Kinedyne offers up tips on how to survive Roadcheck 2017

by Sonia Straface

BRANCHBURG, N.J. – This year’s International Roadcheck is coming up soon, and Kinedyne wants all drivers and fleets ready and focused for the largest enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world.

The 72-hour blitz is set for June 6-8 and it has been estimated that 17 trucks are inspected every minute during that period through the US, Canada an Mexico. This year, there will be a special emphasis on cargo securement. Cargo securement was the focus in the 2015 Roadcheck where almost 2,500 cargo-securement citations were issued.

To help lower this number, and keep drivers and fleets in the know, Kinedyne hosted a special webinar on May 30 titled “A Survivors’ Guide for Cargo Securement Inspections During International Roadcheck 2017” where tips and information were shared with participants to help them avoid violations.

“Cargo securement means doing what it takes to ensure that cargo stays put,” said Jeff Luick, Kinedyne’s northeast account executive. “What we found (in the 2015 Roadcheck) was that DOT inspectors were thorough in their inspections and were fair. But we noticed that with all the millions of trucks on the road, there were quite a few drivers and fleets unaware with cargo securement regulations.”

To help avoid confusion, Luick and other Kinedyne representatives explained during the webinar how to be prepared for this year’s Roadcheck.

In general, fleets and drivers should know that cargo must be “firmly secured on or within the vehicle by structures of adequate strength, dunnage, shoring bars, tie downs, or a combination of these,” explained Luick.

When cargo is placed beside each other, it is important, Luick said, that those secured by transverse tie downs are either placed in direct contact with each other or be prevented from shifting towards in each other.

In addition, Luick pointed out, tie downs and other securing devices have to be secure and cannot contain knots.

“However,” Luick said, “a twist in the straps is legal and can even reduce vibrational noise.”

In Canada, any sort of damage to the webbing/load securement strap is a violation.

“In the absence of the strength of the tie down, and if the tag is not visible, it’s out of service,” said Robert Spooner, Kinedyne’s director of sales, Canada, in the webinar. “If you have any cuts or wears in Canada it is out of service.”

However, in the US it’s a little different.

Cuts, burns, or holes in through the webbing are allowed, bearing in mind they do not exceed the out-of-service defect range shown in the table below.

Web size (mm) Out of service range (mm)
4 inches (100) Larger than ¾ (19)
3 inches (75) Larger than 5/8 (16)
2 inches (50) Larger than 3/8 (10)
1.75 inches (45) Larger than 3/8 (10)

It’s also important to remember to protect your straps when they are used on rough or sharp objects, Luick said, adding that using cheater bars or other means of increasing leverage on a chain binder should be discouraged.

Bungee cords and other unreliable securement methods should be used with caution, the webinar stressed.

“Bungee cords are not a primary source of cargo securement,” Spooner reminded webinar listeners. “They can be used as a supplementary source, but you need to have a rated strap as the primary source of your cargo securement.”

 


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