Tie down loads for safety on the roads

By law, loose and untied loads, whether they are machines or fodder in the form of bales on trailers, must be tied down securely when transported on public roads.

The Association of Farm Contractors of Ireland (FCI) has been made aware that some contractors have been stopped by gardaí when towing loads that are unsecured.

The FCI urges contractors to ensure that all loads are secured properly with suitable straps and chains in order to comply with road safety legislation and for the safety of all road users.

Loads carried on any vehicle should be secured so that they cannot move or fall off or out of the vehicle.

The law states that loads must be secured even if the vehicle is only travelling a short distance or at low speeds.

Loads that are unsecured or inadequately secured often begin to move when the driver is accelerating, braking, going around corners or roundabouts, entering or exiting motorway slip roads or taking action, such as avoiding a collision. Loads can move even at low speeds.

The safe advice from the FCI is that where machines are being transported on lowloaders, they should preferably be positioned on the carrying vehicle’s platform so that forward movement is blocked by part of the main body of the vehicle, eg swan neck, step or headboard.

The machine on the lowloader should be restrained against forward, backward and sideways movement by chains or webbing lashings attached to anchorage points on the vehicle. All lashings should incorporate some form of tensioning device.

Charity barbecue this weekend

This year’s FCI charity barbecue will take this Sunday 19 July between 2pm and 6pm at the yard of north Clare contractor and FCI executive council member Shane Nolan (086-600 8139) of Finavarra, Burrin, Co Clare.

Finavarra is located just off the road between Kinvara and Ballyvaughan on the south coast of Galway Bay.

Shane has opened up his yard for the annual event, which this year will be providing funding toward Embrace Ireland and Galway Hospice.

Shane has one of the largest John Deere fleets in the west of Ireland. He built up his contracting business over the last 30 years, which includes baling, pit silage, slurry spreading with the trailing shoe, and still finds time to farm 500 acres of tillage crops.

The day will include a display of a John Deere model farm, as well as a large display of John Deere machinery, music, entertainment and bouncy castles for kids. All are welcome to this social gathering.

CEETTAR expands with new members

The CEETTAR general assembly meeting held in Denmark recently saw three new contractor organisations join the European contractor umbrella group.

The meeting accepted new member organisations from the Belgian, Bulgarian and Swedish forestry contractors and the Finnish association of farm and forestry contractors to add to its growing European representation.