Hi Guys
Sent to a place via the agency… it’s an 18t’er and it’s loaded with metal things, I’m not entirely sure what they’re called really but it’s rolls of linoleum that go in it. They’re steel/metal and very very heavy if you look at it from the front it looks a bit like this |||
Now they’ve only provided me with one strap to secure the whole load (sometimes there’s a pallet) sometimes not, but when there’s not I still feel like the above cage things should be strapped down. I asked for more and he gave me an extra 1, so only making two but the lorry I usually use wasn’t back in time last night so I got another lorry that had NONE in it, which only left me with the one he’d given me… if I had the usual it would have meant I only had 2. When I asked if there was any more as I wasn’t happy with only having 1 or 2 he said that was all they have and the guy at Manchester confirmed they’re only issued with two per lorry which doesn’t seem enough to me.
He agree’d (at the Manc depot) that the loaders don’t do a great job and that THEY should strap it for me, even though it’s my responsibility to make sure it’s done properly.
I’m just a bit worried to refuse to take the lorry, it’s a curtainsider and sometimes loaded with 3 of the ||| things, (forgive me cause i don’t know the name of them). It’s a very well paying job and I’m a bit worried that if I refuse to take the lorry down that I’ll get that sack and someone else will come in from the agency.
I personally thought that the cage things would have been far too heavy but under harsh braking it shifted slightly and i’m worried what could have happened. Both depots said that there’s no way they should move as they’re too heavy.
Urgent and Sensible replies only please.
Why not just post up a photo 
Phantom Mark:
Why not just post up a photo
I would but don’t have any, let me try something.
managed to take a snapshot from a video.
these ones are only single ones || but sometimes there’s double ones like ||_|
Called stillages
If against headboard probably ok-ish with one strap.
Own Account Driver:
Called stillages
If against headboard probably ok-ish with one strap.
Yep, so what about the other pallet and the ones not at the headboard? Sometimes there can be 3 on the lorry. I’m not under any illusion that they should be strapped now I’m more after advice about what to do about the lack of straps,
If there’s rolls in them overhanging, get them to load so the overhang of the third one sandwiched between rear overhang of front two then just strap front two. Might be too wide at that looking at it though.
You could probably poke/feed the strap through the fork slots of all 3 and tighten to the bed or go right round all 3 from one side of the headboard to the other if the strap is long enough.
Perfect Sam
Half a clue what they are now eh 
Own Account Driver:
If there’s rolls in them overhanging, get them to load so the overhang of the third one sandwiched between rear overhang of front two then just strap front two. Might be too wide at that looking at it though.
You could probably poke/feed the strap through the fork slots of all 3 and tighten to the bed or go right round all 3 from one side of the headboard to the other if the strap is long enough.
I would suggest that too, you could link both straps together and pull the stillages forward to the bulkhead if one is not long enough.
If they are going to make you heavy on the front, use some empty pallets to push the load backwards
If it’s a curtain or box just bang them in and strap down the last one. Those things wont shift.
Someone should be providing enough straps to secure the load, and it probably should be either the owner of the truck or the supplier of the goods.
The statement “…it’s too heavy to move” is complete rubbish.
I doesn’t matter how heavy the stuff is…it will move during heavy, unpredicted braking.
…and the only guy responsible for load security is you.
206doorman:
Someone should be providing enough straps to secure the load, and it probably should be either the owner of the truck or the supplier of the goods.
The statement “…it’s too heavy to move” is complete rubbish.
I doesn’t matter how heavy the stuff is…it will move during heavy, unpredicted braking.
…and the only guy responsible for load security is you.
i wouldnt take it out with 2 straps no way imagine the fine if you have one come off never mind the damage or harm they could do if they hit someone
Unless the headboard can withstand 100 percent of the weight of the load going forwards then you need to anchor the load to that specification also 50 percent backwards and side ways too or run the risk of getting fined by VOSA
ladder49:
Unless the headboard can withstand 100 percent of the weight of the load going forwards then you need to anchor the load to that specification also 50 percent backwards and side ways too or run the risk of getting fined by VOSA
By their own matrix you run the risk of getting advice that’s until they lose interest an get a new bee in their bonnet like limos hired for proms needing PSV licences.
Own Account Driver:
ladder49:
Unless the headboard can withstand 100 percent of the weight of the load going forwards then you need to anchor the load to that specification also 50 percent backwards and side ways too or run the risk of getting fined by VOSA
By their own matrix you run the risk of getting advice that’s until they lose interest an get a new bee in their bonnet like limos hired for proms needing PSV licences.
Their new business plan is lorry parking, they are confiscating so many that they will be putting them to work soon 
When I 1st read this, the 1st thing that came into my head was the incident in hull where the truck lost its load on a roundabout crushing a car.
The 2nd though I has was that if it was me doing that job, I’d be pulling up at the car park when I exited the yard and grabbing half a dozen of the straps I keep in the car boot & go OTT with straps if the TM didn’t provide me with enough to do the job.
Using my initiative is better than loosing a wage, but IF IMO it was too dangerous I’d have walked to save my licence
stagedriver:
If it’s a curtain or box just bang them in and strap down the last one. Those things wont shift.
My thoughts too. For decades we have been carrying stillages in curtainsiders without so much as one strap and I’ve never heard of a stillage killing or injuring anyone by falling off of the trailer.
Unfortunately, nowadays we have people who have no knowledge, experience, or practical skills but who have a Certificate in Health and Safety, who think they know more about the job than those who have been doing it for decades.
In fairness to VOSA, most of their roadside officers are prepared to learn from a driver who knows more than they do. 
Take it there loaded like that all the way down the bed, both sides? Strap the back and try have it so it pulls to the headboard.
All this ‘it’ll never move’ is all fine in the real world.
But VOSA officers (in my limited experience) do not live in the real world. And I’m pretty ■■■■ sure that if they saw a load of stillages with not a strap in sight, they’d throw the book at me for not making an effort.
Guys, take it from me, the stillages DO move. I had to hit the brakes the other night despite being about 2-3 seconds from the car infront, but he and everyone else infront of him were all nose to tale and two stillages shifted a fair bit. I would of thought that they were too heavy to move as well but after that I’ve been strapping down everything and putting in a request for more straps.
Better safe than sorry, was just worried I’d get book chucked at me for complaining there were not enough straps when they said they ‘could not give me any more’.