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Load Securing Solutions

When shipping your products, transportation companies must make certain all loads are secured before transport begins.

This is a legal requirement, since loads can shift during transport. A shift of goods may result in injury if someone opens the back of the truck or shipping container only to find that the pallets and other packages have all fallen against the door. As soon as that door is opened, all of the packages would fall outward, leading to injury or even death. Even if no one is hurt, the contents of the packages may be damaged if they are not packed correctly.

What is Load Securing?

The logistics of load securing does vary somewhat depending on what mode of transportation you are using. In all cases, however, the goal is to make certain that the load does not move during acceleration, deceleration, or changes in direction. This also prevents packages from rubbing against each other. This friction could cause damage to the packaging, resulting in the goods being damaged or becoming loose within the shipping container or truck. Properly securing a load also prevents environmental damage. If the company is transporting liquids and the load shifts, containers may be damaged enough that the liquid begins leaking out. If this liquid is hazardous in any way, it may cause irreparable damage to the environment around the shipping containers.

Protecting against damage, whether it is personal, economic, environmental, or material, is necessary for companies to protect their reputation. Shipping companies that do not meet load securing requirements will likely find themselves facing a number of accidents. This will result in clients changing to a more reputable company and may even lead to legal action.

Protecting against damage, whether it is personal, economic, environmental, or material, is necessary for companies to protect their reputation

Legislation Regulating Load Securing

There are a number of different regulations that govern how loads must be secured. These regulations can vary from country to country.

In Europe, the European Standards for Securing of Goods for Road Transport govern how goods can be shipped over land. Specifically, EN 12195 outlines these requirements. It is split into four categories:

• EN 12195-1 outlines how to calculate securing forces.
• EN 12195-2 set out the guidelines for using web lashing and ratchet straps.
• EN 12195-3 concerns how to use chains for lashing goods together or to the sides of the truck.
• EN 12195-4 governs using steel wire ropes for lashing.

These regulations state a number of different requirements for cargo:
• The cargo cannot move due to vibrations.
• The cargo cannot slide or shift around.
• The cargo cannot tilt to one side.
• The packaging cannot become deformed in any way.

While some assume that the responsibility for complying with these regulations falls solely on the shipper, that is not the case under EN 12195. It states that the driver, packer, and the manufacturer also share in the load securing responsibility

International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization

These two organizations developed their own unique regulations for load securing in 2014. These regulations are called the CTU Code, which stands for the Cargo Transport Units Code. The goal of the CTU Code is to outline the concept of load securing as well as to provide practical measures for load securing. It also covers the safety of workers during loading, unloading, and cargo handling.

Annex 13 is part of the global standard specified by the International Maritime Organization, and its implications are very important when exporting goods from certain countries, such as the United States. Specifically, this regulation states that using lashing over a package’s skeleton structure does not adequately secure it, since the package can still move. It also states that tension straps which protrude through the package may be used to prevent movement from side to side, although they may not necessarily stop forward and backward movement.

What Nefab Can do to Help You

We can assist you with all of your shipping needs, including load securing. We make certain to use only the best practices for sea, land, and air freight. We also offer three different methods to make certain that all of your packages are secured and that all of your materials arrive without damage and without causing any damage.

Level 1: Packing

The first step is to make certain that your goods are packed securely. This includes using the correct packaging and the correct padding within that package to ensure that your goods don’t move around during transport. In the event that there is no correct package for your materials, we will work with you to create a custom packaging solution. This is especially important when there is no certified package for dangerous goods.

Level 2: Pallets

After materials are packed into boxes, those boxes are placed upon a pallet. These pallets may be made up of any number of individual packages, although the final stack must follow the height and weight regulations. The packages must be wrapped or otherwise strapped together so that the pallet can be placed at a 27 degree angle and remain stable.

Pallets also need to include slip protection. The most common way of doing this is to place the pallet on a slide-proof base and to use intermediate layers between packages. Both help increase the friction on the packages, which in turn slows down the G-force effects. Because of this, when the vehicle accelerates, decelerates, or makes a turn, the packages are less likely to move. There are a number of different materials that can be used to prevent slipping. These include anti-slip paper, anti-slip foam, anti-slip foil, and anti-slip rubber.

The packages on the pallets may be strapped together, wrapped in plastic, secured using woven composite straps, or taped together. In many cases, edgeboards are used to help stabilize the load.

Level 3: Loading

Finally, the pallets are loaded into the shipping container, truck, or plane cargo hold to be transported. Dunnage bags are often placed between pallets to provide a buffer between stacks and to prevent them from moving.

<h3 class="sub-insights__medium-heading"><span>What Nefab Can do to Help You</span></h3> <div class="sub-insights__content-columns"> <p>We can assist you with all of your shipping needs, including load securing. We make certain to use only the best practices for sea, land, and air freight. We also offer three different methods to make certain that all of your packages are secured and that all of your materials arrive without damage and without causing any damage.</p> <p><strong>Level 1: Packing</strong></p> <p>The first step is to make certain that your goods are packed securely. This includes using the correct packaging and the correct padding within that package to ensure that your goods don’t move around during transport. In the event that there is no correct package for your materials, we will work with you to create a custom packaging solution. This is especially important when there is no certified package for dangerous goods.</p> <p><strong>Level 2: Pallets</strong></p> <p>After materials are packed into boxes, those boxes are placed upon a pallet. These pallets may be made up of any number of individual packages, although the final stack must follow the height and weight regulations. The packages must be wrapped or otherwise strapped together so that the pallet can be placed at a 27 degree angle and remain stable.</p> <p>Pallets also need to include slip protection. The most common way of doing this is to place the pallet on a slide-proof base and to use intermediate layers between packages. Both help increase the friction on the packages, which in turn slows down the G-force effects. Because of this, when the vehicle accelerates, decelerates, or makes a turn, the packages are less likely to move. There are a number of different materials that can be used to prevent slipping. These include anti-slip paper, anti-slip foam, anti-slip foil, and anti-slip rubber.</p> <p>The packages on the pallets may be strapped together, wrapped in plastic, secured using woven composite straps, or taped together. In many cases, edgeboards are used to help stabilize the load.</p> <p><strong>Level 3: Loading</strong></p> <p>Finally, the pallets are loaded into the shipping container, truck, or plane cargo hold to be transported. Dunnage bags are often placed between pallets to provide a buffer between stacks and to prevent them from moving.</p> </div>
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