Total stupidity

[Andrew]

Yep if a tipper lorry full of stone tips over there is no way the sheet is going to keep the stone in the lorry, so what's the difference with that and a trailer with sides and the bales coming out the top if it goes on its side

There is no requirement for loads to be secured over the top. There is however a requirement to stop loose items from falling, which is where the sheet comes in.

All the requirements are here:

Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles

How to make sure goods and other items are loaded, secured and unloaded safely from HGVs, trailers, vans and cars.

www.gov.uk

You need 100% of the weight of the load restrained to the front, and 50% to the sides and rear.

If this is straps, remember a standard '5t' strap is only rated to secure 2.5t.

If this is performed by a framework, the framework should be to the full height of the load with no more than 80mm gap between the frame and the load.

 

[Tarw Coch]

For straw, you need 100% of the weight of the load restrained to the front, and 50% to the sides and rear.

What does that mean?

 

[Grassman]

There is no requirement for loads to be secured over the top. There is however a requirement to stop loose items from falling, which is where the sheet comes in.

So really the council van with the tools etc that are in a pickup with solid sides should not need anything else?

 

[Andrew]

What does that mean?

If you have a 5t load, the straps need to be sufficient to hold 5t to the front, 2.5t to each side, and 2.5t to the rear.

So really the council van with the tools etc that are in a pickup with solid sides should not need anything else?

If they are tightly packed (i.e. no more than 80mm gap between the load and sides), yes.
If they aren't, then it should have straps or packing or similar in there to stop it sliding around.

 

[Tarw Coch]

If you have a 5t load, the straps need to be sufficient to hold 5t to the front, 2.5t to each side, and 2.5t to the rear.

I must be feeling a bit thick today because I can’t say I’m any the wiser

 

[stroller]

I take that as the straps going from the machine to the rear to stop it going forward have to be able to take 5t etc etc

 

[Boomerang]

Its inexcusable but generally the shift from ring fenced "self sufficient" units to farming operations that span the length of the county with one large factory style store or livestock unit, digester or grain store in the middle hasn't really helped at all on many levels including the need for much more road transport and fuel usage. A failure of strategic planning in my view.
I live next to an A road and it's very noticeable now that there is a contact stream of Ag traffic carting :-
Water for sprayers,
Manure,
Straw
Grass silage,
Fertiliser
Seed
And thousands of tonnes of grain in the summer.
All in tractors and trailers.
Really the goods should be carted in HGV's burning DERV if we are going down this industrial farming route. It's stretching goodwill and environmental credentials to the limit. Net zero by 2040? We seem to be going the other way. I really can't see how it's that financially efficient either. All of these drivers are being paid, tyres and machinery are wearing away for something that was not required till things got big and spread out. Seems mad to me.

Past our place most days several times a day see straw wagons fully loaded passing each other in opposite directions . Dont know where each has come from or are going to but seems madness that they are burning fuel dragging it in oppisite directons.
Same at spud harvest tractors passing each other fully loaded burning fuel carting same product in opposite directions . Mad mad world .

 

[Tarw Coch]

Past our place most days several times a day see straw wagons fully loaded passing each other in opposite directions . Dont know where each has come from or are going to but seems madness that they are burning fuel dragging it in oppisite directons.
Same at spud harvest tractors passing each other fully loaded burning fuel carting same product in opposite directions . Mad mad world .

That sort of madness ain’t confined to farming, up on the main road just past here see timber wagons going both ways too.

 

[RAF]

All keeps the economy going though so.......

 

[90hp farming]

But next thing you know, the entire trailer is on it's side on a roundabout......on top of a car...

Nearly twenty years ago, I was carting little bales sold to another farm several miles from home. I will admit to having putting an extra half a course on the trailer so as not to leave a few at the bottom of my stack. The load of about 200 bales all strapped and roped and sheeted on for the trip. Two miles from home on the first roundabout............... Timber mounted on the length of the steel chassis to which the floor was nailed - split with the inertia of the roundabout. Fetched the trailer off the tractor hook and the trailer finished up laid on its side like a box van. Fortunately, it was a rural roundabout, I was on the inside lane and it was a nice wide verge.

Having pulled over, I watched 4 trailer wheels spinning in the air and checked I hadn`t shat myself, I went to investigate. Clearly I could not have predicted this outcome, but having calmed down, I was well chuffed that there was not one broken bale and not one had come adrift from the load. Literally it was like a box van on its side.

The next week I rang up and ordered a brand new bale cart and on the advice of the manufacturer one with walking beam axles rather than springs to increase stability.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Dumpy bags are miserable things to strap, we get blend in them and used to get one on the flat bed, strap it down and you lose some, got a high sided calf trailer now which is far better

I was thinking when I picked one up of feed, I should have taken my shearing board with me and put it on top of the bag to strap too, as I put two straps on, but as I drove they vibrated down and loose.

 

[roscoe erf]

A local council worker doing some road repairs on the lane showed me a letter from his bosses. Basically anything in the back of the dropside transit van has to be strapped down. Drum of diesel, shovel, manhole cover, etc.
Broken up tarmac and stone even if it's just a few bits in the bottom must be secured.

NW Motorway Police
2 July at 11:38 ·

This vehicle was stopped by #MC31Merseyside Traffic in the Widnes area and issued with a #TOR for Insecure load .
The weight of an item alone cannot be relied upon as a method of securing. Any load must be secured by straps, ropes and or sheeting

Traffic Offence Report issued as the driver was tipping less than a mile away and the weighbridge was 5 miles away...common sense prevails !

 

[roscoe erf]

The load should be secure such that in an over turn it stays on the trailer
No excuse

death or serious injury by dangerous driving is a prisonable offence

straps cost under£10 and if looked after last several years so cost is minimal to the extent that the time saved recovering one lost bale pays for the straps

sorry that's not how securing a load is tested to secure a load it must be 100% of its weight forward 50%of its weight backwards and 50% side ways movement in the event of an accident roll over its very unlikely you could even keep your load intact

 

[roscoe erf]

So really the council van with the tools etc that are in a pickup with solid sides should not need anything else?

yes as you can not rely on the loads weight to secure it going to fast over a speed hump for eg in that case you mention a simple net sheet would be fine

 

[Grassman]

yes as you can not rely on the loads weight to secure it going to fast over a speed hump for eg in that case you mention a simple net sheet would be fine

I ordered a net

Net World Sports Cargo Net - 5 Industrial Grade - The Netting Available Highly Durable (8ft x 5ft) : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Buy Net World Sports Cargo Net - 5 Industrial Grade - The Netting Available Highly Durable (8ft x 5ft) at Amazon UK. Free delivery on eligible orders.

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[YELROM]

I ordered a net

Net World Sports Cargo Net - 5 Industrial Grade - The Netting Available Highly Durable (8ft x 5ft) : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Buy Net World Sports Cargo Net - 5 Industrial Grade - The Netting Available Highly Durable (8ft x 5ft) at Amazon UK. Free delivery on eligible orders.

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You will end up having to get nets tested like slings and chains, it never ends