SOLUTION: Module 5 Introduction-2 RCMP expect to charge an unidentified driver following a

Module 5 Introduction-2

RCMP expect to charge an unidentified driver following a Friday afternoon incident on the QEII Highway south of Bowden that caused massive traffic snarls.

At around 2:30 p.m., a truck carrying a number of hay bales lost its load while attempting to enter the northbound lanes of highway traffic.

No injuries have been reported.

Vehicles were directed around the wreckage on the shoulder of the highway or to a neighbouring access road at drastically reduced speeds.

RCMP members believe speed may have factored in the crash. (CTV Calgary Staff, 2015, para. 1-5)

A primary responsibility of Traffic Sheriffs to identify violations affecting commercial vehicles and/or their drivers. When officers take enforcement action, they emphasize the importance of taking commercial vehicle legislation seriously and encourage operators and their vehicles to be in compliance. The potential for enforcement action is meant to discourage people from violating the law.

In addition to the roadside enforcement conducted by commercial vehicle enforcement agencies and their officers, there are several safety programs which exist to encourage owner/operator compliance with commercial vehicle legislation. In this module, you will complete readings and exercises that will allow you to explain the importance and application of various commercial vehicle safety programs. These programs exist to help increase the overall safety of commercial vehicles and to help ensure the efficient transportation of goods, services, and people.

You will complete an assignment in which you develop a presentation. At the end of this module, you will also write Exam #2, which covers content from Modules 4 and 5.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to

Examine the roles and responsibilities of Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program (CVIP), and National Safety Code

Identify hours of service, dangerous goods, and cargo securement

Recognize dangerous goods placecards and relevant terminology

Differentiate between cargo securement devices (e.g., straps, chains)

Differentiate between load types and cargo types (e.g., logs vs. paper rolls vs. piping)

Required Readings

Please review the required reading list download. This list contains all of the reading for this course organized by module. As you progress through this course, you will see that the required readings are also located within the content pages. It is expected you will complete the required readings when they appear within the content.

The National Safety Code (NSC)

The National Safety Code (NSC) is a set of sixteen (16) standards used in all Canadian jurisdictions to promote operational safety at trucking and bussing companies—the NSC is not legislation. Businesses that operate trucks and buses are expected to achieve and maintain a high level of safety compliance in part through the adoption of effective safety management principles. Federal and provincial governments promote the safe operation of these commercial vehicles through the administration of the NSC.

The National Safety Code

Was developed by groups at all levels of government, the transportation industry, and safety groups

Applies only to commercial vehicles

Contains sixteen (16) standards

Is enforced through federal and provincial law

The standards contained within the NSC were first introduced in Alberta in 1988. Some of the standards are referenced in provincial commercial vehicle legislation, while others are addressed federally. Standard #9 is addressed at both the federal and provincial level. Standard #10 is addressed provincially.

For example:

Standard #9
Hours of Service Regulation

Standard #10
Security of Loads

Commercial Vehicle Drivers’ Hours of Service Regulation (S.O.R. 2005/313)

and

Drivers’ Hours of Service Regulation(317/2002)

is addressed at the provincial level in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation (121/2009)

The Purpose of the NSC (Accessible format)

The National Safety Code is intended to enhance the safety of commercial vehicles operating across Canada. Provincial governments are responsible for the coordination and delivery of NSC standards. NSC carriers (trucking and bussing companies operating to NSC standards) are monitored under a carrier profile system.

A carrier profile may be thought of as a report card for trucking and bussing companies. The carrier profile contains information about

Convictions against the carrier and its drivers

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspections (this is covered in a later module)

Collision information

Facility audit information

NSC carriers must be properly licensed to operate within Canada, which requires the carrier to submit an application and obtain a Safety Fitness Certificate.

A Safety Fitness Certificate is similar to a business licence. In the case of a trucking or bussing company, a Safety Fitness Certificate is the document that permits the business to operate. A carrier which does not comply with the sixteen NSC standards is subject to a program of progressive discipline, which can include cancellation of the carrier’s Safety Fitness Certificate. A carrier that does not have a valid Safety Fitness Certificate will find itself out of business.

