LOAD SAFETY SERIES

March 2016

Information Sheet
Safe Load Securing of Plant and Machinery

What the Law requires

Under Health and Safety Legislation, a vehicle is a place of work. The law requires that workplaces
are maintained in a condition that is safe and without risk to safety and health. Employers have duties
under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable,
the health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their work activities
(other road users). This includes providing systems of work that are planned, organised, performed,
maintained and revised.

Road Traffic law requires Plant and Machinery Loads

Every load carried by a vehicle in a public place shall be Due to their size and weight, plant and machinery are
of such a weight and size and so distributed, packed, considered to be high-risk loads where the consequences
adjusted and attached to the vehicle that, so far as can of load shift or load shed can be extremely serious. Loads
reasonably be foreseen, no danger is liable to be caused that are not firmly anchored to the load bed can shift
and that there is no interference with the stability of the during transport. This can make them unsafe. Movement
vehicle. In the case of mechanically propelled vehicles and of the load endangers:
trailers, no load carried shall exceed a reasonable weight,
having regard to the engine capacity, brakes, tyres and • The driver, if the load slides forward during the journey
general construction of the vehicle1. or shifts sideways and causes the driver to lose control
of the vehicle;

• Other road users or pedestrians, if the load shifts

sideways or slides backwards and falls off the vehicle;

• Unloading personnel, if the load has become unstable

during the journey and moves uncontrolled during
unloading.

1 S.I. No. 190/1963: ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND

USE OF VEHICLES) REGULATIONS, 1963, Reg 96

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LOAD SAFETY SERIES | INFORMATION SHEET
Safe Load Securing of Plant and Machinery

Figure 1.
Transport of
mobile machinery

Selection of Carrying Vehicle Load Restraint Methods

Small vehicles, and mobile equipment may be carried on Loads can be restrained by two basic methods, ‘Tie-down’
general freight vehicles. or ‘Direct restraint’’
Loads with a high centre of gravity can seriously affect Tie-down is when the load is prevented from moving by
the vehicle’s stability and such machinery should only be friction only, also called a ‘frictional lashing’. It is an indirect
transported on vehicles with a low platform height method of restraint.
This will keep the centre of gravity as low as possible Direct restraint is when the load is prevented from moving
to make sure maximum vehicle stability is maintained. by containing, blocking or attaching it to the vehicle.
Heavy Plant, machinery and mobile equipment can
include rubber tyred, solid wheeled and tracked vehicles.
They can vary considerably in size and weight.

TIE - DOWN DIRECT RESTRAINT

FRICTION CONTAINING BLOCKING ATTACHING

Weight of load
+ Figure 2. Load
Tie-down Tankers, Headboards, Twist locks, restraint methods
lashings tipper bodies side/tail gates direct lashings

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Safe Load Securing of Plant and Machinery

Even though these loads are heavy, the weight of the Tracked and wheeled vehicles should be directly
load alone cannot not be relied on to hold it in place. restrained in the forward and rearward directions
If the load lifts off the bed, even momentarily, static by suitable lashings. In the case of extremely heavy
friction is lost. Therefore friction alone cannot be relied equipment, the combination of direct restraint and tie-
upon to hold Plant and Machinery loads in place. Rubber down can be used. Heavy Plant and mobile equipment
tyred and rubber tracked vehicles can be restrained can also be restrained by containing them within the
using tie-down in the sideways direction, but not in the body structure of the carrying vehicle.
forward or rearward directions. The friction between
wheels and tracks on loading decks can be extremely
low, especially when wet or greasy.
Use of Headboards and/or Gooseneck
Where possible, plant and machinery loads should
Therefore for these loads, the use of the ‘Tie-down’
be loaded so that they are against the headboard or
method only, which relies on the combined friction
gooseneck of the vehicle/trailer body. This enables the
generated by the weight of the load and the ‘Tie-down’
headboard to become part of the load securing system
force of the lashings, is Not Recommended.
by blocking the load from moving forward under braking
The appropriate method to secure Plant and Machinery or emergency conditions. This will also allow for fewer
is by using a ‘Direct restraint’ method. Using direct
lashings being required, than for a load loaded away from
lashings, and/or blocking (to a suitable headboard or
the headboard. The headboard should be strong enough
gooseneck/swan-neck) wherever possible (Fig 3.).
to prevent the load from moving2. The headboard offers
critical protection to the driver, therefore the load should
not be loaded above the height of the headboard unless
precautions have been taken to stop it moving forward.

