hi, i only carry empty ibcs on a curtain side trailer, in most cases, a full load of 52 doubled up, each tank is around 60kg in weight, so a tad over 3 ton full, we wouldnt usually strap them internally and as a company we havent done for 20+ years. with it being full load there isnt room in trailer for them shift backwards or forwards, or even side to side. If it was only half a load i would cross two straps behind the last tanks to stop them moving backwards and forwards, ive read somewhere on here an insecure load warrents a fine of £100, surely this wouldnt be classed as insecure load, would it? should we be strapping them, even though its tried and tested for over 20 years with no problems at all?
its not just that its insecure …if you open the side to unload and 1 falls who’s gonna get hurt… everyone keeps bashing on about loads being unsafe whilst on the road when the thing is its not just when driving that the load is dangerous.
The one time it goes wrong is always the "never had that happen before " wont stop the manslaughter or neglect claims…
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85248&start=120#p1255829
Section C - FAQ has a question regarding ‘XL’ trailers
Answer - These are trailers that have passed the higher standard of testing and are therefore considered load bearing. These are built to the standard EN 12642 ‘XL’. The guide explains these trailers will be issued a certificate explaining the conditions for using them and will be stickered/signed accordingly.It goes on the say an ‘XL’ trailer can generally be used to contain 40% of the rated payload to the side without lashing, as long as the load packs out the load bed.
As an example - For a palletised load type, this works out as 24 pallets each weighing no more than 400kg.
Heavy loads and loads that don’t fill the load bed or meet other conditions of the test certificate, will still need securing inside the trailer.It then goes on to say that anything attached to the weather-protection structure of a standard curtain-sider is not load securing and that includes the buckle straps.
The back cover of the book has this information.
“Driving a commercial vehicle is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK, but many serious injuries and deaths that happen as a result of load shifts are entirely preventable”
They have also just published a drivers version of this guide called “Load Safe Road Safe → A professional driver’s guide to safe loading and transport”. (A5 sized with 46 pages and priced at £15 - ISBN 978-0-9561228-4-1).
the choice is yours
Prevention is better than a Possible fine…
If you were carrying them like that on a flatbed would you secure them?
There’s your answer.
YES vosa say every load must be straped to the truck bed with rachet straps on every pallet or ibc
the john:
YES vosa say every load must be straped to the truck bed with rachet straps on every pallet or ibc
I do not think they meant a couple of boxes of crisps for example
the john:
YES vosa say every load must be straped to the truck bed with rachet straps on every pallet or ibc
Pray tell where does it say that 
No.
Coffeeholic:
If you were carrying them like that on a flatbed would you secure them?There’s your answer.
nope i would rope em on 
Vosa will fine you if you are not using straps. But I had a interesting debate with a voda employee a year back when I was carrying king span insulating stuff. It went like this how do I strap that when my straps come from the middle of the trailer and the load is about 2inch of the top of it. ? No answer. When I also pointed out the curtains where load restraining he said in my opinion. That’s when I stop him in his tracks and said fine me we go to court it’s your opinion against not me but the company who makes the curtains who has had the product BSI approved Etc. Who do you think the judge will side with you or them. The law only says it has to be properly secured so it won’t fall off the trailer not that it has to be strapped down and so on and on
As i understood it curtain sides are not considered nor designed to be load restraining, either by the manufacturer or in dvsa’s/dft’s opinion etc.
If certain manufacturers have evidence to prove their curtains are load restraining for certain types of loads/products and have been tested to CE/BS standards etc then i suppose theres a defence?
In the case of lightweight sheets of polystyrene, that sounds abit arsey to me
ThePlantMan:
As i understood it curtain sides are not considered nor designed to be load restraining, either by the manufacturer or in dvsa’s/dft’s opinion etc.If certain manufacturers have evidence to prove their curtains are load restraining for certain types of loads/products and have been tested to CE/BS standards etc then i suppose theres a defence?
