What this is
What is a load securement check?
What is a load securement check?
Verification before departure and during transit that cargo is distributed correctly, restrained by devices of adequate aggregate capacity, and secured against movement in every direction the vehicle can generate force.
What is working load limit?
The maximum load a securement device is rated to carry in service, marked by the manufacturer. It is not the breaking strength, and the securement rules are written in terms of working load limit throughout. Using breaking strength in the calculation overstates the restraint by a factor of several.
Scope
When is a load securement check required?
This checks a specific load before and during transit. Vehicle condition and driver competence sit separately.
Use this template when
- Before departure with any load requiring securement
- At the first examination within 50 miles and at the defined intervals thereafter
- After any event that could disturb the load: heavy braking, rough surface, partial unloading
- Where a load is added to or partially removed during a multi-drop journey
- Loads of commodities subject to specific securement rules
Do not use it for
- Vehicle pre-use inspection, which covers the vehicle rather than the load
- Weight and axle loading compliance, which is a separate legal limit
- The bill of lading and consignment documentation
- Dangerous goods segregation and documentation, which has its own regime
- Loading equipment and dock arrangements, which sit with the loading operation
Compliance mapping
Which FMCSA 393 Subpart I requirements does this satisfy?
Cargo securement is prescriptively regulated, with general rules and commodity-specific requirements that override them.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| 49 CFR 393.100 | General cargo securement: cargo not to leak, spill, blow off, fall, fall through or shift | Header |
| 49 CFR 393.102 | Performance criteria: 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward, 0.5g lateral deceleration | Restraint applied |
| 49 CFR 393.106 | Aggregate working load limit at least 50 percent of cargo weight, with counting rules per tiedown | Restraint applied |
| 49 CFR 393.104 | Securement devices and systems in good working order, without damage or weakened components | Verification |
| 49 CFR 392.9 | Driver to examine cargo within the first 50 miles and re-examine at defined intervals | Verification |
| 49 CFR 393.110 | Minimum number of tiedowns by article length and weight, applying alongside the aggregate rule | Restraint applied |
| 49 CFR 393 Subpart I | Commodity-specific rules for logs, coils, paper rolls, pipe, containers, vehicles and others | Load distribution |
| NSC Standard 10 | Canadian cargo securement standard, closely aligned with the US rules | Header |
What it does not cover
- Vehicle pre-use inspection, covering the vehicle rather than the load.
- Weight and axle loading compliance, a separate legal limit with its own enforcement.
- Dangerous goods requirements, including segregation, placarding and documentation.
- Consignment documentation, which accompanies the load rather than securing it.
- Loading dock and equipment arrangements, which sit with the loading operation.
How to complete it
How to complete a load securement check, step by step
Calculate rather than judge, secure against every direction, and re-check because loads move.
Sum the WLL of the devices, applying the counting rules: full WLL where a tiedown passes from anchor over or through the article back to an anchor, half where it attaches at one end only. Compare against the actual cargo weight. This is arithmetic and takes a minute, and it is routinely replaced by a judgement about how many straps look sufficient.
The performance criteria specify 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and 0.5g laterally. Securement arranged against forward movement, which is what braking produces and what people picture, can leave a load free to shift sideways in a bend or a swerve. Lateral movement is what produces rollovers and load loss on curves.
The rules specify a minimum number of tiedowns by article length and weight, and this applies alongside the aggregate working load limit calculation rather than instead of it. A load can meet the aggregate figure with too few tiedowns and still be non-compliant, and unsecured against rotation.
Loads settle, dunnage compresses and straps loosen, most noticeably in the first few miles. The requirement to examine within the first 50 miles exists because that is when tension is lost, and the subsequent examination intervals exist because it continues. A load checked only at the dock has been checked at the point it was tightest.