Sixteen NSC Standards

The sixteen standards which make up the National Safety Code are:

Single Driver’s Licence Concept

Knowledge and Performance

Driver Examiner Training Program

Classified Driver Licensing System

Self-Certification Standards and Procedures for Drivers

Medical Standards for Driving

Carrier and Driver Profiles

Short-term Suspension

Hours of Service Regulations

Security of Loads Standards

Commercial Vehicle Maintenance Standards

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance On-road Inspections

Daily Trip Inspection Reports

Safety Rating

Facility Audit Standards

First Aid Training

Safety Fitness Certificate Provincial

This is what a federal Safety Fitness Certificate looks like (the carrier is permitted to operate federally):

Federal versus Provincial Status

When looking at Safety Fitness Certificates it is important to know the difference between Federal and Provincial status. This will also be important later in this module when learning about Hours of Service for drivers.

A truck is defined for Instra-provincial operators as a freight truck registered for a gross vehicle weight of 11,794 kg or more that only operates in Alberta. This operation is considered Provincial.

Under Federal legislation, trucks registered for weight in excess of 4,500 kgs and operating extra-provincially or travelling in and outside of Alberta are considered Federal operators.

Application of the NSC (Accessible format)

There are four steps in the application (enforcement) of the National Safety Code. These steps are

Roadside enforcement action by an officer

Violations detected by an officer in the field are directly tied to the National Safety Code. Any ticket written by an officer as a result of a safety inspection will be applied to the carrier’s profile.

Carrier audits and investigations

Audits/investigations involve a visit to the carrier’s office to verify that appropriate record-keeping systems are in place to ensure compliance with the National Safety Code standards. The audit process involves a review of all safety policy and procedures in use by the carrier, an examination of records and documents, interviews with employees, and inspection of vehicles on site.

Carrier and driver profiles

Carrier and driver profiles are maintained on every carrier, resulting in a Safety Fitness Rating. A more favourable profile results in a better rating. The carrier’s rating is defined on the corresponding Safety Fitness Certificate. An unsatisfactory rating disallows a carrier from operating in Canada.

A carrier’s Safety Fitness Rating is based on the following information:

convictions (violation tickets)

results of roadside (CVSA) inspections

at fault collisions

results of carrier audits/investigations

Progressive discipline program

Carriers that do not comply with the 16 standards of the National Safety Code are subjected to various levels of sanctions administered by the government. Demerit points are issued for driver and/or vehicle violations and in cases of poor safety performance.

The sanctions given under a progressive discipline program can include the following:

warning letters

fines

driver’s licence suspensions

suspension or cancellation of carrier’s Safety Fitness Certificate

CVE Officers and the NSC

The Traffic Sheriffs’ role is to pick up on violations with respect to commercial vehicles and their drivers. When a violation is noted, the enforcement action causes demerit points to be assigned to the carrier’s profile; therefore, the actions of an officer have a direct bearing upon a carrier’s Safety Fitness Rating.

Violations which typically impact a carrier’s Safety Fitness Rating include

Hours of service (logbook) violations

Overloaded and/or over-dimensional vehicles

Insurance and/or registration violations

Unsafe equipment (as noted in a CVSA inspection)

Improperly secured loads

Dangerous goods violations

Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program (CVIP)

There are two foundational programs that have been implemented to promote the safe operation of commercial vehicles in Alberta. They are

Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program (CVIP)

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

Let’s examine CVIP first. The CVIP is made up of a network of facilities which are each licensed by the Vehicle Safety Section (Alberta Transportation) to conduct mechanical inspections of commercial vehicles.

Equipment and Mechanical Defects

Both safety programs look to identify specific defects which make the vehicle or the vehicle’s equipment unfit or unsafe for travel on the highway. See example pictures and videos of such defects.

Defective Wheel Conditions

We have all seen chunks of blow tires on the sides of the road while driving. The following pictures show tires that if they were not stopped and repaired would have ended in a blow out tire while driving down the road.

Defective Brake Conditions

Both these pictures show brakes that were for one reason or another not function, this can have catastrophic effects on the braking performance of a vehicle combination

Wheel Separation

The pictures below show a wheel that came off a tractor trailers passenger steer tire while towing a trailer. Thankfully the tire only entered the ditch and came to rest about 100 meters from the road.

