| Past
Issues |
September
2005 |
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You'd think that making sure your payload stays securely on
the truck is the easy part of transport. However, we all
know that despite the relatively straightforward nature of
the exercise, trucks lose their loads on a daily basis
causing all sorts of traffic chaos, punitive costs, closure
of trucking operations and even loss of life. It's an area
that needs more focused attention writes
Paul Collings.
After speaking to suppliers of cargo securing merchandise, it becomes blatantly obvious that the primary reason why loads fall off trucks is because the operator is skimping on lashing gear - trying to cut costs. A second reason is that incorrect loading (and overloading) techniques are used, suggesting negligence and/or ignorance on the part of the person loading the cargo.
Once again, the short-term, quick-buck mindset that plagues many areas of the transport industry does so with equal virility even when it comes to the purchasing of load securing items. This really is astounding when one considers the crucial role tarps, nets and tie-downs play in ensuring the success of a delivery and ultimately the survival of the transport operation.
No local standard
But it's not all the fault of the transporters and loaders.
Despite the Road Traffic Act stipulating the duties of
transporters and consignors with regards to load securement,
no national standard exists regulating the quality of
products sold to perform the task of safely harnessing cargo
to a truck.
To the uninitiated eye, a cargo lashing strap or tie-down is
simply a piece of fibre with hooks and a ratchet attached.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The ability of a
tie-down to do its job effectively depends on its 'breaking
strain'.
According to Herman Vorster, general manager, TIElift,
"good quality cargo lashings straps are normally rated
at 4 000kg breaking strength but this doesn't mean that one
strap is adequate to secure a 4-ton load. It means that the
strap will break under load at 4 tons.
"South Africa doesn't have a SANS regulation regarding
load straps but we use the British Standards (BS 5759: 979),
which states that the 'rated assembly strength' (R.A.S) must
be equivalent to not more than half the breaking strength in
Kilo-Newtons. This means that a 30-ton cargo strapped to a
semi-trailer with 4-tons rated lashing straps requires a
minimum of 15 straps to secure the load effectively."
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Cheap tricks
Whether it's tyres, brake pads, suzie coils or load lashings,
cheap imports are big players in the local truck market. It's an
unfortunate reality that while cheap parts help the pocket in the
short-term, they invariably are of inferior quality and often
result in unforeseen expenses in the long run.
Michael Greene of Lift Lash describes the cargo lashing market as
a case of the blind leading the blind. "With no SANS
standard in place, it's open season for sellers of dodgy
imports," says Greene. "The ethics of the sales
organisations have deteriorated. Suppliers hoodwink the
distributors who, in their ignorance, sell the transporter an
inferior quality tie-down. The transporter sees the tie-down as a
grudge purchase and really only looks at price as a buying
criterion."
According to Greene, a good quality 5-ton lashing costs around
R90, while a cheap version retails for R25. Should a SANS/NRTA
code of practice be promulgated, how many transporters will be
prepared to pay almost 250% more for their lashings? Lift Lash
has a quality-driven trucker customer who spends R10 000 a year
on the best lashing equipment, says Greene, while the next guy
spends R2 000.
The wake-up call to dodgy load securers will come when the load
does fall off and cause an accident and the owner of the cargo
sues for loss of property through operator negligence. Insurance
assessors will examine each strap closely and if any one of them
is deemed unfit (whether it's of poor quality with no stitching,
frayed, snapped or knotted), all claims will be repudiated and
the transporter will be held liable for damages.
Properly hooked
The quality of the hooks used to secure lashings to the truck
body also needs consideration. TIElift's Vorster advises against
hooks made of mild steel: "It's relatively weak and the hook
bends open under work stress. The best hooks are cadmium-plated,
heat-treated and therefore much stronger."
Another word of caution to those who feel that a tarp is enough
to secure a load comes from Chris Johnson, MD, Tent and Tarp
Reef: "Tarps are for waterproofing, not securing. Nets are
for holding the shape of the load and straps are there to secure
the load." He adds that PVC tarps should have between a
three to five year life-span if treated properly.
"PVC weakens when it flaps in the wind so always make sure
tarps are properly tied down. They also suffer UV damage and
harden as a result of exposure, becoming like cardboard. A good
way to protect a tarp or curtain against dirt is to varnish it,
which adds years to their life as well as protecting any graphics
that may appear on curtainsiders."
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