Load Securing Calculator: How Many Lashing Straps? (EN 12195-1)
Load securing is calculated per direction: the restraint must hold 0.8 of the cargo weight forwards and 0.5 sideways and rearwards under EN 12195-1 and Directive 2014/47/EU (in Great Britain the DVSA asks for the full weight forwards); friction carries μ × weight and blocking plus lashings carry the rest. For top-over lashing only the pre-tension (STF) counts: one 400 daN strap at 80° secures about 6,571 kg sideways at μ 0.45 but only 826 kg forwards, which is why loads go against the headboard. In Logistivo the load record holds weight, loading metres, stackability and vehicle type, and the driver app can record the trailer handover with photos.
Source: European Commission, DG MOVE · DVSA (GOV.UK) · legislation.gov.uk · EUR-Lex · United Nations Treaty Series · UNECE · Overheid.nl.
Data last updated:
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How much restraint does your load need – forwards, sideways and rearwards?
How much restraint does your load need – forwards, sideways and rearwards? — Enter the weight, the surfaces in contact and your straps – the calculator shows forwards, sideways and rearwards whether the restraint holds under EN 12195-1.
A planning estimate using the EN 12195-1 formulas as applied in the European Commission's cargo securing guidelines (2014): one rigid load block, centre of gravity in the middle, road transport. It does not replace the legal duties of consignor, operator and driver, or a certified calculation or test.
Load block dimensions — Length × width × height in metres; the centre of gravity is assumed in the middle (tipping check). Several rows or tiers: calculate each section.
μ from test report — Only with evidence to EN 12195-1, Annexes B and E.
STF (label) — STF = standard tension force from the label (EN 12195-2). Top-over lashing counts the STF, not the LC; the calculator uses LC only in the tipping check (0.5 × LC).
Horizontal angle β — β = angle to the vehicle's long axis. Four lashings are calculated; two act in each direction.
EU – EN 12195-1 and Directive 2014/47/EU — forwards 0.8 · sideways 0.5 (0.6 where the load may tip) · rearwards 0.5 of the load weight; friction factor from the standard's table. — Directive 2014/47/EU, Annex III point I.1; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 1.4
Great Britain – DVSA — The DVSA guide requires the securing system to withstand the entire weight of the load forwards and half of it sideways and rearwards; if you do the calculation yourself, use μ 0.2 unless a tested or certified value exists. The calculator puts these figures into the EN 12195-1 formulas. — DVSA, Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles, ch. 2
Friction coefficients to EN 12195-1: which μ applies to your load bed? — Friction carries part of the inertia force – but only when the contact surfaces are swept clean and free of oil, ice and snow; otherwise use μ 0.2 at most. The table is the extract of EN 12195-1:2010, Annex B, as printed in the EU guidelines.
Sawn wood · Sawn wood / wooden pallet – plywood or laminate bed — μ 0.45
Anti-slip mat · Rubber anti-slip mat — μ 0.60 — Clean surface, dry or wet; with direct lashing use f_μ = 1.0 instead of 0.75. Higher values only with a test certificate.
Other · Own value (test report) — as tested — Only with evidence to EN 12195-1, Annexes B and E.
Not swept clean, frost, ice or snow: use μ = 0.2 at most; take special care with oily or greasy surfaces (EN 12195-1, Annex B, note a).
With direct lashing the load moves slightly before the lashings take up the force, so 75 % of the friction factor is used (f_μ = 0.75); with rubber mats 100 %.
The CTU Code (IMO/ILO/UNECE), Annex 7, Appendix 2, gives the sawn-wood values for wooden pallets too.
No body code / load not stowed tight — Without an EN 12642 body code, or without contact with the wall, no blocking is credited – the whole force runs through friction and lashings. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.2–2.3
EN 12642 L – curtainsider — Headboard 0.4 × payload, at most 5,000 daN; rear wall 0.25 × payload, at most 3,100 daN; the curtains of an L curtainsider count as weather protection only (sideways 0). — EN 12642; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.1–2.3
EN 12642 L – box body — Headboard 0.4 × payload (at most 5,000 daN), rear wall 0.25 × payload (at most 3,100 daN), side walls 0.3 × payload, evenly distributed. — EN 12642; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.1–2.3
EN 12642 XL – reinforced body — Headboard 0.5 × payload, rear wall 0.3 × payload, side walls 0.4 × payload (spread over the length and at least 75 % of the internal height). According to the EU guidelines, a load blocked on all sides in an XL vehicle needs no further securing from μ 0.3. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.1–2.2 and 6
Which method fits: blocking, top-over lashing or direct lashing? — The three basic methods of EN 12195-1 use different figures from the label. Mixing them up puts a calculation out by several times.
