The rules we follow

Our procedures meet National Safety Code Standard 10 on cargo securement, and in some places they go further. Ontario uses this standard under Regulation 363/04 of the Highway Traffic Act. Our procedures also meet the US rules in 49 CFR 393.100 to 393.136. If the shipper's written securement spec is stricter, follow the shipper's spec. If a Fission procedure is stricter than the law, follow the procedure.

This page is a summary, not the procedure. Every driver is trained on the full written procedure before hauling these loads, and the driver follows that document. On every load, the driver checks 2 things. First, the total working load limit of the chains and straps is at least half the weight of the cargo they hold. Second, the number of tie downs meets the legal minimum for the length and weight of the load. Every chain, binder and strap on our trailers is marked with its working load limit. If a load does not match a written procedure, it goes to Safety before it is loaded.

Gear on every flatbed and Conestoga

Every flatbed and Conestoga carries small and large coil racks, beveled 4 by 4 and 6 by 6 timbers, rubber belting, waterproof paper and edge protectors. It also carries chains and binders, 4 inch straps, and wood blocking and wedges. Open decks carry tarps. Loose gear is secured before the truck moves, every time.

Coil, eye to side

Use coil racks sized to the coil weight. Put a beveled timber on each side, small edge up. Heavier coils get the large racks and 6 by 6 timbers.
Lay rubber belting and waterproof paper on the timbers to the shipper's spec. Then set the coil down.
Put edge protection at every point where a chain touches the coil.
Run chains through the eye. The coil weight sets how many: the total working load limit must be at least half the coil weight. At least 1 chain holds the coil from moving forward, and at least 1 holds it from moving back. Keep each chain as flat as you can, never steeper than 45 degrees to the deck. Never cross chains in an X through the eye of an eye to side coil.
The racks and timbers stop the coil from rolling. Nailed blocking is never the only thing holding a coil.
Tarp if the load needs it. Secure loose gear.

Coil, eye to front

Set the racks, timbers, rubber belting and paper the same way. Set the coil on the timbers.
Put edge protection at every contact point.
Run chains in an X through the eye. Seen from the side, they are no more than 45 degrees to the floor. The coil weight sets how many.
Put at least 1 chain over the top of the coil, with rubber belting between the chain and the coil.
Set wood blocking tight against the front and the back of the coil. Put a trip chain over the front blocking. The trip chain never touches the coil.
Tarp if the load needs it. Secure loose gear.

Coil, eye to sky, on a pallet

After loading, check the pallet and the banding. Fix any damaged banding before a chain goes on.
Put rubber coated edge protectors or belting on the coil. Run a chain over the top of the coil, centred, and secure it on each side.
Put chains in an X over the coil, on top of the first chain. Spread them wide so the coil cannot move in any direction. The coil weight sets how many.
Put a trip chain around the front of the coil. With more than 1 coil, put 1 around the front of the front coil and 1 around the back of the rear coil.
Tarp if the load needs it. Secure loose gear.

Aluminum coil eye to sky is secured the same way, but with 4 inch straps instead of chains. Rubber belting goes under every strap so nothing marks the coil.

Slit coil

Eye forward:

Set racks and timbers the same as for a master coil. Check the banding.
Put a choker chain around the top of the coils to hold them together. It does not count as a tie down.
Run chains in an X through the eye. The weight sets how many.
Put a trip chain in front, on wood blocking.
Put at least 1 chain or strap over the top, with belting under it.

Eye to sky:

Check the pallets. Centre the second pallet on the first. Never stack more than 2 high.
Lay a 4 by 4 timber across the top of each stack, with edge protectors.
Put chains in an X over the timbers on every stack.
If a stack stands alone, put a chain straight over the top of it.
In each group, horseshoe a chain around the front stack and the rear stack. This holds them from moving forward and back.

Loose pipe

Park on level ground. Coated pipe is slippery when wet or icy, so it gets extra blocking front and back.
Lay 4 by 4 timbers on the deck every 8 ft for the length of the pipe. Nail wedges to one side of each timber.
Roll the first pipe tight against the wedges. Lay in the rest of the row. Nail wedges on the other side.
Secure each tier with straps or chains before the next timbers go on. Never use fewer tie downs than the shipper's spec calls for, and never fewer than the legal minimum for the length and weight of the load.
Set the next timbers right above the first ones and nail the wedges. Lay and wedge the next tier the same way. Secure it over the top of both tiers.
Add more tiers the same way. Secure the top row over the whole load. Never load above the bulkhead.

Bundled pipe

Lay 4 by 4 timbers every 8 ft. Lay the bundles across them, with wood blocking between bundles.
Use straps or chains to the shipper's spec when it is stricter. Never go below the legal minimum.
Set the next timbers right above the first. Lay the next tier. Secure it over the top of both tiers.
Secure the top tier over the whole load. Never load above the bulkhead.

Coiled rod

Light coils, or when the shipper's written spec allows it:

Use racks with 4 by 4 timbers for the first and last coil.
Strap each coil from the winch side, through the eye, over the top, through the eye again and down to the frame rail. The strap makes an X in the centre of the coil.
Run a horseshoe strap through the eye of the front coil to hold it from moving forward.

Heavy coils:

Put wood blocking or friction mats under and in front of the coils.
Use a set of small racks and beveled 4 by 4 timbers for each coil.
Run a chain in front of the coil and secure it on both sides. Loop the slack over the top.
Secure a second chain to the rear, run it up through the loop and over to the other side. Tighten both chains with binders.
Chain the other coils diagonally, with belting under the chains. Chain the last coil the opposite way.

Never secure coiled rod against the trailer's permanent bulkhead. Tarp if the load needs it.

Mill rolls

Chains go only in the journal grooves of a mill roll, never on the finished surface. If there are no grooves, wrap rubber belting around the journal ends and run the chain over the belting.

Single roll:

Set the shipper's V blocks in place and cover them with waterproof paper. Set the roll on the blocks.
Loop chains around the end grooves and secure them to both sides of the trailer.
Run 4 inch straps across the finished surface. The roll weight sets how many.

Multiple rolls:

Set the V blocks so the rolls sit in pairs across the deck. If the rolls must stay off the floor, put belting under the blocks.
Set each pair tight together.
Run chains over the end grooves and straps across each pair.

Before the truck moves

Check every chain and strap. Close every binder.
Secure loose gear: chains, binders, timbers, tarps, belting, racks, edge protectors and the load bar.
Recheck tie downs within the first 50 miles (80 km). After that, recheck at every change of duty status and at least every 3 hours or 150 miles (240 km), whichever comes first. Also recheck after any hard stop.

If a load is not on this page, email Safety at safety@fissionlogistics.com before it goes on, not after.

Regulations change. Always follow the current regulation. This page describes Fission practice. It is not the written procedure and it is not legal advice.

How we secure coil, pipe and rod