just wondering, with all this bowlox about having to strap every load down, would sealing the trailer be a temporary way around this,
Iknow if customs are at the site they can break the seal, but at your normal vosa checkpoint can they break them or make you break them to check the load,
i understand that some loads do need strapping and i do when needed ie steel wood etc , but we carry lots of stuff that starpping would just be a pain or end up damaging the stock
Plugster:
just wondering, with all this bowlox about having to strap every load down, would sealing the trailer be a temporary way around this,Iknow if customs are at the site they can break the seal, but at your normal vosa checkpoint can they break them or make you break them to check the load,
i understand that some loads do need strapping and i do when needed ie steel wood etc , but we carry lots of stuff that starpping would just be a pain or end up damaging the stock
If DVSA have a reason for concern regarding your load they would simply prohibit use of the vehicle until they satisfy their concerns. Simply not being able to ascertain how the load is restrained in a basic curtain sider would in my opinion be enough to warrant a prohibition. Seal or not.
Dvsa would amend your delivery notes to say seal broken, and maybe stamp the paperwork .
Arriving with a seal missing or broken, at the delivery, could accuse the driver of missing cargo.
Securing and strapping is no longer required in the rules, the curtain sides must be able to secure the load.
But for peace of mind, I would still use internals below 400 kg,s and ratchet straps above 400 kg,s.
shep532:
Plugster:
just wondering, with all this bowlox about having to strap every load down, would sealing the trailer be a temporary way around this,Iknow if customs are at the site they can break the seal, but at your normal vosa checkpoint can they break them or make you break them to check the load,
i understand that some loads do need strapping and i do when needed ie steel wood etc , but we carry lots of stuff that starpping would just be a pain or end up damaging the stock
If DVSA have a reason for concern regarding your load they would simply prohibit use of the vehicle until they satisfy their concerns. Simply not being able to ascertain how the load is restrained in a basic curtain sider would in my opinion be enough to warrant a prohibition. Seal or not.
Have you got written proof of this?
weeto:
Have you got written proof of this?
Nope - it’s just my opinion based on my knowledge of roadside enforcement and also my understanding of how legislation works.
shep532:
weeto:
Have you got written proof of this?Nope - it’s just my opinion based on my knowledge of roadside enforcement and also my understanding of how legislation works.
A worthless comment then.
Stick one reasonably tall pallet on its own up the front of the trailer unsecured and see if it’s still there all safe and sound about ten miles later!
Denis F:
Dvsa have just published guidelines on load securing
Doesn’t answer the OP’s original question though.
weeto:
Denis F:
Dvsa have just published guidelines on load securingDoesn’t answer the OP’s original question though.
It maybe does in a kind of way. If you watch the video for enforcement it does say they will inspect a load in the same way they check a vehicle for road worthiness. If this is the case then I would imagine if you obstructed them from inspecting your vehicle (I.e its sealed) they would take some kind of action- not just let you go.
You may consider my comments worthless but surely common sense applies. If they had a concern about your sealed trailer they couldn’t just let it go. It would of course depend on their concerns - however - I have spoken to a DVSA officer who has had the appropriate training to allow him to assess load safety. His comment was that a standard curtain sider with no visible straps from under the curtain would attract his attention. A few questions of the driver - I.e what are you carrying and what restraints/security have you used and opening of the trailer may be required. It would depend on a few facts at the time.
He did however state that he had little interest in checking loads and would only do so if there was a clear visible problem. I think he said checking of loads was just too much hassle and not really ‘his thing’.
And no I don’t have anything in writing.
shep532:
weeto:
Denis F:
Dvsa have just published guidelines on load securingDoesn’t answer the OP’s original question though.
It maybe does in a kind of way. If you watch the video for enforcement it does say they will inspect a load in the same way they check a vehicle for road worthiness. If this is the case then I would imagine if you obstructed them from inspecting your vehicle (I.e its sealed) they would take some kind of action- not just let you go.
“How are you deem to of obstructed them??”
There`s the trailer go check it.
if a tailers sealed then i always thought it was sealed for load security/hygeine reasons. if the seals broke the load gets rejected, if he wanted to look in the back he could but they must be willing to pay for the rejected load at the other end
Plugster:
if a tailers sealed then i always thought it was sealed for load security/hygeine reasons. if the seals broke the load gets rejected, if he wanted to look in the back he could but they must be willing to pay for the rejected load at the other end
HMRC reason aswell.
Plugster:
if a tailers sealed then i always thought it was sealed for load security/hygeine reasons. if the seals broke the load gets rejected, if he wanted to look in the back he could but they must be willing to pay for the rejected load at the other end
I suppose the point is that ‘they’ won’t break the seal. They’ll ask you to. You say you can’t because it’s sealed. If it’s HMRC I suspect DVSA would get them to come sort it. If it’s just some other seal I guess they’d leave it with you to sort - but until you open it you ain’t going nowhere.
Of course this scenario would only happen if there was a reason. If it looks right then they won’t be interested.
Anyone who thinks bunging a seal on the back doors will get you off with an unsafe load - go ahead and see what happens.
cav551:
Stick one reasonably tall pallet on its own up the front of the trailer unsecured and see if it’s still there all safe and sound about ten miles later!
shock i had one some years ago never even moved 120 miles and into n/wales only 6ft tall so not over high, its the drivers bad driving that makes to pallet move
the place where we deliver, ive have seen them pull up, driver cuts the seal off takes it to goods in only for it to be rejected because its only the goods in man that can cut the seal off
Ring the office and put the ball in there court!!! Personally I wouldn’t break seals.
I,v had many a bust up with customers when i break a sealed trailer thats been preloaded to make sure the load is secure, 8 times out of 10 it aint. Remember it,s you that gets the fine, the points and maybe even a jail sentence if it went wrong
We use sealed curtains two straps n away you go, as for the guidelines, what a load of bollox, do the minimum for the most !!!
Bringing back an old thread I have just noticed that section 7 of the European Best Practice Guidlines on Cargo Securing for Road Transport (as linked to from the new DVSA load safety guide) covers ‘checking of cargo securing’ and states:-
“Checking of cargo securing shall be performed in accordance with Article 13 and Annex V of Directive 2014/47/EU on technical roadside inspections of commercial vehicles circulation in the Union.”
Now I haven’t finished reading all 136 pages yet but here are a few bits;
“Authorised inspectors may remove seals”
“The driver should open the vehicle or remove a cover when present”
“If necessary an inspector should enter the vehicle to be able to see the applied load securing system”
“The driver should provide all other information that is required and might help to judge on the effectiveness of the cargo securing system such as certificates on vehicle’s strength, load securing protocols, test reports or load distribution diagrams”
The DVSA guide states “These more comprehensive documents underpin the current approach to enforcement and should be familiar to anybody involved in the movement of goods via the road network.” Which I take to mean the DVSA will follow the Europen Guidelines and would suggest an authorised inspector can remove seals.
Maybe that helps clarify things?