Top-over lashing (frictional) — Straps over the load press it onto the bed and raise the friction. — In top-over lashing only the pre-tension counts: the ratchet, worked with a 50 daN hand force, produces the STF, and that force presses the load onto the bed. The LC plays no part in sliding. The method works best sideways and rearwards – forwards it needs very many straps, which is why loads are usually blocked there. — n ≥ (c − μ) · m · g · f_s / (2 · μ · sin α · STF)
Lashing angle as steep as possible: the guidelines' tables apply at 75–90°; below 30° use another method.
f_s = 1.25 forwards, 1.1 sideways and rearwards.
On compressible loads the pre-tension often drops to 50 % or less on the road – re-tension or use another method.
Without friction (μ = 0) top-over lashing holds nothing.
Diagonal lashing (direct) — Four lashings connect lashing points on the load directly to the vehicle. — In direct lashing the lashing itself takes the force as soon as the load moves slightly – so the LC counts, and only 75 % of the friction (f_μ = 0.75). Two of the four lashings act in each direction. Suited to machinery and heavy single items with fixed lashing points. — LC ≥ m · g · (c − μ·f_μ) / (2 · (μ·f_μ · sin α + cos α · cos β))
Sideways, sin β replaces cos β (β = angle to the long axis).
Horizontal angle β preferably 30–45° where the load is not also blocked; vertical angle α as flat as possible.
Pre-tension no more than 0.5 × LC; web lashings stretch by up to 7 %.
The guidelines' quick lashing guide assumes lashing points of 2,000 daN – never use more LC than the lashing point holds.
Blocking — The load sits against the headboard, rear wall or side walls, with gaps filled. — The most reliable method: the force goes straight into the body. How much a wall holds is set by its EN 12642 body code, as a share of the payload P. Blocking and lashings may be added together. — F = m · g · (c − μ) ≤ F_B
With overall blocking, the gaps in any horizontal direction should total no more than 15 cm; between dense, rigid items (steel, concrete, stone) less.
Block a load that may tip above its centre of gravity.
Blocking capacity and lashing capacity are added (EN 12195-1).
The figures the calculator uses — Every number in the tool, with its source.
Gravity — g = 9.81 m/s² → 0.981 daN per kg — 1 daN = 10 N; the inertia force in daN is mass × 0.981 × c. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 6
Acceleration coefficients — c forwards 0.8 · sideways 0.5 · rearwards 0.5 · c_z 1.0 — The restraint must hold 0.8 of the load weight forwards, 0.5 sideways and 0.5 rearwards; 0.6 sideways where the load may tip. In Great Britain the DVSA asks for 1.0 forwards. — Directive 2014/47/EU, Annex III point I.1; EN 12195-1:2010; DVSA guide ch. 2
No sliding risk — μ ≥ c — When the friction factor is at least as large as the acceleration coefficient of a direction, the load does not slide in that direction. — EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2 (quick lashing guide)
Safety factor for top-over lashing — f_s = 1.25 forwards · 1.1 sideways and rearwards — Applied to top-over lashing and to the tipping check. — EN 12195-1, eq. 10; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 6.1
Friction factor for direct lashing — f_μ = 0.75 (rubber mat: 1.0) — The load moves slightly before the lashings take up the force, so dynamic friction applies, taken as 75 % of the friction factor. — EN 12195-1, eq. 35 and Annex B; EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2, A.2.6
Dirty or icy load bed — μ ≤ 0.2 — If the contact surfaces are not swept clean and free of frost, ice and snow, no friction factor above 0.2 may be used; the DVSA uses 0.2 in all cases without a tested or certified value. — EN 12195-1, Annex B, note a; DVSA guide ch. 2
STF or LC? — Top-over lashing uses the standard tension force STF; direct lashing and blocking use forces up to the LC; where a label shows two LC values, use the lower one. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 4.1.1 and 5.6
Tipping check — stable if b > c · d — With the centre of gravity in the middle this means sideways H/W below 2, forwards H/L below 1.25, rearwards H/L below 2. If the load may tip sideways, the calculator takes for top-over lashing the smaller of STF with c = 0.5 and 0.5 × LC with c = 0.6. — EN 12195-1, eq. 3 and 16; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 6.2
Tipping with direct lashing and lengthways — The tool does not calculate these cases: block a tip-prone load above its centre of gravity or secure its top edge with a spring lashing, and verify to EN 12195-1. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.3 and 5.5.4
