Loose Loads on VehicleWhat did you Prevent

Many incidents are a direct result of poor load securing, eg:• items falling out of any vehicle when the curtain is

opened for unloading and hitting someone stood next to the vehicle

• items falling out of a vehicle during unloading, causing someone to jump out of the way and fall

• poorly-secured loads collapsing or falling over during the journey so they have to be unloaded by hand, and someone then slipping over on the load bed or falling from the vehicle

• damage to goods, property or the infrastructure, which will eventually be passed onto the consumer

• damaged roads, which may themselves lead to more wear and tear on vehicles resulting in increased overheads for the operator

Loose loads can be dangerous, and sometimes fatal, to you and other drivers

How to carry a load safely• Choose a suitable vehicle for your load.• Position and place the load so that it is secure.• Select suitable restraint equipment – it should be ‘rated’ and meet Legislative Standards.• You may need to adjust your headlights when your vehicle is loaded.• Drive carefully and regularly check your restraints.

How to properly secure your load• Different loads should be transported differently. There are general checks you can do, but the way you carry a load

will depend on the load itself.• Bundle similar items together, in a more stable single unit.• Use restraints when packing wooden boards; anti-slip matting prevents items from sliding, especially long items.• Ropes can be difficult to keep tight across your load. When available use webbing straps as they can be more effective

and are simple to use.• Nets and tarpaulins may be used to restrain lighter items.• Loose sheets of building materials may be restrained by fitting them tightly in trays, and then securing them properly

with restraints.• Make sure heavy items are not loaded on top of lighter items.• Most headboards and loading racks aren’t strong enough to fully restrain heavy loads.• Use metal or heavy-duty plastic top corner protector angles to protect company vehicle tons.• High and narrow items such as stacks of smaller company vehicle tons usually need more than one restraint.• Fill spaces and gaps between piles with other items and make sure these are restrained as well.

Suggestions to make it easy to tie it down and secure it properly

Tips• Similar items should be bundled together to form a more stable, single unit. • Webbing straps are more effective than ropes. • Nets and tarpaulins are generally an easy and effective way to restrain lighter items. • Avoid loading heavier items on top of lighter items. • Fill gaps between larger items with smaller items, dunnage or packing material. • Check the load and the tension of ropes and webbing shortly after commencing a journey as the load may settle and/or shift, causing restraints to loosen. • Check the load every time an item is removed or added to it. • Seats in vans and station wagons are generally not adequate for preventing loads (particularly heavy loads) from moving forward in emergency braking situations. The use of company vehicle go barriers is recommended.

When Hauling ANY LOAD

THINK

Did you ReviewLOAD SHIFT

NOW THINKStabilizing

Not all loads restraints are EQUAL

Your Load Your ProblemYour Liability

If you, not me YOU

If you don’t restrain a load properly you might cause an accident, injury or death if:• objects fall from your vehicle on to other traffic or pedestrians • other drivers swerve to dodge items that are falling or have

fallen from your vehicle • loads that have spilled onto the road cause other vehicles to

skid and lose control • uncovered loads crash into your vehicle cabin during

emergency braking • loads that aren’t restrained properly shift and contribute to

your company vehicle rolling over.

Bottom-line NON COMPLIANCE MEANS YOU WILL BE ( NOT MIGHT BE) CHARGED