I’ve been driving class 1 for many years now but 99% of the time I pull fridge boxes, on an odd occasion I get sent out with a curtain sided trailer to collect 26 pallets from a soft drinks supplier where the pallets weight in the region of 1 ton each. To date all I do is draw the curtains and drive back to depot without securing anything as the pallets are well wrapped and will not move.
However I’ve been made aware that VOSA/DVSA are clamping down on unsecured loads on curtain sided trailers and you will be fined if caught. A curtain trailer is now classed the same as a flat bed trailer and all goods carried must be secured as if there were no curtain.
The company I work for are telling us to use the roof straps to secure the load but I don’t think these are adequate enough. VOSA/DVSA state that pallets over 400 kg must be secured to the deck using more than just there own weight and that a strap over 2 pallets from rave to rave is ideal. Am I correct in saying that roof straps don’t secure the load to the deck they only help to reduce sidewards movement?
So what I need to know is how should a load of 26 pallets weighing 1 ton each be properly secured on a curtain sided trailer, one of Stobarts guys was pulled outside the supplier last week and fined for the load not being strapped.
yeah mate as you have pointed out treat as a flat, roofstraps only good for 3-500kilos its your fine mate take no crap and ask for ratchets no point earning a wage to fritter away on fine is it
Make sure you have lots of cardboard to put over the top of the pallets.
A curtain sided trailer has always been basically a flat with an easy sheet system. the curtains were and always have been there to protect the cargo from the elements and nothing else.
As for securing the load to the vehicle. any system should be rated and therefore have the rating on the equipment and periodically checked and tested.
The internal straps would not have much more than the max rating on them in a normal working environment as the pallet has the content securely wrapped. and its not like your hanging 1t on the strap even if the pallet tips you still don’t have the full 1t of contents hanging on that strap.
1 pall 1 strap with sufficient restraint to prevent any rearward movement the load should be at the headboard or restrained from any forward movement.
There is talk about load bearing curtains but that doesn’t stop a load from moving which in turn can cause the vehicles driving characteristics to change ie load moves causing the vehicle to lean causing abnormal breaking and handling.
But there is talk of trailers that have a rating that says in short … as long as the load area is full (no gaps) no restraint is required.
nick2008:
as long as the load area is full (no gaps) no restraint is required.
Correct it’s called positive fit and if it’s an XL 12642 trailer and 26 pallets with no gaps bigger than 80 mm allegedly it doesn’t need strapping.
what if your carrying eggs in cardboard boxes?
rubyroo2:
what if your carrying eggs in cardboard boxes?
have you ever carried eggs 
we used to pull them out of the packing place behind Membury services … They come in Big boxes that are designed for being moved … you don’t need to ratchet or chain everything to the bed just prevent it from moving.
the simple answer is…nobody knows. Contrary to popular belief, DVSA have never issued any guidance on how to secure loads to vehicles, but they did recently issue instructions to the inspectors on how to asses load security.
the official guide to loading vehicles is here, from the Department for Transport
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. … hicles.pdf
The other thing is, DVSA can’t issue fines. They can issue a fixed penalty notice, which you have the right not to pay and go to court. They will then have to bring a prosecution using one of the following laws.
Regulation 100 of the Road Vehicles
(Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 — SI
1986 No 1078
“Maintenance and use of vehicle so as not to be a danger, etc.”
(1) A motor vehicle, every trailer drawn thereby and all parts and accessories of such vehicle and
trailer shall at all times be in such condition, and the number of passengers carried by such
vehicle or trailer, the manner in which any passengers are carried in or on such vehicle or
trailer, and the weight, distribution, packing and adjustment of the load of such vehicle or
trailer shall at all times be such that no danger is caused or is likely to be caused to any
person in or on the vehicle or trailer or on a road.
Provided that the provisions of this Regulation with regard to the number of passengers carried
shall not apply to a vehicle to which the Public Services Vehicles (Carrying Capacity)
Regulations 1984(a) apply.
(2) The load carried by a motor vehicle or trailer shall at all times be so secured, if necessary by
physical restraint other than its own weight, and be in such a position, that neither danger nor
nuisance is likely to be caused to any person or property by reason of the load or any part
thereof falling or being blown from the vehicle or by reason of any other movement of the load
or any part thereof in relation to the vehicle.
(3) No motor vehicle or trailer shall be used for any purpose for which it is so unsuitable as to
cause or be likely to cause danger or nuisance to any person in or on the vehicle or trailer or
on a road.”
or
Regulation 40A of the Road Traffic Act1988
introduced by the Road Traffic Act 1991
40 A. A Person is guilty of an offence if he uses, or causes or permits another to use, a motor vehicle
or trailer on a road when:
(a) the condition of the motor vehicle or trailer, or of its accessories or equipment, or
(b) the purpose for which it is used, or
(c) the number of passengers carried by it, or the manner in which they are carried, or
(d) the weight, position or distribution of its load, or the manner in which it is secured,
is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves a danger of injury to any person.