In brief
Load securing means providing the force that keeps the load attached to the vehicle bed during braking and cornering; weight alone does not hold a load in place. A load is secured either by bracing it against the headboard and sides of the bed (blocking) or by increasing friction with ratchet straps and anti-slip material. During loading and lashing, the edge of the bed is also a working-at-height risk and needs to be planned separately.
Why is load securing an occupational safety issue?
Load securing is often seen as a traffic issue: making sure the load does not fall off on the road. Yet the person most often harmed by a shifted load is the employee who opens the side gate or lowers the tarpaulin at the destination. A pallet that has slid forward on the road and is leaning against the gate falls the moment the gate is opened. A forklift operator unloading meets a stack of cartons leaning against the side. A dispatch worker who climbs onto the bed to lash the load falls from its edge.
The legal framework comes from two sources. Art. 65 of the Road Traffic Law prohibits loads from being loaded without being suitably lashed and secured, in a way that allows them to fall, scatter, leak, slide or tip over. Law No. 6331 requires the employer arranging the loading to include loading and unloading work in the risk assessment and to train employees on it. In other words, cargo safety is the business of both the driver and the dispatch area.
Truck load shift: weight does not hold the load
"This pallet weighs a tonne, it won't move" is the most common misconception heard on site. Heavy loads slide too, because the force pushing the load forward during braking grows with the weight of the load. TS EN 12195-1, the standard widely used in Europe, requires the securing system in road transport to be designed to withstand a force of 0.8 times the load weight forwards and 0.5 times backwards and sideways.
| Load | Forwards (braking) | Sideways (cornering) | Backwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 kg pallet | approx. 400 daN | approx. 250 daN | approx. 250 daN |
| 1,000 kg pallet | approx. 800 daN | approx. 500 daN | approx. 500 daN |
| 10 tonne total load | approx. 8,000 daN | approx. 5,000 daN | approx. 5,000 daN |
Part of these forces is resisted by friction between the load and the bed floor. A wet, dusty or oily floor reduces friction; an anti-slip mat increases it. The remainder must be provided by blocking or lashing. The calculation varies with the type of load and the materials used; if you dispatch regularly, have a securing instruction prepared for each load type and have it applied on site rather than having calculations done there.
Load securing methods
| Method | How does it work? | Where is it suitable? | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocking (bracing) | The load rests against the headboard, side gates or stanchions of the bed; gaps are filled | Pallets and cartons that fit the bed exactly | The strength of the headboard and gates must suit the load |
| Top-over lashing | The strap presses the load onto the floor, increasing friction | Low, wide loads | Tensioning force and friction are decisive; use together with anti-slip mats |
| Direct lashing | A strap or chain is pulled from the load's lashing point to the bed's lashing point | Single heavy loads such as machines, coils, construction machinery | There must be suitable lashing points on the load and the bed |
| Combination | Blocking and lashing together | Mixed loads | Blocking first, then lashing |
Blocking is the first choice wherever possible: if the load rests against the headboard of the bed, it has nowhere to go when braking. Gaps between pallets are filled with empty pallets, filler material or inflatable dunnage bags. A small gap left between loads lets the load gather speed and strike when braking.
Lashing with ratchet straps: read the label
A load-lashing ratchet strap is not a consumable but a piece of work equipment. The label of a strap complying with TS EN 12195-2, the standard for synthetic webbing, carries two values:
- LC (lashing capacity): The maximum force the strap can bear in direct lashing, in daN.
- STF (standard tension force): The tension the ratchet creates in the strap with normal hand force. This is the decisive value in top-over lashing.
In top-over lashing, the strap's ability to press the load onto the floor comes not from LC but from STF. So saying "we fitted a 2,000 daN strap" does not mean the load is secured. The following rules apply to the use of ratchet straps:
- Do not use a strap whose label cannot be read. A strap of unknown capacity is treated as having zero capacity.
- Use corner protectors on sharp edges. Pallet and sheet edges cut the strap under tension.
- Do not knot or twist the strap. A knot significantly reduces the strap's strength.
- If you see cuts, burns, unpicked stitching, or deformed hooks or ratchets, take the strap out of use.
