At this time in our industry, most of us are focused on the upcoming CVSA Roadcheck inspection and what this could mean for our fleets.
CVSA reports that this year, one of the issues inspectors will be especially focused on is cargo securement. The CVSA website states that improper or inadequate cargo securement accounted for 10.6% of all vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during last year’s International Roadcheck, and past International Roadcheck data routinely found cargo securement violations in the top five of vehicle out-of-service violations. Which means securing your cargo properly is more important than ever.
Effective Cargo Securement Can Save Lives
Cargo securement is important for both flatbeds and vans, since proper securement helps fleets maintain a healthy bottom line when products arrive undamaged to their destination. But since we’re focusing on safety for this discussion, we’ll take a look at the criticality of cargo securement for flatbeds, which can prevent cargo from falling off a vehicle, and ultimately save lives in the event of an accident.
Brad Windy, Product Director of Freedom Flatbeds for Great Dane, explained that cargo securement must be applicable for the load, in order to be the most effective.
“We can do just about any load securement a customer could want, including sliding or low-profile fixed winches, recessed chain ties, our own removable J-hooks, or even custom-specified methods like twist locks. Each securement method has its own best use case, but what’s most important is making sure there is an adequate number being used and that they are all within their working load limits,” he said.
Versatile Features Increase Safety
Windy went on to explain that Great Dane offers many load securement options, providing exceptional versatility for every type of operation.
“Sliding winches are easily the most common and extremely versatile and most operators know how to use them. Recessed chain ties can be pulled up out of the floor only when needed and out of the way when not. Our removable chain ties, or J-hooks, slide into grooves in the top deck that allow them to be positioned anywhere down the length of the trailer, without interfering with rolling tarp systems or curtain sides,” Windy said.
Interested in seeing your options? Click here to view the many load securement choices Great Dane offers.
Investing in equipment that safely secures your cargo will not only help you ace the CVSA Roadcheck but will provide peace of mind as your load remains steadily in place for the long haul.
Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance holds its International Roadcheck inspection on highways across our country and throughout North America to maximize the safety of motorists on the road. If an inspector finds a critical safety violation during a roadside inspection, the vehicle could be placed out of service (OOS), ultimately costing the fleet valuable time and money.
Read more here about how FleetPulse can help avoid the most common roadcheck violations.