Minimum against wandering — 1 top-over lashing per 4 t — Even with no sliding or tipping risk, the guidelines recommend at least one top-over lashing per 4 t for non-blocked cargo, against wandering from vibration. — EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2, A.2.1
Lashing points — 2,000 daN per lashing point (quick lashing guide) — The quick lashing guide tables assume lashing points of 2,000 daN, lashings with LC 1,600 daN and STF 400 daN; never use more LC or STF than the lashing points can hold. — EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2, A.2.3 and A.2.12
Lashing angle for top-over lashing — α < 30° → another method — The tables apply at 75–90°; between 30° and 75° the table value halves; below 30° another securing method should be used. The calculator applies sin α exactly. — EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2, A.2.11
Horizontal angle for diagonal lashing — 30° ≤ β ≤ 45° — Without additional blocking, the angle to the driving direction is preferably between 30° and 45°; larger or smaller angles are acceptable if the lashings and lashing points take the higher forces. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.5.1
Pre-tension in direct lashing — ≤ 0.5 × LC — As high as possible but no more than half the LC – web lashings stretch by up to 7 % and any load movement should stay small. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.5
Combining methods — m_B + m_lash ≥ m — Blocking and lashing capacity may be added; the calculator converts both into secured mass and adds them – as in example 1 of the guidelines (1.7 t + 7.5 t = 9.2 t). — EN 12195-1; EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.7 and 6.1
Which accelerations apply – why 0.8 g forwards (and 1.0 in Great Britain)? — On EU roads the restraint must hold 0.8 of the load weight forwards (emergency braking), 0.5 sideways (cornering, swerving) and 0.5 rearwards, with 0.6 sideways where the load may tip – Annex III of Directive 2014/47/EU, which governs cargo securing checks at roadside inspections. The DVSA's guide for Great Britain asks for the entire weight forwards.
EN 12195-1 / Directive 2014/47/EU — forwards: 0.8 | sideways: 0.5 | rearwards: 0.5 | tipping sideways: 0.6 — Annex III point I.1; EU guidelines ch. 1.4
Great Britain – DVSA — forwards: 1.0 | sideways: 0.5 | rearwards: 0.5 | tipping sideways: — — Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles, ch. 2
The DVSA describes its figures as the minimum for normal driving on the road, applying to all vehicles and loads; a load secured to this standard should withstand an emergency stop or swerve. If a load shifts seriously, enforcement agencies refer to BS EN 12195-1:2010 when deciding whether enough lashings were used.
Worked example: 12 t of wooden pallets on a plywood bed, EN 12642 L curtainsider, load against the headboard. — Load 12,000 kg · Wood on plywood μ 0.45 · Straps STF 4 × 400 daN · forwards 0.8: Headboard L · sideways 0.5: 2 of 4 straps · rearwards 0.5: 2 of 4 straps
This check covers one load – in Logistivo every load keeps its data on the load record — Weight, loading metres, stackability and vehicle type sit on the Logistivo load, the load plan is agreed in the load's own chat, and the driver app can record the trailer handover with photos.
Load management — The load with weight, LDM, stackability, vehicle type and its own chat — /en/load-management
Driver app — Trailer handover photos with time and GPS, live location — /en/carrier/drivers
Loading metre calculator — Will the load fit – loading metres, pallets and weight on a trailer
How many pallets fit in a container? — Floor plan for 20ft and 40ft containers
CMR liability calculator — What the carrier pays for cargo damage – and when it does not (CMR art. 17)
Axle weight calculator — Load on each axle and the kingpin, before and after every drop
Everything is calculated in your browser; nothing is sent or stored. The result is a planning estimate – the strap labels, the vehicle's certificates and the actual loading are what count.
Per direction, in three steps: the inertia force (weight × coefficient c), minus what friction carries (weight × μ), and the rest covered by blocking and lashings.
Example with the calculator's defaults: 12,000 kg on wooden pallets, plywood bed (μ 0.45), straps with STF 400 daN at 80°. Sideways, 0.5 × 12,000 kg × 0.981 = 5,886 daN act on the load and friction carries 0.45 of it. One top-over strap secures 6,571 kg here, so 2 straps are enough sideways and rearwards.
