41T71 - Load Safety For Road Transport-Nina Day

Load safety for road transport
Nina Day
Senior Engineer, HSL
Why load shift is an issue What can be done to prevent load shift Load security enforcement
Why is load security an issue?

Shed loads can cause significant disruption on the highways Shed loads can cause significant delay during unloading Load movement can affect the stability of vehicles and lead to rollovers Load movement can cause product and vehicle damage Load movement can leave the load stuck on the trailer
Why do loads shift?

An unsecured item on a trailer is not part of the trailer The item and the trailer will move independently of each other just as a passenger in a car will move independently if they dont put their seatbelt on Load security relies on ensuring that the load and the trailer do not move independently of each other
On the road, loads tend to shift when the vehicle is braking, or when the vehicle is turning The main hotspots for load shift are: roundabouts slip roads long (fast) corners
If the load is in contact with the headboard, or blocked, the headboard can be considered part of the system Otherwise, the load must be secured as if the headboard was not there: this is not practical for most heavy loads Contact with the headboard or otherwise blocking is critical for heavy loads
The load securing system

Securing a load for transport is normally achieved through a combination of: the vehicle structure (the headboard and any side walls) blocking, dunnage, chocks, cradles etc lashings (webbing or chain) There are other ways of securing loads but these are the most common
Whatever method or combination of methods is used, the basic aim is always to secure the entire weight of the load going forward, and half the weight of the load to the side. This basic principle is established in the DfT Code of Practice, Safety of Loads on Vehicles. It is also specified in the European Best Practice Guidelines for Cargo Securing. It applies to all loads on all vehicles, except for unstable loads and vehicles undertaking a ferry crossing, in which case 70% of the weight of the load to the side must be secured.
Friction cannot be relied on to hold the load in place
Static vs dynamic friction
Static friction
Dynamic friction
How to stop loads moving

When assessing a vehicle at the roadside, the question is what if? If the load started to slide (or topple over if its a tall load), what is preventing it from falling off the vehicle? It can never be assumed that the load wont move if its not secured, however heavy it is
Unstable loads
Unstable loads need to be supported so they dont topple from the vehicle The support needs to be at the height of or as high as the position of the centre of gravity of the load
Curtain-sided trailers
Curtains hide a multitude of sins
As a general rule, curtain-sided trailers should be treated as flatbeds The structure is for weather protection Straps suspended from the roof are not load securing The structure they are attached to is not designed for load securing
BS EN 12642
BS EN 12642 is the European Standard for trailer construction Trailers in the UK do not have to be built to the Standard EN 12642 specifies two types of trailer a basic L trailer and a reinforced XL trailer XL curtainsiders are built to take 40% of the payload onto the side curtains XL trailers are substantial and there is a weight penalty to using them
Side slats
Side slats can provide load containment and support to unstable loads Side slats are only as strong as the structure they are attached to
Containment vs restraint
The containment provided by the vehicle structure doesnt mean that the load doesnt need to be restrained.
Loads can, and so, smash their way through side slats, side walls, and bulkheads if they are allowed to move freely within the trailer
Chocks, blocking and dunnage

Some loads, like steel coils, are best carried in specialised vehicles Loads likely to roll should be chocked Large gaps between the load and the headboard, and between the loads and the sidewalls, should be filled
Lashings
Lashings can be webbing straps or chain Rope is usually not a good idea its easily damaged and the breaking strength is much lower than webbing or chain Rope may be fine for lifting loads (like FIBCs) but no one lifts at 50mph
Lashings and their labels

These are typical labels for webbing lashings. The STF (measured in daN) is the Standard Tension Force. This is essentially how taut a strap needs to be effective. Users often only look at the LC (Lashing Capacity) and assume the strap will hold a load of the same weight this is not correct.
Calculating the number of lashings
Strap angle
The angle of the strap is very important If the angle is too shallow, the strap is essentially useless
Types of lashing
Frictional lashing is the most common and the lashing should be as close to vertical as possible Direct lashing should be as close to horizontal as possible and the lashings should be equalised Choke lashings can be used for items like pipes
Lashing each item

Every item in a load should be secured For palletised loads in rows, a strap across each row is usually sufficient
Damage to lashings
Webbing straps are very vulnerable to damage They should not be used over sharp or abrasive corners Any tears, nicks, fretting or other damage should be grounds for replacing the lashing
Other methods of restraint

Lashings dont have to be used if another method provides an equally effective means of securing
Enforcement
Not prescriptive on use of lashings Poor practice usually easy to spot
Information asked for

What the load is, whether its hazardous, and how heavy it is Who loaded and where, and how much involvement the driver had Who the driver is employed by and who owns the vehicle Where the load is going and how close that is Whether its a multi-drop load and if drops have already been made Has it already moved? Is it likely to move (inadequate load restraint)? Are there any other issues?
Examples
The three rules of load securing

No relative movement of the load and trailer Load to the bulkhead Support unstable loads
Getting it right
Use the right vehicle Choose the most practicable lashings Think about the transport chain

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41T71 - Load Safety For Road Transport-Nina Day

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Load safety for road transport

Why is load security an issue?

Why do loads shift?

The load securing system

Friction cannot be relied on to hold the load in place

Static vs dynamic friction

How to stop loads moving

Curtains hide a multitude of sins

Chocks, blocking and dunnage

Lashings and their labels

Calculating the number of lashings

Lashing each item

Other methods of restraint

Information asked for

The three rules of load securing

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