Inspections

Periodic Mechanical Inspection Required

Legislation requires commercial vehicles (trucks, truck-tractors, trailers, semi-trailers with a combined weight of 11,794 kg or more, and registered buses designed to carry more than 10 passengers) to undergo a periodic mechanical inspection. Some of the items examined in the mechanical inspection include

Brakes

Suspension

Engine controls and steering

Electrical components

Tires and wheels

Inspection Certificate Completed

The mechanic who inspects the commercial vehicle is required to complete an inspection certificate which indicates the following

Vehicle information

Inspection items to be repaired

Mechanic’s comments

Mechanic’s name, signature, and certification number

Inspection station number

Inspection time and date

Inspection certificates are encoded with a certificate number (similar to a serial number) which corresponds to an inspection decal, which must be displayed on the vehicle.

https://lethbridge.instructure.com/courses/24187/pages/inspections?module_item_id=1359104 – fragment-1

https://lethbridge.instructure.com/courses/24187/pages/inspections?module_item_id=1359104 – fragment-2

Vehicle Passes/Fails Inspection

Vehicle Passes CVIP Inspection

If the vehicle passes the inspection, the inspecting mechanic must complete the inspection certificate indicating the vehicle has passed.

A CVIP decal (see above) must be affixed to every vehicle in the vehicle combination. The decal tells a peace officer the vehicle has passed the inspection; the decal also shows an expiry date for the inspection. The decal is also coded with a decal number that matches the number on the inspection certificate. If the decal somehow becomes removed from the vehicle, the officer can request to see the inspection certificate to verify a valid inspection is in place.

Vehicle Fails CVIP Inspection

If the vehicle fails the CVIP inspection, the inspecting mechanic must notify the owner about the failed inspection and required repairs. The vehicle shall not be issued an inspection certificate or decal until the required repairs have been made and the vehicle has been inspected again.

The commercial vehicle must not be operated on a highway until the vehicle passes the CVIP inspection and obtains a valid inspection decal.

Enforcement and Legislation

Traffic Sheriffs and agencies do not conduct CVIP inspections; instead, officers check commercial vehicles to ensure inspections have been completed and are up to date.

When an officer discovers a vehicle that does not have a current, valid CVIP inspection, the officer will

conduct a roadside safety inspection (CVSA inspection)

issue a violation ticket or warning

remove the vehicle from the highway, if necessary

The Legislation

All vehicles that are categorized as commercial vehicles must undergo a periodic CVIP inspection. There are two regulations that govern the CVIP:

Vehicle Inspection Regulation (AR 211/2006)

Governs CVIP inspection on commercial vehicles

Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation (AR 121/2009)

Specifies the equipment required on commercial vehicles

Announcements

Assignments

Discussions

Grades

Quizzes

People

Zoom

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is a not-for-profit organization established to promote an environment free of commercial vehicle accidents. CVSA is a North America-wide program; there are CVSA certified officers in all of Canada’s provinces and territories.

The CVSA program provides standardized training to peace officers across North America. The training courses teach officers how to conduct roadside safety inspections on commercial vehicles and remove unfit or unsafe vehicles from the highway.

The CVSA is comprised of state, provincial, and federal officials, as well as truck and bus companies, industry associations, insurance companies, manufacturers, research organizations, educational institutions, and individuals dedicated to highway safety.

The goal of the CVSA has always been to reduce the number of collisions involving commercial vehicles through promoting the safe operation of commercial vehicles by their drivers.

Details of the CVSA Program

The CVSA developed the North American Standard Inspection (NASI) program to focus commercial vehicle roadside inspection efforts on the vehicle and driver safety requirements most often associated with commercial vehicle crashes. The program is designed to improve commercial vehicle safety and promote uniformity in enforcement, while minimizing duplication efforts and unnecessary operating delays for the motor carrier industry. Each year the NASI program results in approximately two million commercial vehicle roadside inspections by highly trained enforcement officers. The inspection results are used to identify high-risk carriers.

NASI is a random inspection that targets items deemed to be “critical items of inspection” because they are frequently found to be contributors in commercial vehicle collisions or other safety-related incidents.