What auditors find
Most common load securement check findings
Securement findings concentrate on the calculation and the re-check.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Breaking strength used instead of working load limit. | 49 CFR 393.106 | WLL is the basis throughout; breaking strength overstates restraint several times over. |
| Aggregate calculation performed against nominal rather than actual weight. | 49 CFR 393.106 | Use the weight actually loaded, including dunnage and partial pallets. |
| Securement arranged against forward movement only. | 49 CFR 393.102 | Rearward and lateral criteria apply; lateral movement causes load loss on curves. |
| Minimum tiedown count not satisfied despite adequate aggregate WLL. | 49 CFR 393.110 | Both tests apply; the count addresses rotation as well as restraint. |
| No examination within the first 50 miles. | 49 CFR 392.9 | Loads settle early; this is when tension is lost. |
| Damaged, worn or knotted straps in use. | 49 CFR 393.104 | Devices must be in good working order; a knot substantially reduces capacity. |
| Commodity-specific rules not applied where they exist. | 49 CFR 393 Subpart I | Coils, pipe, rolls, logs and vehicles have specific rules overriding the general ones. |
| Load not re-secured after a partial delivery. | 49 CFR 393.100 | Removing part of a load changes distribution and restraint; re-secure before continuing. |
| Edge protection absent where straps pass over sharp corners. | 49 CFR 393.104 | Abrasion at the corner is where straps fail; edge protection is not optional. |
| Anchor points of unknown or inadequate rating. | 49 CFR 393.106 | The weakest element governs; an anchor rated below the strap limits the system. |
Case in point
Case in point: eight straps and a factor of five
A driver secured a load of banded steel bar weighing approximately eleven tonnes with eight ratchet straps. Asked whether the load was adequately secured, he pointed to the strap labels showing a breaking strength of five thousand kilograms each, which totalled forty tonnes against an eleven tonne load.
The working load limit marked on the same straps was two thousand kilograms. The aggregate was therefore sixteen tonnes, against a requirement of half the cargo weight, five and a half tonnes. The load was compliant, comfortably, by the correct calculation.
The point is not that the load was unsafe. It is that the driver reached a correct conclusion by an incorrect method, and the same reasoning on a heavier load with fewer straps would have produced a confident and wrong answer.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
6 sections
- Reference
- FLT-023
- Archetype
- Checklist
- Record ID
- CHK-2026-000
- Scoring
- Pass or fail
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- FMCSA 393 Subpart I, NSC Standard 10
- Links
- Links Asset
- Tags
- Fleet, Cargo
- Sections
- 6
- Fields
- 63
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 4
Header
22 fieldsCheck ID*
Auto sequence. Format LSC-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Vehicle*
Asset ID*
Format AST-0000.
Links to FDN-002 Asset ID
Unit Number
The number painted on the door, which is what drivers actually use.
Driver*
Person ID*
Links to FDN-003 Person ID
Licence Class
Trip Or Route Reference
Origin
Destination
Odometer Reading
Load Carried
Chilled, frozen, ambient, mixed temperature, dangerous goods or empty.
Customer Or Site
Half The Weight Sideways
Load restraint must hold the load against forward, rearward and sideways forces during emergency braking and cornering, not just stop it sliding out of the door.
Load Type*
Number Of Pallets
Total Load Weight*
Load distribution
6 fieldsWeight Distributed Evenly*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Heavy Items Low And Forward*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Centre Of Gravity Acceptable*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
No Gaps Allowing Movement*
A part load with gaps is more dangerous than a full one. Fill or block the space.
- Yes3 pts
- Small gaps1 pt
- Large gaps0 pts
Load Against Headboard*
- Yes3 pts
- Gap blocked2 pts
- Unblocked gap0 pts
Stacking Within Limits*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- Exceeded0 pts
Restraint applied
8 fieldsRestraint Method*
Straps, load bars, blocking, dunnage, curtain rated to load, or shrink wrap. Shrink wrap alone is not restraint.
- Automatic restraint4 pts
- Wheel chocks3 pts
- Key held at desk2 pts
- Verbal agreement0 pts
Number Of Straps Used
Restraint Rating Adequate For Weight*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Straps In Good Condition*
- All good3 pts
- Some worn1 pt
- Damaged in use0 pts
Edge Protection Used
- Yes3 pts
- Not needed3 pts
- No0 pts
Ratchets Functioning*
- All3 pts
- Some stiff1 pt
- Some failed0 pts
Anchor Points Sound*
- All3 pts
- Some damaged1 pt
- Many damaged0 pts
Load Bars Correctly Positioned
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Food safety and hygiene
6 fieldsRestraint Equipment Clean*
Straps dragged through a yard and thrown over food pallets are a contamination route.
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- Dirty0 pts
Equipment Food Safe*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Load Segregation Correct*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Allergen Segregation Maintained
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Raw And Ready To Eat Segregated
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Chemicals Segregated From Food*
- Yes3 pts
- None carried3 pts
- No0 pts
Verification
6 fieldsLoad Checked Before Departure*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Doors Closed And Sealed*
- Yes3 pts
- Closed not sealed1 pt
- No0 pts
Seal Number
Load Rechecked En Route*
Straps settle and loosen in the first miles. Recheck after the first stop.