Forwards (c = 0.8) the same strap secures only 826 kg; top-over lashing alone would need 15 straps. That is why the load goes against the headboard: an EN 12642 L headboard holds up to 5,000 daN and secures about 14,562 kg forwards at μ 0.45.
The EU guidelines work it through the same way: two top-over lashings of 500 daN at 55° hold a wooden crate at μ 0.45 up to 13.7 t sideways but only 1.7 t forwards; a spring lashing adds 7.5 t forwards.
In Logistivo these figures live on the load — Weight, number of packages, loading metres, stackability (such as "unstackable" or "light load can be placed on it") and vehicle type – curtainsider, box trailer, mega, lowbed – are fields of the load in Logistivo load management. Shipper and carrier work from the same record, and the CMR consignment note is generated from it.
As many as the worst direction demands – and that depends mostly on the friction factor: for 12 t, 2 top-over straps are enough sideways at μ 0.45, 11 at μ 0.3 and 25 on a load bed that is not swept clean (μ 0.2).
The table shows why anti-slip mats are usually the cheapest securing and why loads are almost always blocked forwards. Even with no sliding or tipping risk, the guidelines recommend at least one top-over lashing per 4 t for non-blocked cargo, against wandering.
Friction factor μ: 0.15 — sideways / rearwards per strap: 313 kg | forwards per strap: 148 kg
Friction factor μ: 0.2 — sideways / rearwards per strap: 487 kg | forwards per strap: 214 kg
Friction factor μ: 0.3 — sideways / rearwards per strap: 1,095 kg | forwards per strap: 385 kg
Friction factor μ: 0.45 — sideways / rearwards per strap: 6,571 kg | forwards per strap: 826 kg
Friction factor μ: 0.6 (rubber mat) — sideways / rearwards per strap: no sliding risk | forwards per strap: 1,927 kg
Secured mass per top-over strap with STF 400 daN at 80°, safety factor f_s to EN 12195-1 (1.25 forwards, otherwise 1.1). Under the DVSA figures (1.0 forwards, μ 0.2) one such strap secures only 161 kg forwards.
What friction coefficient should I use – and when only 0.2?
The EN 12195-1 Annex B value for your pair of materials – as long as the surfaces are swept clean and free of frost, ice and snow; otherwise 0.2 at most. In Great Britain the DVSA asks for 0.2 unless the value has been tested or certified.
Wooden pallet on a plywood or laminate bed: 0.45; on grooved aluminium: 0.4; on stainless steel sheet: 0.3.
Plastic pallet: 0.2 on plywood, 0.15 on aluminium or stainless steel – friction carries very little here.
Rubber anti-slip mat: 0.6 on a clean surface, dry or wet; higher values only with a test certificate.
Not in the table: establish the value by testing to EN 12195-1, Annexes B and E.
What is the difference between tie-down (top-over) and direct lashing?
Top-over lashing raises the friction – the pre-tension STF counts. Direct lashing holds the load with the lashing itself – the LC counts.
So a 2,000 daN strap is not enough for the 8 t machine: the calculation asks for 2,830 daN forwards, 1,810 daN sideways and 1,350 daN rearwards. Chains of 8 mm (LC 4,000 daN) or additional blocking against the headboard solve it.
What works — Top-over lashing: Pre-tension STF presses the load onto the bed | Direct (diagonal) lashing: Tensile force in the lashing, up to the LC
Friction — Top-over lashing: full friction factor μ | Direct (diagonal) lashing: 75 % (f_μ 0.75), rubber mat 100 %
Angles — Top-over lashing: steep, 75–90°; never below 30° | Direct (diagonal) lashing: α flat, β 30–45°
Safety factor — Top-over lashing: f_s 1.25 forwards, 1.1 sideways and rearwards | Direct (diagonal) lashing: —
Typical load — Top-over lashing: Pallets, crates, stackable goods | Direct (diagonal) lashing: Machinery and heavy single items with lashing points
Example — Top-over lashing: 12 t, μ 0.45: 2 straps sideways | Direct (diagonal) lashing: 8 t, μ 0.3, α 35°, β 35°: LC ≥ 2,830 daN per lashing
What do STF and LC on a ratchet strap label mean?
LC (lashing capacity) is the permitted force in a straight pull; STF (standard tension force) is the tension the ratchet reaches with a 50 daN hand force.
Hauliers mostly use 50 mm polyester straps with STF 250–500 daN and LC 1,600–2,000 daN; the real tension after ratcheting ranges from 0 to 600 daN, so measuring pays. Without a legible label, STF and LC cannot be estimated; where two LC values are printed, use the lower one.