Critical Items of Inspection

Driver

Vehicle

Driver’s licence

Medical certificate

Alcohol, drugs

Logbook

Seatbelt

Dangerous goods documentation

Brake system

Lighting system

Cargo securement

Tires, wheels, rims

Suspension system

Steering mechanism

Coupling devices

Exhaust system

Frame

Fuel system

Windshield wipers

Dangerous goods

Only an officer certified as qualified by the CVSA is permitted to perform a NASI inspection. Officers can become certified to perform Levels 1-5 inspections (each looking at specific items). A Level 1 inspection requires the officer to complete 37 distinct steps. download

– Level 1 Inspection – Driver and full vehicle inspection

– Level 2 Inspection – Driver and walk around vehicle inspection

– Level 3 Inspection – Driver only Inspection

– Level 4 Inspection – Special targeted inspection of individual vehicle parts (ie brakes)

– Level 5 Inspection – Full vehicle inspection

Passing or Failing a CVSA Inspection

Inspection results are recorded on a Vehicle Inspection Report.

A commercial vehicle “passes inspection” if no violations of the critical items of inspection are found during a Level 1 or 5 inspection.

If violations are found, the vehicle fails the inspection and various levels of enforcement may be applied:

Make repairs

Place vehicle out of service

Prosecution

A CVSA decal is used to identify vehicles that have recently “passed” an inspection, allowing officers to focus enforcement attention on vehicles not yet inspected. CVSA Decals when applied will remain valid for the month of issuance plus 2 months.

Hours of Service (Accessible format)

Federal and Provincial Legislation

Hours of service legislation is intended to prevent tired or fatigued drivers from operating commercial vehicles; preventing overtired operators from being on the road with their vehicles is intended to reduce the number of commercial vehicle related collisions. The legislation accomplishes this through limiting the number of hours per day (the hours of service) during which a driver may operate a commercial vehicle.

There are federal and provincial regulations that precisely define the number of hours an operator is permitted to drive in a specified time period. Drivers are required to keep track of their hours of service by using a logbook; logs can be kept in paper or electronic format. Commercial vehicle enforcement officers enforce hours of service legislation by requiring drivers to produce logbook information and reviewing the logs (and supporting documentation, such as fuel receipts) to check if the driver is in compliance with the law.

Fatigue

Fatigue occurs when drowsiness results in a loss of alertness and, in the case of a driver, impairs his or her ability to perform tasks that require attention. Many people feel they can tell when their body is tired, but there are mental aspects to fatigue which often go unnoticed. Many times, drivers are unable to recognize when their ability to safely operate a vehicle is being negatively impacted by fatigue. As a result, these drivers put themselves and other road users in jeopardy.

Required Reading

This short article from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) provides details on fatigue. Read this article. It explains what fatigue is, common signs and symptoms, causes, and tips for getting better sleep. Most importantly, it details why fatigue is a workplace issue. Note the comparison between an individual who is fatigued and an individual who has a blood alcohol content of 0.08! Consider the impact fatigue has on commercial vehicle drivers.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2012). Fatigue (Links to an external site.)

Driver Duty Status

Commercial vehicle drivers are required to record their activities in a logbook. A driver’s daily log has four categories for identifying the driver’s activity or duty status:

Driving Time

On-Duty Time (Not Driving)

Off-Duty Time

Sleeper Berth Time

A driver’s daily log

Each status is described below.

Driving Time

The period during which a driver operates a commercial vehicle

Example: the period of time when the driver is operating the commercial vehicle

On-Duty Time (Not Driving)

On-duty time begins when the driver starts work for the day or when he or she is required to be ready to work. On-Duty Time (Not Driving) ends when the driver is relieved of all work responsibilities. Resting or napping in the co-driver seat must be logged as “on duty, not driving”

Example: Waiting to be dispatched, inspecting or servicing the vehicle or equipment, loading/unloading the vehicle; riding in the vehicle but not driving (does not include time in sleeper berth)

Off-Duty Time

Three conditions should be met for a driver to be considered off duty:

The driver must be relieved of all duty and responsibility for the care and custody of the vehicle, its accessories, and any cargo or passengers it may be carrying;

The duration of the driver’s relief from duty must be for a specified period of time and of sufficient duration to ensure that the driver can obtain rest; and

During the off-duty period, the driver must be at liberty to pursue activities of his/her own choosing, and be free to leave the premises where the vehicle is situated.

