Hey Alder,
How you doing bud…sounds like troubling times…but you gotta weigh it up and I’m with these guys. They won’t be lenient on you if you get pulled. 
del949:
you won’t need to tell the nice VOSA man anything…'cos you’ve refused to take it without securing the load.
It’s YOUR licence.
DeeBee:
simple rule - your truck, your load. If you want it strapped it gets strapped.
I apply this regardless of whether I’m driving my truck or someone elses. And yes I have had the argument of ‘you can’t get up on the bed to strap your load in this yard’ - my response is always ‘Best take it off then mate because I’m going nowhere without that lot strapped down. Your decision.’
As far as I’m concerned if someone is pushing me to get a load out of the yard, they won’t be backing me up when Oswald the 4’6" VOSA examiner with a small man complex is fining me at the side of the road. I’m there to move the load safely for them, not as quickly as possible.
Final argument you just don’t know what’s going to happen to you on the road e.g. others and their stunts etc. You could be a 100% safe driver but some zb does something dangerous in the final second your innocent actions could result in a lost load, we see and hear about them every single day, they are not rare occurrences in the slightest!!!
I know the “tough crew” on here say you don’t need straps in curtains etc, but if they weren’t needed no one would have them fitted or insist on their usage either in law or other reasonings.
Like Radar19 I do this too. And know I will be criticised by many on here for being soft and spending money on stuff the boss should be buying and this is the right attitude it rightfully should be his responsbility and not mine to supply all load restraint equipment.
However I’m really “unlucky” (not really as I couldn’t do curtain/box work - respect to all of you who do it - It’d drive me insance 
) I can’t hide my load behind curtains its always in full show and completely in the open for all to see. So for my piece of mind, should I zb up or someone else does, I want to make sure I have all the correct gear on board to hold everything on board like it should be.
Radar19:
I strap as much of it down as I can. I’ve got my own set of ratchet straps now so whatever is in the trailer doesn’t matter.
But and a big but, the company will be issued with the invoice to pay for everything I have bought or will replace like for like when they get their ■■■ into gear and then I will take my own stuff home. From this I shall either keep it for myself should I ever chose to move on (then I have some of my own gear should I need it) or I will sell it accordingly.
God forbid if they don’t do either, then extra hours will be put on the timehseet to cover the cost and said items will then be left with the vehicle accordingly. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Fortunately this has never come to this in my time, everyone has seen sense in the end.
Currently I am having trouble getting people to see sense I need X2 16mm chains for some of the largest heaviest plant we carry. We are still in talks about necessity of them and I’ve proved the case (maths and all) but we can’t seem to agree on the point of getting them. The next point will be following the above methods again and I shall get my recompense as I don’t personally have a great requirement for x2 6m 16mm chains and tensioners 
This will be done by hook or by crook.
Either way it’s a hard slog I understand that but persevere it through to the end, its worth it for your own piece of mind alone.
I work in a small company and its hard, I imagine in a big company its even harder. But once you start asking TMs to sign disclaimers for you to have no load restraint and prove these exact terms are stated in their insurances and these said risks are covered and other such laws they have to comply with numerous Road Traffic Act laws, operating licence requirements to comply with general laws etc etc. They are not so ■■■■ sure and bolshy about having no straps especially when you ask for the actual proof of their statements and you are entitled to this information. Its part of their duty of care to you as an employee under H&S law to ensure you are not exposed to unreasonable risks.
Its ■■■■■■ and not the right course to take initally but if you’ve tried the friendly friendly approach, the more concise and direct approach of why they are required, the above is your final hand to play and see what the outcome is. If its not the right one for you, then unfortunately you have to make a hard decision of whether you continue to run the loads at the fate of chance or whether you walk and find a more suitable and more road legal company to work for… 
Hard I know but I only you know the right answer for what you are prepared to risk your freedom and your licence for or not as in might be the case here 
I meant BOX BODY or TILT type. Sorry. A plain old curtain is made to ZERO capacity to the side unless it is made to the ‘XL’ standard in which case it will take 0.4 of the payload.