Chains carry their LC on a tag as well; for grade 8 the guidelines give these maximum values:
Chain diameter: 6 mm — LC at most: 2,200 daN
Chain diameter: 7 mm — LC at most: 3,000 daN
Chain diameter: 8 mm — LC at most: 4,000 daN
Chain diameter: 10 mm — LC at most: 6,300 daN
Chain diameter: 13 mm — LC at most: 10,000 daN
Chain diameter: 16 mm — LC at most: 16,000 daN
EN 12195-3, grade 8; EU guidelines 2014, table 4.
Who is responsible for load securing?
Everyone involved in loading or managing the transport, each with their own duties. The DVSA guide names three: the consignor who puts the load on the vehicle, the operator, and the driver – and the Road Traffic Act 1988, s. 40A, makes it an offence to use or cause the use of a vehicle whose load is so placed or secured that it involves a danger of injury.
Consignor (The person or company who puts the load onto the vehicle) — Make sure the load is in a suitable condition for transport, packaged so it can be secured, and stable before it is loaded; load the vehicle safely. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Consignor (The person or company who puts the load onto the vehicle) — Keep the load safe throughout the journey, especially on multi-drop runs, and tell the driver how the load has been loaded and secured; a load plan can include a photo of the secured load with date and time. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Consignor (The person or company who puts the load onto the vehicle) — Agree a system with the vehicle operator to keep the load secure. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Operator (The haulier holding the operator licence) — Make sure vehicles are suitable for the purpose and roadworthy, and driven by qualified, trained people; give drivers who secure loads training, equipment and instructions. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Operator (The haulier holding the operator licence) — Support drivers who raise concerns about loading and do not pressure them to take out an unsafe vehicle; the Traffic Commissioners can act against the operator licence. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Driver (Whoever drives the vehicle) — If you load: use equipment that is usable, strong enough and appropriate. If you do not load: check the load where you can before setting off and ask the consignor for the load plan. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Driver (Whoever drives the vehicle) — Check restraints regularly during the journey – straps and chains lose tension – and after any harsh braking or swerve. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
Driver (Whoever drives the vehicle) — Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition can mean an unlimited fine, a driving ban and penalty points. — DVSA guide, ch. 1; Road Traffic Act 1988, s. 40A
The legal basis
Road Traffic Act 1988, s. 40A — An offence to use, or cause or permit the use of, a vehicle when the weight, position or distribution of its load, or the manner in which it is secured, involves a danger of injury to any person. — legislation.gov.uk
DVSA enforcement — Police and DVSA examiners can issue an immediate prohibition; if the defect cannot be fixed within a reasonable time (usually one hour) the vehicle may be immobilised, and careless or dangerous driving can apply to the driver, consignors, the operator and company directors. — DVSA guide, ch. 1
CMR, art. 17(4)(c) — In international road carriage the carrier is relieved of liability for loss or damage arising from handling, loading, stowage or unloading by the sender or consignee. — CMR Convention
Directive 2014/47/EU, art. 13–14 and Annex III — On EU roads cargo securing may be checked at technical roadside inspections; major and dangerous deficiencies must as a rule be put right before the vehicle is used further on public roads. — Roadside inspections of commercial vehicles
Record the handover – in Logistivo — With equipment inspections switched on for the company, the driver photographs the trailer at pickup and drop-off in the Logistivo driver app – sides, cargo space, seal. Every photo carries its capture time and GPS position and is linked to the load the check belongs to.
Common load securing mistakes – and what applies instead
Common load securing mistakes – and what applies instead — Seven assumptions that keep coming up at roadside checks, set against the figures of the standard.
