Cargo Securement and Load Limits
What this domain tests
Cargo questions test NSC Standard 10 and Ontario load-limit rules: selecting tiedowns by working load limit, securing against all directions of movement, and recognizing when a load is over an axle or tire rating. The exam favors practical scenarios over definitions.
Securement rules
- The aggregate working load limit (WLL) of all tiedowns must be at least 50% of the cargo weight.
- Use at least two tiedowns if the article is longer than 1.52 m (5 ft) or heavier than 500 kg (1,100 lb); add one tiedown for each additional 3.05 m (10 ft).
- Secure against forward, rearward, and lateral movement; use edge protection and dunnage where needed.
- Re-check the load within the first 80 km and every 3 hours thereafter.
- Never exceed axle, tire, or gross vehicle weight ratings; distribute the load rather than adding more straps.
Worked example: A 6.1 m (20 ft) steel section weighs 4,000 kg. Required aggregate WLL is 2,000 kg. Three straps rated at 700 kg each give 2,100 kg, so the WLL is adequate. The length requires at least three tiedowns (two for the first 10 ft and one for the next 10 ft), so three straps also meet the minimum count-but only if each is attached to a proper anchor point.
Traps: confusing a strap’s breaking strength with its marked WLL; counting a tiedown that is not tensioned; forgetting the 80 km re-check; and treating a legal gross weight as proof that each axle is legal.