One of our guys was wheel tapped today, no bad outcome. The vosa guy said his load was classed as loose as it wasn’t up against the headboard and could incur a £60 spot fine Along with this he also stated that any item he could move anywhere on the bed of the truck would also incur the same penalty wether it was part of the load or not, Skids for example or an included part of the load. Now bearing in mind we carry short loads that can easily exceed the front axle load capacity on any of our vehicles and we can’t split these loads front to back as they would then be in notification country for long loads. Does anyone know if there’s any form of dispensation allowable?
dispensation for what, loose loads or overweight axles ?
For the Axles… I was thinking of getting one from the Scrap yard and bolting it on!
I think the VOSA bod was talking rubbish, how can they insist that a load is against the headboard if it means the front axle is overweight.
A load is always best against the headboard but as long as it’s secured in such a way that forward movement is prevented there’s no offence committed.
I’m guessing that when your driver was stopped the load was not secured against forward movement.
Also I can’t find a £60 fixed penalty for the offence, it’s a prohibition.
See page 67 - ENFORCEMENT SANCTIONS POLICY
I spoke to him again today, he was given the impression that it has to be against the headboard or propped/chocked in some way as to physically prevent any movement of the load in a forward or any other manner. It seems that when the CPC regs come into force fully there is to be a strict implementation of this easy money fine. When he asked the vosa guy how was it possible to put some form of restraint in place in such circimstance he was told that, that was our responsibility not his, he was only there to enforce it. Without some kind of moveable headboard the other drivers and me are struggling to think of a way to do this. We deliver and collect to various Utility companies, some of these are in closures in carriageways and they can’t even reach much past the rear axles to load let alone close ot the headboard.
I personaly stopped at a vosa checkpoint to ask them to clarify the situation regarding load security, although he was unable to clarify it without looking at his pretty book with drawings in, I was given the impression that its all just about common sense,for instance if you had two pallets of drums 10ft of the headboard in a curtain with no form of restraint on them they will prosecute you, and rightly so, but if you have them strapped in a way to stop them moving you will be ok
We have been told that vosa want us to use dunnage. Pallets are acceptable for us to use as packing with no more than twelve inches space in front of the blocks. Seems a bit ■■■■■■ to me. They have also ramped up the rules on load securing. But loads of different lengths of steel or timber n suchlike will in my opinion be very difficult to secure to vosas satisfaction.
I would have thought that the onus is on vosa to prove that the restraints you are using are not up to the job, personaly I would not be accepting any spotfine and would have thought that in a court of law vosa would be on dodgy ground. Provided the equipment is up to the job and the load is being carried safely and securely I don’t see what the problem is , it seems that the vosa man is getting confused between " his opinion " and the rule of law. worrying though to people at the sharp end that the two can get mixed up, the only problem is if the fine is issued and paid without your own doubts expressed then that can be taken as an admission of guilt and you will find it veryhard to appeal and I know this from personal experience.
After another text chat last night, our management have asked Vosa to send a person down so we can find out exactly what these new restrictions mean. Depending on how that goes, we might be shut down as the job we do means we can’t in reallity load like this. Now a fair bit of stuff will have to be stillaged but, that still doesn’t mean we can load it to the headboard. All straps and restrains have to be in shop new condition!! Any slight fray or abrasion no matter how small comes under the penalty. This seems on the surface a bit draconianbut, i’m guessing we’re beng told worse case scenario here.
On the point of straps and chains. Does anyone reading this thread know where to get, or who supplies Ratchet straps that use chain over the load instead of the webbing stap? I’ve seen them in use in the past but have no idea where they come from.
Big Chris:
On the point of straps and chains. Does anyone reading this thread know where to get, or who supplies Ratchet straps that use chain over the load instead of the webbing stap? I’ve seen them in use in the past but have no idea where they come from.
I think you’re referring to ratchet straps with chain anchors attached, I’ve no idea where you get them though.
Thanks Tachograph, I saw them this morning searching for the others. Basically it’s a normal ratchet strap handle with a very short strap about 18" long, this has a smaller hook the same as a load binder, this hooks to a 6 or 8mm link chain then it’s tightened up the same as a normal ratchet strap. It was a few year ago when I last saw them, I know it’s not my imagingation as another of the lads who drives at our place has seen them also. It’ll be my luck they do’t exist anymore.