U.S. unveils proposed load securement rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 15, 2001) — The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed a raft of new regulations related to the securing of specific commodities, including rules that would redefine the manner for determining the capability of each tie-down device.

This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published in the Federal Register on Dec. 18, 2000, calls for comments by March 19, 2001. FMCSA would like to make its proposed rules final and effective on July 1, 2001.

The proposals are based on the results of a research program conducted by government groups and equipment manufacturers in the United States and Canada to explore both the fundamentals of load securement and specific methods of restraining certain types of cargo. Specific commodities included such items as logs, metal coils, paper rolls, concrete pipe, intermodal containers, automobiles, heavy machinery, crushed cars, refuse containers and large boulders.

The intent is to create a North American standard for load securement practices. Canadian transport regulators agreed to a set of guidelines in 1999.