Fig.3 Example Direct restraint and Blocking

(Cross lashing also prevents sideways movement) Fig.4 Example of Direct Lashing

2 Best practice suggests that the strength of the superstructure should meet the requirements laid down in EN 12642 (L-XL). In addition, the end
wall should be able to withstand 40% of the payload, up to a maximum of 50 KN

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Direct lashings • Lashing capacity is NOT to be mistaken for the

Once loaded, the load should be secured with a suitable allowable weight of product the lashing can
number of direct lashings. It is very important to make safely restrain.
sure that all parts of the load are secured. All moveable • A 2-tonne lashing capacity webbing strap will be
assemblies such as jibs, brackets, booms and cabs denoted by LC 2000daN.
etc. must be left in the position recommended for
transportation by the manufacturer and must be secured
to prevent movement relative to the main body of the Requirements
machine. • Straps should comply with the EN12195-2 standard
The machine should be restrained against forward, identified by means of a label on the web lashing
backward and sideways movement by chain or webbing which shows the rated capacity and a classification
lashings3 attached to anchorage points on the vehicle. on the ratchet.
All lashings should incorporate some form of tensioning
•
The strap must have a hand-operated ratchet
device.
tensioner.
In deciding the number of anchorage points to be used
when arranging a restraint system, the following factors
• The length of the straps has to be sufficient for the
should be considered: securing method.

• The need to position the machine to achieve the •

Straps should be visually inspected before every
correct load distribution to meet the legal axle load journey.
requirements and to ensure that the vehicle’s • The end fitting of the strap (Web Lashing) must be
handling is not impaired.
suitable for the type of lashing point used4.
• The extent to which other load restraint features is
incorporated in the design of the vehicle. • Web Lashings must not be attached to rope hooks.
• Whether the machine has wheels, tracks or rollers.
• The weight of the machine to be carried.
Lashing capacity LC.... daN
• A minimum of four lashings should be used.
• A minimum of four separate anchorage points should Standard hand force* SHF 50 daN
be used. Standard tension force STF .... daN
• Top-over lashings placed over the top of the Webbing material POLYESTER
driver cabin or covers of mobile machines are not ...m
Length
recommended.
WARNING: Vehicles should never be driven, no matter “NOT FOR LIFTING”
how short a distance, with any equipment extended or in Name of manufacturer
an unlocked position. or supplier
Manufacturer’s CODE NR
Webbing straps and ratchets traceability code #### ####
When designing a restraint system and determining the
Year of manufacture DD MM YYYY
required number of restraints, it is the lashing capacity
and not the breaking force which must be taken into Standard BS EN 12195-2
account.
•
Lashing capacity = Maximum allowable tension in the
lashing.
• Breaking force = Maximum force the web lashing
withstands when tested complete with ratchet and end
fittings. The breaking force of the lashing assembly
Figure 5. Webbing strap with label description
will be twice the lashing capacity.

3 Lashing Steel Wire ropes complying with EN12195-4 may also be used, but are not covered in this information sheet.

4 The lashing points should comply with EN 12640 and must be attached to the vehicle at approximately 50 cm intervals.

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Safe Load Securing of Plant and Machinery

Transport chains and tensioners • Lashing chains should be visually inspected before
every journey.
When designing a restraint system and determining the
required number of restraints, it is the lashing capacity • The use of spring links (over centre load binders) is
not advised due to kick back hazard. (Figure 6 and 7).
and not the breaking force which must be taken into
account. • The end fitting of the chain must be suitable for the
type of securing point used.
• Lashing capacity = the maximum allowable tension in
the chain.
WARNING: Because of different behaviour and
• Lashing capacity is NOT to be mistaken for the
elongation under load conditions, chain lashings and
allowable weight of product the lashing can safely
web lashings must not be used to secure the same
restrain. load. Consideration shall also be given to ancillary
• A 4-tonne lashing capacity chain will be denoted fittings (components) and lashing devices in the load
by LC 40kN. restraint assembly, to ensure compatibility with the
lashings being used.
Breaking force = Maximum force the complete chain
lashing, including load binder and connection components,
can withstand. The breaking force of the lashing assembly Strength of Lashings (Capacity) needed
will be twice the lashing capacity. A minimum of 4 lashings are needed, The following
load tables allow selection of the minimum size of chain
Requirements required when two chains are used to prevent movement
in a particular direction. The lashing capacity is listed for
• Lashing chains must comply with the EN12195-3
standard identified by means of a metal tag loads from 100 kg to 30 tonnes. Heavier loads and poor
attached to the chain, which shows the rated lashing angles5 will require a higher capacity chain. A
capacity. recommended angle for direct lashings is a slope of 1 in 2
or approximately 25 degrees to the horizontal.

