Strapping loads

inside a curtain sided 7.5t vehicle what equipment is required by law , straps etc
are small loads ok not to secure ?
a waist height container of metal fittings

What are the fines / infringements ?

Now you just know this will open the floodgates of ‘ribbing’!

However, there isn’t , as far as I’m aware, a law that stipulates the equipment.

It’s up to the driver to use the right equipment to secure the load.

Nearly everyone uses ratchet straps, there will be a few exceptions but 99% of times it will be ratchet/straps

Depends what ‘small load’ is. Personally if less that 1kg I’d not bother other than run a strap across bed to stop it bouncing about. Remember load security includes getting it there undamaged not just restraining it!

Container of metal fitting - yes it needs securing.

Fines are well documented on dvsa site. And not cheap either !

On a 7.5t won’t take long to strap everything anyway so why risk it for a few mins work

I don’t like the word strapped. It’s really secured as you can strap everything but it’s stilled not secure…

Unfortunately in the UK there are no legal requirements for vehicle manufacturers to build bodies to a standard. In the rest of Europe the minimum standard is EN 12642 which stipulates the lashing points that must be fitted. The UK is way behind the times.

As for securing a load - I would suggest attend a Load Securing course as it really can be quite involved. A waist high container of metal fittings sounds as though it is likely to be quite heavy (possibly too heavy to go against the headboard of a 7.5t - maybe) and possibly it will be a metal container meaning minimal coefficient of friction for the load - meaning harder to secure.

I’ve seen those metal plates and bars that slot in and lock to the bed of the trailer / load bed to separate and secure loads.

But I’ve only seen them in use with adr loads.

Is it a good idea to buy your own straps just in case? As a new driver

Straps go missing way too often to go shelling out yourself for them. If you’re an owner driver then obviously yes, but the company you’re working for should be providing you with the correct lashing equipment for the load. It’s the drivers responsibility at the end of the day and you’ve got to make a decision on wether it’s safe to go out on the public roads. (The old one of, can you pick the lorry up and turn it upside down without the load moving is a way of looking at it, bit extreme to be fair but gives you an idea of what VOSA are looking for)

On an article you have to break health and safety to secure your load invariably which is IMO why agency and Ltd drivers are used .you can’t tell an employee he must break h n s

But you can Barr him off site for not securing a load therefore you have an avenue for driver victimisation…the objective