The truck loading code

Introduction

From April 2011, the truck loading code will become part of the heavy vehicle driver licence test.

The Truck loading code sets out a code of practice for the safety of loads on heavy vehicles. It has been prepared to provide owners, drivers, operators and loading staff with guidance in the basic safety principles that must be followed generally, and in particular the precautions that must be taken to ensure the safe carriage of a number of the more common types of load, including containers, pallets, construction equipment, logs and sawn timber.

Acknowledgements

This section is based on The official New Zealand truck loading code produced by the NZTA. Although the format has been slightly modified the content is the same as the official code.

Legislation

The Land Transport Act 1998 contains the load security legislation that is administered by the NZTA and enforced by the NZ Police. It provides strict liability for offences involving insecure loads and loads falling from vehicles. Offences attract fines for an individual of up to $2000 and a licence may be disqualified for a period as the Court thinks fit. The maximum fine for a body corporate is $10,000.

In any proceedings for an offence the Court must, in determining whether or not the operator or any person loading the vehicle was at fault, have regard to this code of practice. This code details the general requirements that must be met to ensure a load cannot fall. The defendant must be able to show that the load restraint system was capable of preventing movement of the load under all four of the following conditions:

  1. During deceleration in the forward direction, when the restraining forces must be at least equal to the weight of the load, ie an acceleration of 1.0g.
  2. During deceleration in the rearward direction, when the restraining forces must be at least half the weight of the load, ie an acceleration of 0.5g.
  3. During cornering when the load is subjected to lateral or sideways acceleration, when the restraining forces must be at least half the weight of the load, ie an acceleration of 0.5g.
  4. While travelling over undulating roads, bumps and potholes, etc, the vertical restraining forces holding the load down must be at least one-fifth of the weight of the load, ie an acceleration of 0.2g.

This code details the minimum acceptable methods of securing specialised loads to ensure they meet the four conditions above. Other load securing methods are acceptable provided the conditions stipulated above are met.

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Last updated: 26 August 2010