Unsecured Loads

[RedNeckRacin]

We have hauled hay on a pickup many miles with just a cinch rope from the front bumper, over the top and toed off to the hitch, the key is stacking the hay and not driving like an idiot. Then again, when you put 60+ bales on a pickup you better know how to stack them correctly to lock them together! It wasn't my truck though!

 

[Mistyridgefarm]

I don't carry many bales off the farm, and if I do it is to a neighbor half a mile down a county side road. I load eight on the bottom in two rows, with three on top straddling the two bottom rows. I've never had one bounce off or shift but I never get over 30 mph and our road sees about five cars a day. Now, if I was going further, faster, or on a major road, then they would be strapped. BTW - strapped is not using one inch wide wally world specials! I cannot tell you the number of hay buyers that come pick up hay with under-rated tie downs.

It is about time to start second cutting, but it is too darn hot this week. I have to travel next week so I'll start second cut when get back. Good luck to all those with more challenging conditions.

 

[cat fever]

While I think every load should be secure. I don't mind pulling over to pick up a bale or two that have fallen off someone's trailer.:laughing:

 

[foreman Etexas]

I will start strapping all my top bales,cause I'm guilty of just doing the back ones on Farm Market roads. I haven't ever lost a bale but have seen them in ditches. I usually drive slow and don't take corners crazy speeds. The whole thing with me doing the back top is the cars riding my tail all the time,just to be on safe side. I can't see how they throw them off,I have a rough county road that throws trailer one way and the other and they stay put. On main highway all the top get done,so I can just throw two more for farm market roads to be safer.

 

[big bubba]

I will start strapping all my top bales,cause I'm guilty of just doing the back ones on Farm Market roads. I haven't ever lost a bale but have seen them in ditches. I usually drive slow and don't take corners crazy speeds. The whole thing with me doing the back top is the cars riding my tail all the time,just to be on safe side. I can't see how they throw them off,I have a rough county road that throws trailer one way and the other and they stay put. On main highway all the top get done,so I can just throw two more for farm market roads to be safer.

i appreciate your recognizing the difference between rural transport and public highway transport. not everyone does..... i travel both. my only concern on the open highway is loads traveling 50+ mph unsecured traveling in the opposite direction to traffic. still don't know what the law is in that regard here on the blacktop.... wish there were more transporters like yourself that go the extra step in consideration of others' safety on the open highway :thumbsup:

btw see you have 2x M7040's. excellent tractor.

 

[coondle]

Pretty simple in Australia, there are National Standards in regard to load restraint. All loads must be contained as in a dump truck or restrained. Restraint means held so no upward movement (bumps), sideways movement (cornering, wind and slopes), forward movement (braking and slopes), or rearward movement (wind, slopes and acceleration).

The amount of restraint required is expressed as "G" or gravity, 1G=weight of load.

The figures are also expressed as a % of the weight of load and are:
20% upward, 50% sideways, 80% forward and 50% rearward.
The restraint has to also prevent the load moving, e.g. pipe must be belly wrapped so it cannot move on a flatbed.

Restraint equipment is rated by the manufacturer or given a nominal rating according to size. Straps, and load chains are usually stamped or tagged with the rating. Ropes for instance are rated according to diameter.

Overhang to the front, side, and rearward is also regulated. Overhang cannot exceed 1.2 metres (4 feet) beyond either the vehicle or the last point of support whichever is the lesser.
In addition rearward overhang cannot exceed 60% of the vehicle's wheelbase.

What is more the regulators have legislated to implement "Chain of Responsibility".
For example if a transport company loads a vehicle that is over or otherwise unsafely loaded, the driver is responsible so too are the loader, supervisor, manager and all the way to company directors.
Makes companies introduce measures to make sure unsafe loads do not go out on the road.
so, if for example I allow a load of hay, collected by a customer leave my premises unrestrained and an accident happens , i can be prosecuted and face the same penalty as the driver of the vehicle that dropped the load.
Can tell you all loads are secured before they leave.

Some do not learn, December last year a road train (2 semi trailers) on one prime mover loaded 2 bales wide and 4 high started to lose a load a mile from my home. Went with a big front end loader and pushed it up and on again. Idiot had only one 2.5 tonne 2 inch strap holding on each row of eight bales and 2 straps holding the last row on the second trailer. The two last rows were leaning out at nearly 45 degrees. Confirmed idiot did not have even one spare strap to secure the righted rows.
The prime mover and trailers were grossing about 135.000 lbs. This good samaritan then lent the driver 2 brand new straps to secure the wayward load. Did not get them back for 2 months and very second hand.
Have to now ask: Who the idiot was?

 

[big bubba]

all good points. locally, even on black top state roads, it seems local cops just look the other way (maybe not state troopers) on unsecured loads. my take is that they want the votes from locals come elections. but it still peeves me to see the loads pass by me within a few feet on a 2 lane hwy w/o anything secured. best regards to down under!

 

[coondle]

Thanks for the greeting.
The rules here apply to all public roads. We have roads in the outback in particular that are not surveyed as roads but they are open to and used by the public, so even those are included.
WE have Australian Federal Police and State police. neither are subject to election, they are appointed under their respective Commissioners and on a number of policing matters cannot be directed to prosecute or not so have a degree of independence.
That does not mean they are immune from the blind eye syndrome when it suits.

How is your hay season in Arkansas, have been hearing horror stories of unseasoned flooding, not that any flooding is easily accepted.

Some years ago a local to the area, State politician's partner had a 5 ton coil of steel dropped on her through the windscreen from a curtain sider pan tech.
Did not stand a chance.
Driver was a haulier and had hooked onto the semi and did not know the roll was even there. The trucking yard operative thought the coil did not have to be restrained because the curtains were "restraint" curtains.

 

[big bubba]

coondle: this hay season's been a roller coaster here (note long 2015 Hay Season thread in this forum). my own hay harvest went well without rain on harvest....on a personal note, i lost $2K in recent maple tree plantings due to flooding, guess luck of the draw between the rains & drought it seems world wide. cheers,

 

[Birdhunter1]

My first job where I paid into social security was at a local lumberyard. The owner was an old Navy vet hard as nails boatswains mate. He was feared and respected amongst the store for many reasons, as long as you did your job right and didn't cause problems he was great to you. I had worked there a few months and was loading a truck for delivery then getting ready to take it out, he happened by to inspect my forklift stacking ability and strapping down methodology. I passed, he asked who taught me. My answer was my dad who learned in the Navy (he knew my dad well). He said "straps are cheap, paying you twice to do something isn't, don't forget that!"

That was 1997 and I've never lost anything off of a truck.


This was also the same guy who told me if I was walking to the back of the lumberyard I was to carry an 80 bag of concrete down there and back (about 400'). He was a football STUD in our town in the 1947 class and me still being in high school and on the football team he liked the idea of the extra work I could do to toughen me up. A few days later he drove through the yard and I was carrying one on each shoulder and found out I got them up there unassisted. I've been in his good graces ever since. (which has been awesome when looking for work with local contractors).