In the case of lightweight sheets of polystyrene, that sounds abit arsey to me
well I suppose all those chip liners with curtains get fined every time vosa stops them. ?
only with some extra straps on the curtain to hold 27 ton of chipped wood
you know what fellas im fed up with these firms, big and small who dont give time to secure the load, ie, its already loaded and the ■■■■ forkie had either not left the roof straps outside the trailor or has blatently blocked them with the pallets only yesterday i went in and said if i cant secure im going home end of, the forkie came out with a cob on so i told him as well im not here to be your mate and dont give a ■■■■ what you think get them sorted, anyway iv jibbed it but do dvsa tell these companies they get done or is it just us neandathals if so IT NEEDS TO CHANGE, Its all very well laying the law on us but these firms need the same surely, got to the drop and wher all sound and forkie said bloody hell youv strapped them all the others dont and he was made up they salvaged the full load, am i just a moaner - OPINIONS
Those questioning the strength of the curtains or vehicle body need to do a little research into EN 12642 and EN 12642-XL.
The EN 12642 standard gives minimum requirements for goods vehicle bodies in Europe but the UK do not recognise/enforce this. We are backwards compared to the major European countries.
The EN 12642-XL standard is where the body has undergone testing and been CERTIFICATED to withstand certain forces. This would normally be accompanied by a label (certificate) on the body showing the capacities for front, sides and rear. HOWEVER - there are certain criteria that has to be met for the certificated figures to apply.
As an example a trailer with a certified EN 12642-XL construction that can carry a 27,000kg payload may have a certificate to say the frontwall will withstand 0.5 of the payload (13,500 Dan), sidewalls 0.4 of the payload and rear 0.3 of the payload. These figures will only apply if the dynamic coefficient of friction between the load and load bed is 0.6 (a standard pallet manages 0.3 at best) or more and if the load fills the load bed with no more than 80mm between the sides of the load and the sides of the body (curtain) and that the load is loaded to the headboard.
Check out a ‘chipliner’ and you will find the certificate on the side in most cases - it has been tested and certificated for the job it does.
It’s sad to say but some of you really do need to switch on to the technical side of being an HGV driver. There are dozens of best practice guidelines/reports/books available for a discerning professional to study in order to carry out their role as a professional driver. "I’ve been doing this for 20 years and never lost a load ‘YET’ " just isn’t good enough.
I run load safety courses every week and every week I meet drivers who ‘guess’ how many straps/chains/ropes etc to use. Show them a recognised standard such as BS EN 12195-1:2010 which tells us how to calculate lashing forces and they can’t even begin to explain what it means.
Show most a ratchet/strap set and ask them what its ‘Standard |Tension Force’ is and they haven’t a clue. Ask for the Lashing Capacity and it seems all straps are 5t … they couldn’t be more misguided.
As someone has said it isn’t just about whether the load hits the road or not it is all the other incidents that happen thousands of times a year as well as damage to loads.
Like or dislike VOSA they are trying to prevent accidents BEFORE they happen.
Book yourself on a load safety course with the Health & Safety Laboratory in Buxton and they will show you picture after picture of what they find at the roadside and you’ll roll around the floor laughing at them - then realise some could have been your load. They’ll tell you about the incidents they have investigated including fatalities and serious life changing injuries where loads have shifted due to insufficient restraint or just completely the wrong vehicle for the job.
I could go on (and on) but I’m sure most of you will be bored by now 
Frazer smith:
ThePlantMan:
As i understood it curtain sides are not considered nor designed to be load restraining, either by the manufacturer or in dvsa’s/dft’s opinion etc.If certain manufacturers have evidence to prove their curtains are load restraining for certain types of loads/products and have been tested to CE/BS standards etc then i suppose theres a defence?
In the case of lightweight sheets of polystyrene, that sounds abit arsey to me
well I suppose all those chip liners with curtains get fined every time vosa stops them. ?
only with some extra straps on the curtain to hold 27 ton of chipped wood
Trying strapping sawdust then! I only managed 760 bits of dust then ran out of space for the rest of the straps.