Example: Vacation time, time spent driving to/from work

Sleeper Berth Time

Time spent in the sleeper berth of a vehicle

Example: sleeping or watching television in the sleeper berth

Required Off-duty Time

Commercial vehicle drivers are required to accumulate a certain amount of time before they resume driving a commercial vehicle. The intent of this requirement is to help ensure drivers are not tired prior to operating the vehicle.

The provincial legislation requires a driver to accumulate eight hours of off-duty time through one of the following options:

Provincial Rest Period Options

Rest Option

Title

Description

Off Duty Time

Eight consecutive and uninterrupted hours off duty

Sleeper Berth Time

Eight consecutive and uninterrupted hours in the sleeper berth

Split Sleeper Berth Time

Two separate sleeper berth periods together totaling 8 hours, with each period in the sleeper berth a minimum of two hours duration; total driving time both before and after must not exceed 13 hours

Off Duty and Sleeper Berth Time Combined

Eight consecutive hours sleeper berth and off duty time combined and uninterrupted

Under federal rules, a driver must take ten hours off duty in a day with at least eight of those hours taken consecutively; the remaining two hours can be broken into chunks of not less than thirty minutes each.

Maximum Driving Times

Provincial and federal legislation regulates the maximum time a driver may spend operating a commercial vehicle as indicated in the following tables.

Provincial Hours of Service Rules

Rule

Description

13-Hour Rule

A driver may not drive more than 13 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty

15-Hour Rule

A driver may not drive after being on duty 15 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty

Federal Hours of Service Rules

Rule

Description

13-Hour Rule

A driver may not drive more than 13 hours in a day

14-Hour Rule

A driver may not drive after being on duty 14 hours in a day

16-Hour Work-Shift

After a driver’s day has begun, he/she now has 16 hours of elapsed time before his/her next minimum eight hours off duty

70-Hour Rule (federal)

A driver may not drive after being on duty 70 hours in any 7 consecutive days

120-Hour Rule (federal)

A driver may drive 120 hours in 14 days provided 24 consecutive hours off-duty are taken before 70 hours on-duty are accumulated

The legislation defines who must keep a daily log and how it is to be maintained. An improperly maintained daily log can be difficult for a commercial vehicle enforcement officer to review. Daily logs must be true and accurate and must be produced (along with supporting documents) at the request of a peace officer.

Maintaining a Daily Log

There are four rules a driver must follow in maintaining a daily log.

Daily logs must

Be maintained by every driver up to the last change-of-duty status

Be produced (along with supporting documents) upon demand of a peace officer, up to the previous 14 days if necessary

Not be falsified

Not be kept in duplicate—there is to be only one logbook

The image below provides an example of a completed logbook entry.

Completed log sheet

Exemptions

Certain vehicles (and their operators) are exempt from Hours of Service legislation and the requirement to maintain a daily log:

Farm vehicles

Emergency vehicles

Vehicles with permits

Vehicles within 160 km of their home terminal, provided they meet certain timekeeping and home terminal requirements

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Hours of Service

A commercial vehicle enforcement officer reviews a driver’s logbook for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the applicable (provincial or federal, depending upon the circumstances) legislation.

The steps taken by a commercial vehicle enforcement officer when examining a logbook are

Ensure the log is current to the last change of duty status; drivers are required to update the logbook with each duty status change

Ensure the logbook is true and accurate

Check for eight consecutive hours off as part of ten hours off-duty time (when acting under federal rules)

Check for violations of the 13-hour rule

Check for violations of the 15-hour rule (or 14 hours if acting under federal rules)

Check for violations of the 16-hour work shift rule (if acting under federal rules)

Check for violations using the Cumulative/Cycle Rule (if acting under federal rules)

Primary Enforcement Actions

Two primary enforcement actions are available to a peace officer who encounters a driver in violation of Hours of Service legislation:

Placing the driver out-of-service/issuing prohibition from driving

Issuing an appearance notice or violation ticket

Depending upon the situation and organizational policy, an enforcement officer may take one or both of the actions listed above.

Dangerous Goods

Dangerous goods are any product or substance listed in any of the classes of Dangerous Goods.

