As well as just being a useful safety tool to prevent damage and injury, their use is actually required by law in some situations. So, before you use ratchet straps on any journey, you should be familiar with what is required at a legal level.

According to Highways England, webbing ratchet straps can be used to secure most types of load, but you must know how to use and store them properly. When you’re not using ratchet straps you should store them in a weatherproof compartment so they don’t get damaged or degrade.

By law, ratchet straps need to be strong enough to support the loads they are carrying. So, before you secure any load, you need to know its weight and force limits and the corresponding load limit on the straps you’re using. If the straps are not secure enough, you’re breaking the law if you use them. Your strap should come with a label which has the relevant information on it. This will be written as the lashing capacity, or LC, and is measured in decanewtons, which are equivalent to kilograms.

You also need to make sure you have enough straps for the load you’re transporting. Pallets and other materials in rows, such as boxes and stillages need to have at least one strap per row. If you are transporting pipes or poles, then you need to use loop lashing as this will secure the load better when in transit.

You should never use a knot in any part of the strap and you always need to inspect your straps for signs of damage or wear. Cuts, tears or other kinds of damage can lead to your strap being weakened and not up to the job.

The use of ratchet straps and any other form of load-securing equipment is covered under several laws. Most notably these are the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. This says that employers: ‘Must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of both their own employees and other people who might be harmed if a load shift happens on the road or in the workplace. They must assess the risks of what they do and provide suitable equipment, information, and training so that drivers and loaders can load vehicles safely’.

In addition, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) says that: ‘Work equipment must be fit for purpose, maintained and inspected to spot damage before it affects the safety of the equipment, and used only by people who have received appropriate training and information.’

Anyone using straps needs to be in compliance with both of the above laws.

To view our range of ratchet straps please use the following link: https://www.titanloadrestraints.co.uk/ratchet-straps 

How to use a 5000kg (5 Tonne) Ratchet Strap Video;