Load Securing & Weight Limits Flashcards
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Read the first 6 Load Securing & Weight Limits flashcards as text
What is a 'weighbridge' and when is a driver required to use one?
Answer: A facility for checking vehicle weight — drivers may be directed to one by enforcement officers
A weighbridge measures a vehicle's weight. Drivers may be directed to a weighbridge by DVSA or police officers to verify compliance with weight limits. Operators should also use weighbridges to verify loaded weights before departure.
What is the minimum number of lashing points required on a standard flatbed trailer?
Answer: Lashing points must be spaced no more than 1.25 metres apart along each side
UK and EU guidelines (EN 12195) specify that lashing anchor points should be spaced no more than 1.25 metres apart along each side of the trailer to allow flexible and compliant load securing for various cargo sizes.
When securing a load using straps with ratchet tensioners, what is the correct tensioning procedure?
Answer: Tension until the strap is taut and firm — do not over-tension to the point of damaging cargo or exceeding the WLL
Ratchet straps should be tensioned until they are firm and the load does not move when pushed. Over-tensioning can damage soft cargo, distort the vehicle structure, or exceed the strap's WLL. The correct tension is firm but not excessively tight.
What type of restraint is most appropriate for securing a pallet loaded with boxes on a curtainsider trailer?
Answer: Pallet bars and lashing straps used together, with the curtain providing supplementary containment
Pallet bars (load bars) prevent pallets from tipping or sliding forward and backward, while lashing straps secure them laterally. The curtain side provides additional containment but is not a primary restraint method.
What is meant by the term 'gross train weight' (GTW) for an articulated lorry?
Answer: The combined weight of the tractor unit and loaded trailer
Gross Train Weight is the total combined weight of the tractor unit (including its payload) and the fully loaded trailer. The GTW must not exceed the vehicle's authorised gross train weight.
A driver loads a vehicle and calculates the weight is within limits. However, a large portion of the load is concentrated at the rear. Why is this a problem?
Answer: Rear-heavy loading reduces front axle traction, affects steering, and may overload the rear axle
Rear-heavy loading transfers weight off the front axle, reducing steering control and traction on the driven front axle. It may overload individual rear axles even if the gross weight is within limits, and it destabilises the vehicle.