Secure Cargo
and
Load Restraint
Introduction
This section will discuss several types
of load restraint but will not attempt
to cover all of the available options.
All loads need to be secured to
prevent injury and harm to other
road users and the environment.
The law
– The law requires that all items in a load
be restrained in a manner which applies
a downward pressure on the item.
– If longer items in the load, such as
pipes, are loaded above smaller items,
maybe a pallet of pipe fittings, then the
pallet of fittings must have a load
restraint placed across it to apply a
downward pressure.
Restraints
– There are several types of restraints
– Rope - for smaller items, not requiring a
lot of pressure
– Straps - where a moderate amount of
pressure is required
– Chains - where the maximum amount of
pressure is required
Restraints (cont’d)
– Ropes might be used for items like boxes
of hats, or coils of irrigation tubing
– Straps which are sometimes called tie
downs, tie straps, cargo straps, E-track
straps or winch straps, might be used for
items like PVC pipes, pallets of bricks and
general cargo.
Restraints (cont’d)
– Chains are most commonly used to
restrain items such as steel pipes, steel
plate, concrete piles and beams for
road bridges
– They are also used for securing items
like houses and other vehicles - such as
earth moving equipment
Using restraints
– most restraints have one end secured
to the tie-down rail on one side of the
vehicle, prefferably the drivers side
– the restraint is then passed over the
load and secured on the tie-down rail on
the passenger’s side of the vehicle by
some mechanism that will allow the user
to apply pressure
Using restraints (cont’d)
– although not required by law to have
the tensioning mechanism on the
passenger’s side, it is a sensible position
if the driver needs to adjust the
tension during the journey
– to secure the driver’s side
• most will use a double half hitch
– and on the passenger’s side most
drivers quickly learn to use a single or
double ‘truckie’s hitch’
Using restraints(cont’d)
– when using straps, most are secured on
the passenger’s side by means of some
form of ratchet device - the two most
common forms of ratchet devices being
barrel ratchets and hand ratchets
– straps are secured on the driver’s side
by means of a hook which is attached to
the tie down rail
Using restraints(cont’d)
– barrel ratchets come in two varieties
– there are those that are contained
within a track beneath the tray of the
truck and another variety which sits on
the tie down rail
– both may be positioned along some
length of the tray depending on the
number available
Chains
– you can see chains being used on loads
like logs being taken to the sawmill
– or demountable accommodation, often
seen on tilt trays
Chains and dogs
Another view
The End
– Because of the limited amount of time
allocated for this presentation we could only
cover a small subset of the restraints used for
securing loads
– if you would like to see an expanded version of
the material starting on page 29 of your grey
book, go to this address on the net
– http://www.scribd.com/doc/39520889/LoadRestraint-Guide-2nd-Edition-2004