Anything and everything carried on a truck must be properly secured to prevent loss of control or falling cargo from injuring drivers, passengers, or pedestrians. Safe cargo securement principles (and, of course, regulations) apply not only to every item being delivered, but also to anything else on the truck, including dunnage, tools, and equipment needed to get the job done. Shovels, blocks, webbing, chains, spare tires, brooms, forklifts, pallet jacks, winches, ratchets, etc., must all be properly secured. During roadside inspections, 10.86% of inspections resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service due to cargo securement violation(s).
1. Know the regulations
Cargo securement standards represent the minimum safety requirements for general cargo and certain specific commodities. They are available at no charge from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the U.S. and from the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators in Canada.
2. Invest in the illustrated cargo securement handbook
This handbook includes both U.S. and Canadian regulations for reference. Visit CVSA’s store at www.cvsa.org and order a copy of Practical Cargo Securement: Guidelines for Drivers, Carriers & Shippers (406 pages, USD $30).
3. Download the Driver’s Handbook on Cargo Securement
Provide a copy to your drivers and integrate the sections applicable to your operation into your driver policy and procedures manual.
4. Properly secure all equipment as well as your load
One of the most frequently cited violations involves the improper securement of dunnage or equipment such as tarps, blocks, chains or other tie-downs, spare tires, brooms, forklifts, pallet jacks, winches, ratchets, etc.
5. Inspect tie-downs for wear and damage
CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria includes tie-down defect tables for chain, wire rope, cordage, synthetic webbing, steel strapping, fittings, attachments, and anchor points. If tie-downs are worn out, they should be discarded.
6. Brace and block cargo properly within sided or van trailers
Loads that shift can cause crashes, damage equipment, and result in violations that negatively affect your company’s safety rating.
7. Use best practices and due diligence
There may be industry best practices, established by consensus among those hauling similar freight, that are worth following. If your shipment is unique, do your research, as these regulations exist for a reason.
Ensure your load is contained, immobilized, or secured so that it cannot:
(a) leak, spill, blow off, fall from, fall through, or otherwise become dislodged from the vehicle; or
(b) shift upon or within the vehicle to such an extent that the vehicle’s stability or maneuverability is affected.
If needed, hire a professional specializing in vehicle loading.
8. To access the FMCSA cargo securement regulations, visit:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/cargo-securement/cargo-securement-rules
How often is a motor carrier required to review the motor vehicle record of a driver who operates a commercial motor vehicle?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require a motor carrier qualifying a new driver to obtain and review the driver’s motor vehicle record (MVR) within 30 days of the date of hire (CFR 391.23). As a best business practice, it is recommended that the motor vehicle record be obtained and reviewed prior to making an offer of employment to the driver applicant.
After the driver is qualified, the regulations require that, at least once every 12 months, the motor carrier make an inquiry into the driving record of each driver it employs, covering at least the preceding 12 months, with the appropriate agency of every state in which the driver held a commercial motor vehicle operator’s license or permit during that time period (CFR 391.25).
Effective January 30, 2015, whenever a driver renews a medical certification,
the motor carrier must obtain a new MVR from the state of licensure reflecting the updated medical certification information.
So how will a carrier verify that a driver is physically qualified?
This is done by obtaining a copy of the driver’s driving record and including it in the driver’s qualification file.
Keep in mind that, in addition to the current requirement that motor carriers obtain and review each driver’s driving record once per year, motor carriers must also ensure that the driver’s record includes valid and current medical certificate/card information.
This means that every time a medical certificate/card is renewed and submitted to the driver licensing agency, the motor carrier must obtain a new driving record reflecting the updated information and place it in the driver’s qualification file.
The motor carrier must also take timing into account when obtaining the new MVR reflecting the driver’s current medical status. Once a driver submits his or her medical certificate/card to the state licensing agency, the state has 10 days to enter this information into the driver’s driving record.
During this time period, the motor carrier must keep a copy of the driver’s medical certificate/card in the driver’s qualification file. Regulations allow a motor carrier to maintain this copy as proof of medical qualification for a maximum of 15 days from the date it was issued.
The original motor vehicle record used to qualify the driver must be retained for the duration of employment and for three years after termination.
Motor vehicle records obtained annually after hire may be purged from the file three years after the date of issuance.
