FMCSA Clarifies Cargo Securement Rules
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration posted interim enforcement policies for new cargo securement rules that went into effect the first of the year.
The rules, which cover everything from the strength of tiedown devices to standards for specific commodities, such as logs and coils of steel, have raised questions among trucking and enforcement officials. FMCSA acknowledged that there are some ambiguities in the rules, and said these policies will remain in effect until it can resolve the issues.
One of the ambiguities concerns the way cargo in trailers is secured. According to some in the industry, the wording of the rule can lead to inconsistent enforcement. The agency made it clear that cargo in a trailer can be properly secured by loading it so that it will not tip, provided that the trailer walls are strong enough.
Another problem arises from language prohibiting damaged securement devices. The agency acknowledged that the wording in this requirement could be interpreted to prohibit all cracks and cuts in both the securement device and the vehicle's structure, whether or not they affect performance. The agency said that is not its intent, and referenced the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's policy on cargo tie-down as an enforcement guideline.
The policy memo covers several other areas:
• The aggregate working load limit of tiedowns must be at least one-half times the weight of the cargo. The term "aggregate" refers to the sum of the limits for tiedowns that go from an anchor point on the truck to an attachment on the cargo, and from one anchor point to another.
• Language covering log securement was inadvertently dropped from the final rule. The agency's policy is that the aggregate working load limit for tiedowns is at least one-sixth the weight of the stack of logs. If short logs are loaded lengthwise in a cradle or between posts, and blocked in front by a structure that can restrain the load, the stack may be secured with one tiedown. Longwood must be cradled in two bunks and secured by at least two tiedowns or securely bound.
• Intermodal containers must be secured on all corners with securement devices or integral locks.
For additional information, go to the agency's web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov. Click on Rules & Regulations, then Rules & Regulations/Interpretations, then find Section 393.102.
— By Oliver B. Patton,
Washington Editor
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