VOSA has no power or authority to compel you to open your load compartment, they tell you they have, they don’t, but if you do, more fool you, turkeys voting for xmas comes to mind, be careful out there, Vosa has a track record of exceeding their authority.
Dave.
Without trying to be smart, is some of this not a case of wrong vehicle type? Why not put the loose pallets of tins into a box van?
davemackie:
VOSA has no power or authority to compel you to open your load compartment, they tell you they have, they don’t, but if you do, more fool you, turkeys voting for xmas comes to mind, be careful out there, Vosa has a track record of exceeding their authority.Dave.
if it looks like the load may have shiffted on the trailer curtainside or flat they have every right to check your load as an unsafe load can affect how the truck reacts to different situations i.e braking,cornering etc. i dont know where you get that from 
Saaamon:
lizard:
can anyone tell me how to securely strap tins of food out of heinz to VOSA recommendations?
the main thing you need to know before answering is they don’t shrink wrap anything.
I use the 26 internals but realistically they hold sweet f@#k all.Ive brought this up on here a few times, these companies need put proper corner protectors on the whole length of the pallet then shrink wrap them to the whole pallet then you could strap it down properly. Ive had loaded trailers with similar products on from germany and this is how they do it so it can be done!
And if your strapping ten rows for example it takes at most 10mins longer if your strap at the same time as being loaded.
… and if they won’t provide corner boards then this is what they get!
(no roof straps in these euroliner sliding roof trailers)
There was a time, long, long ago when decent drivers would have carried their own corner boards.
Questions than answers, I still don’t know the criteria vosa use for what is a secure load or not?
Most palleted goods are shrink wrapped and difficult to strap/can be damaged by staps, is it the interpretation of the vosa officer?
Which brings another question —can anyone tell me if vosa are legally allowed to enter trailers to check for straps/loading without good reason?
-today I passed a flat bed with bags of sand, only the last row strapped.
Banquo:
Questions than answers, I still don’t know the criteria vosa use for what is a secure load or not?
Most palleted goods are shrink wrapped and difficult to strap/can be damaged by staps, is it the interpretation of the vosa officer?
Which brings another question —can anyone tell me if vosa are legally allowed to enter trailers to check for straps/loading without good reason?-today I passed a flat bed with bags of sand, only the last row strapped.
Apparently MIKE-C has all the answers but strangely none of them are forthcoming.
Banquo:
Questions than answers, I still don’t know the criteria vosa use for what is a secure load or not?
Most palleted goods are shrink wrapped and difficult to strap/can be damaged by staps, is it the interpretation of the vosa officer?
Which brings another question —can anyone tell me if vosa are legally allowed to enter trailers to check for straps/loading without good reason?-today I passed a flat bed with bags of sand, only the last row strapped.
Here is the June 2012 edition of VOSA magazine “moving on”, it confirms what they will and won’t do with regards to checking load security/saftey and there is a bit about their load security matrix in it.
dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/M … 202012.pdf
Here is the DfT guidance for securing loads they refer to, its quite comprehensive…(its a large PDF download)
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. … hicles.pdf
Mike-C:
Heinz is a Wincanton site ? They usually have all the 'I’s dotted and 'T’s crossed. You really need to ask for a risk assesment and method statement of their loading plan. There is a get out clause to VOSA’s load matrix, whereby you do not need to meet the requirements for other hauliers. …that is when a sufficient risk assesment and method statement has been done.
I can attest that Wincanton at Martland Mill are fanatical about Health and Safety.
Most of the Wincanton trailers I have seen in there have the heavy duty, load restraining curtains with integral straps (they certainly expected subbies like us to turn up with them when we were going there)
Saying that, I have seen in there other subbies and Wincs trailers with flimsy curtain and buckle type trailers waiting to load in Wigan in the past and it’s not something I would be comfortable with, VOSA or not.
The product is loaded to edge of the pallet and curtain is snug to the pallet when the load is secured. Internal straps are used to secure the rear of the load or any extra smaller pallets that would go on top of the load at the headboard.
Pretty much what the designer had in mind when Curtainsiders were invented in the first place, I would of thought.
Oh, just to add. I’m a modern driver and I have ratchet straps and corners…
W
Thanks Mike-C
regarding “safetyloadsonvehicles.pdf”
@ webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. … hicles.pdf
A pretty comprehesive document which in Section 16
Pretty much answers everyones questions in regard to load restraint on Curtain Siders &
I quote from section 16.3
“Unless they are purposely designed for a specific load, the curtains of curtain-sided vehicles
MUST NOT be considered as part of any load restraint system. They are provided to contain
rather than to restrain the load and should be considered as weather protection only”
Thou it runs to some 123 pages, I consider it well worth the effort ( & expense ) of printing out
As it covers just about everything your/we are ever likely to be asked to secure to a wagon / Trailer …
I found The section on securing Heavy Plant of particuar interest ( As ive never carried it )
On note of humor, referenced in section 8.25 p54 figure 22 (image)
I was reminded of the most Pain in the as* load I ever had to transport // Bl**dy coiled wire 
…
de 2xQ
I’d say just do as they ask. It keeps the self important daft ■■■■■ happy and saves you a load of unnecessary hassle. Crack on.
happysack:
Big worry. If that stupid petition works and we end up on 12 hour days, then by the time I’ve loaded and strapped, driven a few hours, I’ll run out of time halfway through unstrapping! Then the police will have to cone off 3 days either side for 12 hours. God sake men think of the chalk.(PS this is a tongue in cheek comment)
Aslong as the chalk is strapped you will be ok 
Thanks to the anchoring points set into the floor of our hired truck (metal strips with holes in), I have to struggle like muck to pumptruck 1t of floor to the taillift as the metal strips are wearing out. So much for health and safety…