Posted By West Dear all, I need you help and advise with regards to following: At our operations logistics sites we recently faced the following problem. The truck drivers made a complaint that site owners make them choke the ends of pipe rows at the pipe carriers. The situation is following: When we load the pipes onto the truck, we place the wood dunnage between the rows. In order to secure them from movement during transit we install the chokes at the both sides of the pipe rows. According to UKOOA guidelines section 6.2.1. the site owner must indicate a safe place at site to a driver who will stay there until the loading process completed. After what he will approach the load and secure it. This basically tels me that loading process is responsibility of rigging and lifting team while driver responsible for load security. This is quite clear. However debates we have in our team about if the choking is part of loading process as this required to load the pipes onto the bed of the truck or it is a load securing process as this is required to prevent pipes from movement? Could anyone advise me with regards to this if you faced this situation in past? Thanks in advance

Posted By 99|Cadok|99 West, I would suggest that choking the load is a part of securing the load but would see this as a duty for the loading team to complete not the driver. The reason for this is that choking the pipe needs to be done as part of the loading process i.e. first layer of would need to be choked before the next layer of pipe is loaded on. The driver would have a very difficult time ensuring the pipe is tight together when choking the load once there is more than one layer of pipe. Compare this to packing a container the person loading the container should ensure that the load is secure within the container before the driver secures the container to his vehicle. Haggis, Yes the side stanchions would stop the pipes from coming off but any movement in the pipe would in my experience roll out the dunnage (the timber placed between the layers of pipe) the pipes rarely fit tightly between the side stanchions. Regards, Iain T

Posted By Haggis JM Sorry, should have identified the quote as follows: The wording from UKOOA Guidelines is: "6.2 Haulage Contractors 6.2.1 General iii. During loading or discharge of cargo the driver, in conjunction with the plant operator, agrees the location of the safe haven and remains there until the operation is completed." The driver does not have to remove to a distance. Normally the drivers place the timbers while we do the loading... Drivers are solely responsible for security of the load.

Posted By FAH Withdrawing to, & staying at, a place of safety AND placing chocks/dunnage during the loading appears to be a serious contradiction. The driver is legally responsible for the security of the load once complete; this implies an active participation in the loading process, even if only to ensure their confidence that they won't get nicked for an insecure load once on the public roads! Frank Hallett

Posted By West Thanks a lot for your advices. Just to be ona safe side I have made inqury to UKOOA and waiting for their response. Once I get it, I will let you know about official UKOOA opinion.