FIRST, LET’S TEST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LOAD RESTRAINT
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOAD RESTRAINT SAFETY?
Just the driver?
Not just the driver. Obligations are on ALL parties in the road transport supply chain including the:
AT WHAT SPEED ARE LOADS MORE LIKELY TO FALL OFF?
Low or high speed?
The chances of losing a load are more likely at a low speed rather than a high speed because it’s easier for the brakes to ‘grab’ at a low speed.
WHICH LOAD WEIGHT IS MOST LIKELY TO FALL OFF?
Light or heavy?
Neither light nor heavy is more likely. A heavy load is just as likely to fall off as a light load because the same g-forces are involved, regardless of the weight.
LOAD RESTRAINT ACCIDENTS OCCUR MOSTLY....
Where, when & at what speed?
Most load restraint accidents happen
- in city areas
- after only a short distance
- at low speed
WHAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE LASHING METHOD?
Ropes or webbing straps?
Webbing straps, as their tension is 5-10 times greater than that of rope, which might feel tight but in reality, the tension is very low.
IS A CURTAIN-SIDE SUFFICIENT TO RESTRAIN A LOAD?
Yes or No?
No! Unless it is part of the certified load restraint system.
LOAD RESTRAINT INFORMATION
Jump straight to a section of your choice or scroll through the whole page.
Think about what you expect when you are travelling.
SCENARIO 1 – Due diligence expected
The high-speed train is approaching and you’re about to get on. You keep listening to your music and thinking about your day, unconcerned about safety, regardless of the fact that you’re about to reach speeds in excess of 100km/hr. Why…? Because your subconscious is satisfied that all due diligence has been done and your safety is in good hands.
Logic tells you that the train driver isn’t responsible for every single aspect of your safety while you travel on the rail system. You expect that due diligence has been carried out at all stages – the track has been expertly designed and rigorously maintained; the train has been precision engineered and built; the signalling system is fully operational and the carriage doors operate like clockwork to maintain your safety while contained within the carriage.
SCENARIO 2 – Due diligence expected
You’re driving on the freeway alongside heavily laden vehicles at speeds in excess of 100km/hr. You keep listening to your music and thinking about your day because your subconscious is reassured by the assumption that highly experienced drivers are in charge of well serviced vehicles as you overtake them at high speed.
However, responsibility for restraining the goods within the vehicles is often left to the drivers, who might lack sufficient training or knowledge to be able to optimise their safety while in transit (or your safety while you travel close by). Unfortunately, inadequately restrained loads pose a massive risk to the safety of all road users; but it’s a risk that’s often disregarded because the goods are often out of sight. Shouldn’t due diligence be as important in this scenario as it is in the first scenario?
CARGO CAN TURN INTO DANGEROUS PROJECTILES
With the potential to cause:
OBSTRUCTIONS & CONGESTION
Is it fair to place the responsibility solely on the driver when there is so much at stake?
A carefully planned approach ensures that due diligence happens at all relevant stages; otherwise identified as the ‘chain of responsibility‘.
Fines for Serious Breaches in
Australia can be Significant!
FOR INDIVIDUALS (WA)
for corporations (WA)
National Transport Commission & Roads and Traffic Authority NSW – Load Restraint Guide
REMEMBER! “CHECK YOUR LOAD RESTRAINT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE LEAVING AND DURING YOUR TRIP”
mainroads Western Australia – Load Restraint Information
5 PRACTICAL FUNDAMENTALS
….to ensure your load behaves the way you want it to
Gaps allow the load to shift which is an obvious problem; but they also cause restraints to loosen, rendering them far less effective. Also, objects that assume a new position during transit can pose a danger during the unloading process.
Dunnage is the packaging which is placed under or between parts of the load. The dunnage itself must be secure and positioned correctly.
The number and type of restraints used are important factors in effective load restraint. The tension from webbing straps is far greater than the tension generated by ropes for example.
The fundamental of friction “is the most important of those fundamentals… more important than the number of restraints”
Graham Agnew, Logistics Engineer at BlueScope Steel, 2015
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* Please note that the information on this page is intended as general guidance only. Applying an appropriate restraint system and meeting legal compliance are the responsibility of the individual, which may require further investigation and testing. Furthermore, legal requirements associated with load restraint are subject to change and may differ from details reported at the time of creating this web page. As such, it is the individual’s responsibility to conduct an independent review the latest legal requirements.