Myth: A heavy load stays put under its own weight. — In fact: Friction is only part of the inertia force: at μ 0.3 it carries 0.3 of the 0.8 forwards. Vertical vibration reduces the contact force further; the DVSA notes that friction between most loads and load beds is generally low. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 1.4; DVSA guide ch. 2
Myth: For top-over lashing the LC on the label counts. — In fact: Against sliding only the pre-tension STF counts; the LC plays no part in top-over lashing for that. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.6
Myth: The headboard holds the whole load. — In fact: An EN 12642 L headboard holds at most 5,000 daN – about 10,194 kg forwards at μ 0.3; anything above needs extra securing. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.2, table 1
Myth: The curtains hold the load sideways. — In fact: On an EN 12642 L curtainsider the curtains are weather protection only; sideways only XL bodies (0.4 × payload) or box walls (0.3 × payload) count. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 2.1
Myth: Once tensioned, always secured. — In fact: On compressible loads the pre-tension often drops to 50 % or less during the journey; re-tension or use another method. — EU guidelines 2014, ch. 5.6
Myth: A sheet or net secures the load. — In fact: A cover only contains the product; it must be used with other securing measures such as lashings. — DVSA guide, ch. 2
Myth: The lashing angle does not matter. — In fact: In top-over lashing only the vertical component (sin α) works; below 30° use another method. — EU guidelines 2014, Appendix 2, A.2.11
After the check: how it continues in Logistivo
After the check: how it continues in Logistivo — The calculator is free to use. When the calculation becomes a shipment, Logistivo keeps the data, the arrangements and the handover on one load.
Load data on the load — Weight, packages, loading metres, stackability and vehicle type sit on the Logistivo load – the same figures for shipper and carrier.
Arrangements in the load chat — Every load has its own chat; messages are translated automatically across 36 languages, so the Polish loader reads the load plan in Polish.
Handover photos from the driver app — With equipment inspections switched on, the driver photographs the trailer at pickup and drop-off, with time and GPS; AI flags new damage between two checks.
CMR from the load data — The consignment note is generated from the same data – weight and packages are not typed in again.
Load data, arrangements and handover photos on one load
Free Logistivo account, no card: loads with weight, loading metres and vehicle type, one chat per load and handover photos from the driver app.
Source
European Commission, DG MOVE — Cargo securing for road transport – 2014 European best practice guidelines, ch. 1.3–1.4, 2, 4–6, Appendices 2–3 — https://op.europa.eu/o/opportal-service/download-handler?identifier=30c7c1dc-f26e-44af-bd4c-2434b43edd7e&format=pdf&language=en&productionSystem=cellar&part=
DVSA (GOV.UK) — Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles – 1. Responsibility for load security — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/securing-loads-on-hgvs-and-goods-vehicles/1-responsibility-for-load-security
DVSA (GOV.UK) — Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles – 2. Load securing: the basics — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/securing-loads-on-hgvs-and-goods-vehicles/2-load-securing-the-basics
legislation.gov.uk — Road Traffic Act 1988, section 40A – Using vehicle in dangerous condition etc. — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/40A
EUR-Lex — Directive 2014/47/EU on technical roadside inspection – arts 13, 14 and Annex III — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014L0047
United Nations Treaty Series — CMR Convention, art. 17(4)(c) — https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20399/volume-399-I-5742-English.pdf
UNECE — CTU Code (IMO/ILO/UNECE), ch. 5 and Annex 7, Appendix 2 – friction factors for wooden pallets — https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/doc/2014/wp24/CTU_Code_January_2014.pdf
For planning: it uses the EN 12195-1 formulas as applied in the EU guidelines and estimates the securing of one rigid load block. The duties of consignor, operator and driver remain; special cases need a full calculation to the standard or a test.
Which accelerations apply to HGVs?
In the EU: 0.8 of the load weight forwards, 0.5 sideways and 0.5 rearwards, with 0.6 sideways where the load may tip (Directive 2014/47/EU, Annex III; EN 12195-1). The DVSA guide for Great Britain asks for the entire weight forwards.
Can I add the headboard and the lashings together?
Yes. Under EN 12195-1 blocking and lashing capacity may be added; the calculator converts both into secured mass and adds them.
Why do my straps hold a lot sideways but hardly anything forwards?
Because 0.8 acts forwards instead of 0.5 and the safety factor is 1.25 instead of 1.1. At μ 0.45 a strap with STF 400 daN secures 6,571 kg sideways but only 826 kg forwards.
What friction coefficient does the DVSA accept?
For your own calculation: a tested value for that load and vehicle, the certified value of a high-friction surface, or 0.2 in all other cases. Select the GB (DVSA) rule in the calculator to apply this.
How does Logistivo help with load securing?
Logistivo keeps the figures you calculate with here – weight, loading metres, stackability and vehicle type – on the load, shipper and carrier agree the load plan in the load's own chat, and with equipment inspections switched on the driver app records the trailer handover with photos.
Can I show in Logistivo what condition the trailer was in at pickup?
Yes, when equipment inspections are switched on for the company: the driver photographs the trailer at pickup and drop-off, every photo with capture time and GPS position, and AI compares consecutive checks and flags new damage.
For AI assistants
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