Thread: Ropes illegal to tie a load

I don't accept the suggestion in the sites I looked at to confirm what you had heard, that straps are necessarily safer than slings.

Are those of us who know how to tie knots and who have been safely securing motorbikes, kayaks, boats, timber, furniture, white goods and other items for half a century now going to be forced to buy webbing straps because some people don't know how to correctly use ropes?

EDIT.
The report on the ABC site mentions "certified rope", so it seem the right rope will still be OK.

New road compliance and enforcement regulations will require drivers to use approved webbing, tie-downs or certified rope (rope which has been endorsed by Australian standards).
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-1...-april/6329922

That's interesting. When I got my HR license I had to demonstrate that I could secure a load using chain and dogs and also with tensioned ropes.

The ban on ropes is probably to stop people trying to hang themselves due to the frustration of nanny laws.

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

I here on the wireless today that as of Anzac day it is illegal to secure a load on any vehicle with rope.Rated ratchet straps or chains and dogs must be used.Items like bags of cement or animal feed also need to be restrained in the cargo bay!!!!
Apparently its not just heavy vehicles,it also covers your ute or garden trailer.Futhermore if you do buy something from say a hardware store and they allow you to tie the load on with rope they also can be held to blame if an incedent arises.
From what I heard it is not a WA thing,its national.
MADNESS
Andrew

Been like that on the right coast for ages Andy.

Originally Posted by vnx205

EDIT.
The report on the ABC site mentions "certified rope", so it seem the right rope will still be OK.

New road compliance and enforcement regulations will require drivers to use approved webbing, tie-downs or certified rope (rope which has been endorsed by Australian standards).
WA road transport changes to come into place in April - ABC Rural (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

For all practical purposes, rope is banned. Have you ever seen a rope with SWL tags?

That is ridiculous. Learning a simple half hitch and a truckie's hitch isn't hard and I reckon easier than using some of the strap contraptions around.

So has new legislation been passed? Does it actually specify a load restraint must be rated?

If you tie anything on, it is your responsablilty. If something goes wrong and the rope gets tested and it's discovered the rope was insufficent for the load then you are liable.

If I was given a ticket for insecuring a load with an unrated rope, I'd be asking the question how they have determined the rope I am using in insufficent. And I'll take that to court thanks.

I use Telstra rope for near everthing since being a Telstra Subie for over 9 years. I hear all sorts of rubbish how I cant use it to secure a load. Well it is actually rated rope. The only problem would be if I tied somthing down that exceeded it's rating.

Happy Days

So basically anyone tying anything down will need to get a load calculation performed by an engineer and signed off and then tested and rated securing devices used attached to rated and tested load points....

Insane.