- Do not tighten the ratchet with an extension pipe. Overtensioning damages both the strap and the load.
- Check during the journey. The strap loosens as the load settles; recheck the tension at the first stop.
A load-lashing ratchet strap is not a lifting sling; it is not used to lift loads with a crane or forklift.
Pallet securing and anti-slip material
Pallet securing has two stages: first making the pallet a single unit in itself, then securing the pallet to the bed. Stretch film holds cartons together on the pallet; it does not tie the pallet to the bed. A pallet wrapped in stretch film slides as a single piece when braking.
- Heavy loads low and at the front: Heavy pallets are placed low and near the headboard of the bed; weight is distributed appropriately across the axles.
- Anti-slip mats: Anti-slip mats placed under the pallet increase friction and reduce the lashing force required. The mat protruding slightly from the edge of the pallet shows that it is in place.
- Do not use damaged pallets: A pallet with broken boards cannot bear the lashing force.
- Stack height: With pallets stacked on top of each other, the upper pallet is lashed separately; two tiers are not lashed with one strap.
Risk of falling from the bed: during loading and lashing
A lorry bed is more than a metre above the ground. Legislation defines working at height not by metres but as any work where there is a difference in level and a possibility of injury from a fall; opening the tarpaulin, throwing straps and stacking cartons on the bed fall within this definition. For details, see our article what is working at height. Apply the following measures on site:
- Work from the ground: Straps are thrown and tensioned from the ground as far as possible. If it is necessary to climb onto the bed, fixed steps or a platform are used; nobody climbs up by stepping on the wheel, the bumper or the forklift forks.
- Do not jump from the bed: Getting down is done with steps or a ladder, as with getting up.
- Loading dock: When the vehicle docks, it is chocked, the dock leveller is lowered into place, and only then does the forklift enter the bed. For the forklift operator's check steps, see our article on the forklift operator's daily check.
- Weather conditions: A wet or icy bed floor and a tarpaulin in the wind increase the risk of falling.
- Separating pedestrians and vehicles: It should be clear where the driver and helpers will wait in the loading area; see forklift and pedestrian traffic plans in warehouses.
For lifting technique and weight limits when loading cartons and sacks by hand, our article on manual handling and lifting technique provides guidance.
Checklist for the dispatch area
Cargo safety is a task shared between the consignor, the carrier and the driver. Put in writing who does what in the transport contract and the dispatch instructions. In the dispatch area, ask the following questions for each vehicle:
- Is the bed floor clean and dry, and are the lashing points sound?
- Does the load rest against the headboard, and have gaps been filled?
- Are the anti-slip mats in place?
- Do the number of straps and their label values match the instructions, and are corner protectors fitted?
- Is the weight distribution appropriate for the axles?
- Were steps or a platform used by the employee climbing onto the bed?
- Did the driver check the securing when taking over the load?
You can see the specialist and physician times according to your warehouse's number of employees and hazard class with the OHS obligation calculator. In logistics and warehousing businesses, inspecting loading areas on site, preparing securing instructions and entering them into the risk assessment are part of our OHS specialist service. Other sector-specific topics are on our logistics and warehousing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do heavy loads have to be secured too?
Yes. The force pushing the load forward when braking increases with weight; a heavy load does not stay in place under its own weight. The securing system is set up to withstand a force of 0.8 times the load weight forwards and 0.5 times sideways and backwards.
Is stretch film enough to secure a pallet?
No. Stretch film holds cartons together on the pallet; it does not tie the pallet to the bed. The pallet must additionally be secured to the bed by blocking or with ratchet straps.
What do LC and STF on a ratchet strap label mean?
LC is the maximum force the strap can bear in direct lashing. STF is the tension the ratchet creates in the strap with normal hand force, and it is the decisive value in top-over lashing. A strap whose label cannot be read is not used.
Does climbing onto the bed to throw straps count as working at height?
Yes, because there is a difference in level and a possibility of injury from a fall. Throw straps from the ground as far as possible; if you need to climb onto the bed, use fixed steps or a platform, and do not jump down from the bed.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.