Dangerous goods legislation protects the public when dangerous goods are transported by road, rail, air, or sea. The transportation of dangerous goods is regulated by

Dangerous Goods Transportation and Handling Act, 2000

Dangerous Goods Transportation and Handling Regulation (AR 157/97)

Consolidated Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations including Amendment SOR/2019-101 (Federal)

Classes of Dangerous Goods

There are nine classes of dangerous goods:

Class 1

Explosives

Class 2

Gases

Class 3

Flammable liquids

Class 4

Flammable solids

Class 5

Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides

Class 6

Poisonous and infectious substances

Class 7

Radioactive materials

Class 8

Corrosives

Class 9

Miscellaneous products, substances, or organisms

Vehicles carrying dangerous goods are required to indicate the contents of their load using standardized placards (signage). The following chart shows each class of dangerous good and the corresponding placard(s).

Inspecting Dangerous Goods (Accessible format)

The Role of the On-highway Inspector

An On-highway Inspector is a peace officer designated by the government to enforce dangerous goods legislation. The primary role of the On-highway Inspector is to determine the following:

Is the driver trained in handling dangerous goods?

Is the required dangerous goods documentation complete?

Are the safety markings in order?

Is the Driver Trained?

Any individual handling (including transporting) dangerous goods must be trained in the handling of such commodities. Generally, an employer will issue a certificate as evidence of training once the employee has satisfied the dangerous goods training requirements. A peace officer stopping an operator transporting dangerous goods must confirm the driver is properly trained in handling dangerous goods.

© Government of Alberta, Alberta Infrastructure, 1999/2000. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. DG Dangerous Goods, An Instruction Program for Transportation and Handling of Dangerous Goods for On-Highway Inspectors in Alberta.

Certificate of training

Is the Documentation Complete?

Every shipment of dangerous goods must be accompanied by a shipping document identifying

Contents (product being transported)

Shipper information

Receiver information

Carrier information

The role of the peace officer is to ensure the documentation is traveling with the load and that all required information has been provided.

Sample of a shipping document

Are the Safety Markings in Order?

Special markings (labels and placards) are required to indicate packages and vehicles contain dangerous goods. Labels (used on small containers) and placards (used on vehicles) are part of an internationally recognized marking system to provide visual identification of the dangerous goods. International marking conventions for dangerous goods use

shape,

colour,

product information number (PIN), and

mnemonic

to identify the type of dangerous good contained within. Peace officers must ensure labels and placards are properly displayed.

Dangerous Occurrences

Dangerous occurrences with respect to the transport of dangerous goods can include

A spill or leak of a dangerous good

Damage to a bulk container of dangerous goods

A transportation accident involving infectious substances or radioactive materials

When an unintentional fire/explosion involving dangerous goods occurs, a responding officer should

Approach from upwind to view placards and identify the dangerous goods

Check with emergency response guide

Try to contact driver

Notify:

Dangerous Goods Compliance Centre

Local police

Owner of the vehicle

Owner of the goods

Cargo Securement

Improperly secured cargo causes injury and damage every day on Alberta’s highways. Investigations show the main cause of this injury and damage is lost or shifting cargo. Improperly secured cargo can result in

loss of life

loss of load

damage to freight

damage to vehicles

a destabilized vehicle

a crash

citations/fines to driver/carrier

an out-of-service vehicle

In almost all situations, drivers can prevent personal and/or economic loss by properly securing cargo.

In the early 1990s, several serious accidents involving loss of cargo prompted the Canadian and American governments to call for a review of cargo securement regulations. In 1993, government and industry groups from both countries sponsored a major research program with input from government, highway safety organizations, enforcement agencies, the trucking industry, manufacturing industries and associations, and research and standards organizations. This research led to the development of the new North American Cargo Securement Standard. This Standard establishes requirements for cargo securement across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The North American Cargo Securement Standard applies to any vehicle or combination of vehicles:

transporting cargo on a highway

with a registered gross vehicle weight greater than 4,500 kg

The Standard also applies to intermodal containers used to transport cargo.

The standard contains the minimum requirements all cargo securement systems must meet and includes guidelines for the use of tie downs, anchor points, friction mats, dunnage, and so forth. This legislation includes rules that drivers, carriers, and shippers must follow when transporting cargo using a commercial vehicle. These rules include minimum strengths for the devices, methods, and vehicle structures used to secure cargo. There are also specific securement requirements for different cargo commodities.

In order to ensure safety on Alberta’s highways and roads, commercial vehicle enforcement officers must have knowledge of cargo securement legislation.

