted to run on 12V, with a piece of 3x3 angle iron bolted to the floor to stop pallets and cages hitting it. Two bars across the body above them to assist.
Since the load was an odd mix of pallets and cages it was a pig to secure, not helped by the muppet order pickers loading the cages top heavy of course. I had straps and a bar but it was a lot of faff and tipovers were annoyingly common. The new ones I’ve seen have a seperate chiller comparment with a side door, much better.
matamoros:
I agree with all you have said, my original post was intended, in an ironic and much shorter way, to highlight the inconsistencies of VOSA’s matrix.Do VOSA really think that stuff never falls off tilt’s or box vans,unfortunately we will all be subject to the vagaries and inconsistencies of VOSA’s loading matrix. I am well aware of the need for load restraint in solid sided vehicles, if only to presrve the integrity of the load.
It gets worse, or better, depending upon your point of view. There’s lots of official statements that go on to say light loads are not exempt (from using securing methods), and then further down they say they are exempt if the haulier/employer/forwader has done a risk assesment to state the load is secure. (i can find the statements if anyone wants to see them.) That just makes the whole lot as clear as mud. Of course someone like Tesco will have a blanket method statement that makes checking them useless. Its a joke the whole thing.