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Any Movement Found*
- None3 pts
- Slight1 pt
- Significant0 pts
Corrective Action Taken
Result
15 fieldsItems Assessed*
Excludes anything marked N/A.
Items Failed*
Score Percent*
Calculated on submission. High is good. N/A items leave the denominator.
Result Band*
- Pass3 pts
- Caution1 pt
- Fail0 pts
Completeness Percent*
How much of the template was actually answered. A high score on a half completed form is not a high score.
Load Secure For Transport*
- Yes3 pts
- After correction2 pts
- No0 pts
Departure Authorised*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Driver*
Signature*
Loading Supervisor*
Second Signature*
FLT-023 · record IDs look like CHK-2026-000 · Links Asset
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The check is arithmetic plus an inspection. What fails is the calculation replaced by judgement and the re-check nobody did.
Holds the securement calculation against actual cargo weight and applied devices, and prompts the first examination within 50 miles.
Supplies actual loaded weight and configuration from the despatch record, so the calculation uses what was loaded rather than what was planned.
Tracks securement equipment condition and anchor point ratings, since the weakest element governs the whole system.
Covers the calculation method and commodity-specific rules, where instinct calibrated on routine loads does not transfer.
This template lives in KnowFleet — fleet and transport. Drivers, vehicles, hours, cargo securement and operator licence compliance.
Meet KnowFleet→Glossary
Load Securement Check definitions and key terms
- Working load limit
- The maximum load a securement device is rated to carry in service, marked by the manufacturer and the basis for all securement calculations.
- Aggregate working load limit
- The sum of the WLL of all devices securing an article, required to be at least half the cargo weight.
- Tiedown
- A device attaching cargo to the vehicle, counting full WLL when anchored at both ends over or through the article.
- Blocking and bracing
- Structures preventing movement by filling space or bearing against the load, complementing tiedowns.
- Friction mat
- Material increasing friction between load and deck, contributing to restraint without counting toward aggregate WLL.
- Edge protection
- Material preventing abrasion where a strap passes over a corner, protecting the point where straps most often fail.
- Performance criteria
- The deceleration values securement must withstand: 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and lateral.
- Commodity-specific rules
- Requirements for particular cargo types that override the general securement rules.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about load securement check
What is the basic securement requirement?+
The aggregate working load limit of the securement devices must be at least fifty percent of the weight of the cargo, under 49 CFR 393.106. Separately, minimum tiedown counts apply by article length and weight, and both tests must be satisfied. Commodity-specific rules override the general ones where they exist.
Why does working load limit matter rather than breaking strength?+
Because the rules are written in terms of WLL throughout, and breaking strength is typically several times higher. Calculating with breaking strength overstates the restraint dramatically, and it produces confident conclusions that are wrong on exactly the loads where the margin matters most.
Is securing against braking enough?+
No. The performance criteria specify 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and 0.5g laterally. Securement arranged for forward movement can leave a load free to shift sideways, which is what happens in a bend or an avoidance manoeuvre and is a common mechanism in load loss and rollover.
When must the load be re-checked?+
Within the first 50 miles under 49 CFR 392.9, and at defined intervals during the journey thereafter. The early check exists because loads settle and straps lose tension in the first few miles, which means a load checked only at the dock was checked at its tightest and is not the load being driven.
What is most often missed?+
Edge protection where straps pass over sharp corners, which is where straps fail through abrasion; anchor point ratings, since the weakest element governs the system; and re-securing after a partial delivery, which changes both distribution and restraint and is treated as a departure rather than a new load.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Cold Chain and Transport
Transport Provider Assessment
Assesses a haulier for licensing, driver management, vehicle standards, temperature capability and load security
Weight and Axle Check
Records gross weight and axle loading against legal limits
Dangerous Goods Shipment Record
Records the shipping documents, placarding and segregation for a dangerous goods load
Temperature Log
Records product temperature through a journey, from loading to delivery
Cold Chain Excursion Record
Records a temperature deviation outside the acceptable range, with duration and product affected
Trailer Sanitation Record
Records cleaning and inspection of a trailer before food loading
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- 49 CFR Part 393 Subpart I, protection against shifting and falling cargo, FMCSA
- 49 CFR 393.100, 393.102, 393.104, 393.106 and 393.110, FMCSA
- 49 CFR 392.9, inspection of cargo and securement devices, FMCSA
- NSC Standard 10, cargo securement (Canada)
- FMCSA cargo securement rules driver handbook
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.