Load Security Policy Pack

A load security policy examiners will recognise

Insecure loads sit near the top of the DVSA prohibition tables year after year, and in our experience the operators who get caught out rarely lack straps: they lack a written system. This load security policy sets out, in plain English, how loads must be restrained on each body type you run, so a driver, a loader and an examiner at the roadside can all see the same rules.

It is built around the principles in the DVSA load securing guidance we have watched applied at roadside checks for over 25 years: secure to the headboard, restrain the full weight of the load, and never rely on curtains that were not designed to do the job.

What is inside

• A core load security policy statement setting responsibilities from transport manager to loader to driver.
• Body type sections for curtainsiders, flatbeds, box vans and tippers, each listing acceptable restraint methods.
• Method statements for common load types: palletised goods, machinery, steel, timber and bagged product.
• Driver quick cards that condense the load security policy into a glovebox sized reference used before every departure.
• A refusal procedure so drivers know exactly what to do when a load arrives badly presented.

Every section is written to be read, not filed. The quick cards earn their keep at collection points, where most load securing arguments actually happen.

Who it is for

The pack suits any operator moving goods under an O licence, from a single curtainsider to a mixed national fleet. Transport managers use the load security policy to evidence the systems expected under their licence undertakings and to brief agency drivers who arrive with habits learned elsewhere. It is equally useful after a load shift incident, when an examiner or insurer asks to see the load security policy you had in place on the day.

Format and updates

You receive the load security policy in editable Word format, so you can add your company name, logo and any customer specific requirements. A version control sheet sits at the front: record each amendment, the date and who approved it, which is exactly the audit trail DVSA examiners and Traffic Commissioners expect to see. When the national load securing guidance changes, we revise the master document and flag the change so you can update your issued copies.

How to put the pack into use

1. Replace every marked placeholder.
2. Compare the controls with your vehicles, work, licence commitments and current official guidance.
3. Remove irrelevant options and add local responsibilities and escalation routes.
4. Approve a controlled version and brief affected people.
5. Use the registers, sample completed records and correct failures.

Questions about this pack