Cargo Securement System (Accessible format)

The objective of a cargo securement system is to minimize the risk that cargo in transport poses to the driver and other road users. There are two main risks to consider when transporting cargo: loss of load and shifting of load.

What is Cargo?

Cargo means all articles or materials carried by a vehicle, including those used in the operation of the vehicle. In other words, it includes

all general freight

equipment carried for vehicle operation, and intermodal containers and their content

dangerous goods

How can you tell that a cargo securement system has failed?

A cargo securement system has failed if

Cargo dislodges from the vehicle

Cargo shifts, making the vehicle unstable, difficult to drive, or causing a rollover

Cargo shifts, reducing the effectiveness of the securement system

Legislation requires all cargo to be immobilized, restrained, or contained.

Immobilize

Immobile refers to cargo that is not moving or incapable of being moved. It is virtually impossible to immobilize cargo so that it does not move at all. There are usually obstacles that will cause movement:

Space between cargo

Other cargo

Shifting

Restraining devices

There are three methods used to immobilize cargo:

Placing cargo against the vehicle headboard, a bulkhead, stakes, or other vehicle structure or immobilized cargo

Placing something between the article and vehicle structure (e.g., blocking and bracing, other cargo, void-filler, or a friction mat)

Using tiedowns

Restrain

Restraining refers to limiting or the holding back of movement. This is the most common securement method. When cargo is restrained, there will still be movement; however, movement will be limited so that cargo is not lost from the vehicle.

Contain

Containing cargo requires a space or zone in which the cargo can move freely. The vehicle structure or device used to contain the cargo must be strong enough to endure the cargo’s movement.

Cargo Securement Devices (Accessible format)

A driver can use a variety of devices to secure cargo. Some of the most common devices used include

Vehicle structure

Securement devices and systems

Blocking and bracing

Combination of methods

Vehicle Structure

One method used to secure cargo is to position the cargo so that it is against the vehicle structure. Components of the vehicle structure which can be used to help secure cargo include

Floors

Walls

Decks

Headboards

Bulkheads

Stakes

Posts

Anchor points (treated as securing devices)

There are two main requirements of vehicle structure components:

Components must be strong enough to withstand the performance criteria; recall that performance criteria refers to the force a loaded vehicle must withstand in certain circumstances. The illustration below shows the forces acting on a vehicle. As a result, it is necessary to secure the cargo to withstand these forces.

The vehicle structure components must also be in proper working order with no obvious damage or weakness.

Securement Devices and Systems

Securing devices must be suited for the type of cargo transported in terms of size, shape, strength, and characteristics. As well, securing devices shall be designed and constructed for the purpose of their intended use, and used and maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

The following are examples of securement devices:

Wire rope

Chain

Webbing

Cordage

Grab hooks

Binders

Winches

Blocking

Bracing

Friction mats

Shackles

Stake pockets

D-rings

Pocket

Webbing ratchet

Tiedowns

Front-end structure

Tiedowns

Tiedowns are a combination of securement devices attached to one or more anchor points on the vehicle. Cargo tiedowns can include any of the following:

Chain

Web straps or synthetic webbing

Rope, natural or synthetic

Wire rope or cable

Steel strapping

Tiedowns can be used in a variety of ways:

Tiedowns attached to cargo

Provide direct resistance to opposing forces acting on the cargo

Restrain cargo from movement

Tiedowns passing over cargo

Create downward force, which increases the effect of friction between the cargo and the deck – friction restrains cargo

Tiedowns passing through cargo

Create downward force, increasing the effect of friction between the cargo and deck

Provide direct resistance to opposing forces acting upon the cargo

There are various tiedown requirements outlined in NSC Standard 10; they are categorized by usage and/or configuration:

Tiedowns must be in proper working order

Tiedowns must be fit for the purpose for which they are used

No knots, damaged, or weakened components that will “adversely affect their performance”

No cracks or cuts

Securing Specific Commodities

The National Safety Code addresses the specific requirements for certain types of commodities that are commonly carried by commercial vehicles. These commodities include

Logs

Dressed lumber

Metal coils

Paper rolls

Concrete pipe

Intermodal containers

Vehicles as cargo

Roll-on/roll-off and hook lift containers

Boulders

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