Figure 6. Over center load binder (Not Recommended) Figure 7. Bottle tensioner (Recommended)

5 See lashing angle effect footnote 6.

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MINIMUM LASHING CAPACITY - DIRECT MINIMUM LASHING CAPACITY - DIRECT

RESTRAINT FORWARDS (0.8W) RESTRAINT SIDEWAYS (0.5W)
USING TWO CHAINS USING TWO CHAINS

MASS OF LOAD MINIMUM LASHING CAPACITY MASS OF LOAD MINIMUM LASHING CAPACITY
E= E= E= E= E= E=
(KILOGRAMS) (KILOGRAMS)
0.85 to 1.0 0.70 to 0.84 0.50 to 0.69 0.85 to 1.0 0.70 to 0.84 0.50 to 0.69
100 48 53 80 100 30 36 50
200 95 115 160 200 59 72 100
300 142 172 240 300 89 108 150
400 189 229 320 400 118 143 200
500 236 286 400 500 148 179 251)
750 353 429 600 750 221 268 375
1000 471 572 800 1000 295 358 500)
1500 706 953 1200 1500 442 536 750
2000 942 1143 1600 2000 589 715 1000
(TONNES) (TONNES)
3 1.5 1.8 2.4 3 0.9 1.1 1.5
4 1.9 2.3 3.2 4 1.2 1.5 2.0
5 2.4 2.9 4.0 5 1.5 1.8 2.5
6 2.9 3.5 4.8 6 1.8 2.2 3.0
7 3.3 4.0 5.6 7 2.1 2.5 3.5
8 3.8 4.6 6.4 8 2.4 2.9 4.0
9 4.3 5.2 7.2 9 2.7 3.3 4.5
10 4.8 5.8 8.0 10 3.0 3.6 5.0
11 5.2 6.3 8.8 11 3.3 4.0 5.5
12 5.7 6.9 9.6 12 3.6 4.3 6.0
13 6.2 7.5 10.4 13 3.9 4.7 6.5
14 6.6 8.0 11.2 14 4.2 5.0 7.0
15 7.1 8.6 12.0 15 4.5 5.4 7.5
16 7.6 9.2 12.8 16 4.8 5.8 8.0
17 8.0 9.8 13.6 17 5.0 6.1 8.5
18 8.5 10.3 14.4 18 5.3 6.5 9.0
19 9.0 10.9 15.2 19 5.6 6.8 9.5
20 9.5 11.5 16.0 20 5.9 7.2 10.0
21 9.9 12.0 16.8 21 6.2 7.5 10.5
22 10.4 12.6 17.6 22 6.5 7.9 11.0
23 10.9 13.2 18.4 23 6.8 8.3 11.5
24 11.3 13.8 19.2 24 7.1 8.6 12.0
25 11.8 14.3 20.0 25 7.4 9.0 12.5
26 12.3 14.9 20.8 26 7.7 9.3 13.0
27 12.8 15.5 21.6 27 8.0 9.7 13.5
28 13.2 16.0 22.4 28 8.3 10.0 14.0
29 13.7 16.6 23.2 29 8.6 10.4 14.5
30 14.2 17.2 24.0 30 8.9 10.8 15.0

Table1. Shows the minimum strength (lashing capacity) Table 2. Shows the minimum strength (lashing capacity)
required for each of two chains directly restraining required for each of two chains directly restraining sideways
forward movement.6 or rearwards movement

Load Securing Standards Further information and Guidance

The European Standard EN 12195 (1-4) “Load restraint The following website contains links to further
assemblies on road vehicles” is accepted as giving a safe information, including European Community “Best
level of cargo securing for road transport operations. Practice” and International Industry guidelines:
These need to be read in conjunction with other applicable www.loadsafe.ie
standards7.

6 E = Lashing angle effect = ratio of horizontal distance between lashing points & length of lashing (0.5 -1.0)
7 See www.loadsafe.ie for further information on standards

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