Thread: Q re cargo barriers and ADR rules

See if this helps.

Lifted from the Milford website - Milford Industries



Question: “Aren’t all Cargo Barriers the same?”
Answer: “Very definitely not! Ensure that your Cargo Barrier complies with the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS4034. This Standard is the most rigorous in the world. The current version of this Standard is AS/NZS4034.1:2008. Failure to use AS4034.1 rated barriers puts a Fleet Manager at risk of prosecution in the event of an accident where an employee is injured. And who wants to live with themselves if their family is injured unnecessarily because a non-complying barrier was purchased? ”

Question: “What does a Cargo Barrier that meets the ‘Standard’ actually have to do?”
Answer: “The Cargo Barrier must have the design strength to remain intact and deform no more than the prescribed amount when a single mass load of no less than 60kg impacts at a force equivalent to that experienced in a 48kmh frontal crash. That’s an impact of 1200kg! Milford Cargo Barriers are rigorously tested in our own NATA approved test facility and independently certified to deliver this Standard for more than 200 Passenger, 4WD and Light Commercial Vehicles.”

Question: “What are some of the other design requirements of AS4034.1?”
Answer: “Cargo Barriers that comply with AS4034.1 are designed to fit specific vehicles. Among the many parameters, they must follow the perimeter of the vehicle, provide uninterrupted access for the seat belt and child restraint straps (this must be built into the barrier and not just provided as an extra cost option) and must provide a means of escape in the event of entrapment. They must be properly secured to the framework of the vehicle using special attachments (rather than the seat belt anchorages)”.

Question: “How do I know that a Cargo Barrier does actually comply with AS4034?”
Answer: “These days, it is easy to tell whether a Cargo Barrier meets the Standard. This is because the latest version of AS4034.1 includes the requirement that a Cargo Barrier have a means of avoiding entrapment in the unusual event of a person becoming locked in the vehicle. Because of this you should be able to visibly see a hammer or ‘access window’ on the product (with the exception of some vehicles that may have an internal tailgate release or where it is not possible to lock the vehicle load area from inside).”
“You can also tell whether a Cargo Barrier complies with the Standard by looking for the permanently attached Rating Label. The absence of a Rating Label means that the product does not comply at all. A Rating Label that does not state AS4034.1 means that the product only partially complies and you should ask further questions.”

Question: “What about if I wish to modify or install a secondhand cargo barrier?”
Answer: “The cargo barrier is designed and tested under strict compliance and high impact conditions, therefore in order to maintain the desired performance of the Cargo Barrier, strict adherence to the recommendations of the Australian Standard and our installation instructions is essential. Under no condition do we recommend modification of the product or the use of alternative anchorage points — to do so will void the warranty & rated capacity.
Where a Cargo Barrier is modified or a secondhand barrier which is damaged or has an unknown history is fitted, then the rated capacity plaque must be removed and replaced with a non-rated capacity tag by the installer. Failure to remove the rating plaque in these circumstances will result in the product liability transferring from the manufacturer to the retailer / installer of the product.

AFAIK, at least in the UK, they can be classified as a "dog guard" - instead of a cargo barrier, which makes them exempt from meeting the relevant standards.

Have you checked with milford to see if they can do approved barriers for the same price?

What about dual cab ute of some type,with canopy,no need for cargo barrier.