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Driver's Handbook on Cargo Securement - Chapter 3: Logs

What Does This Section Cover?

The standard defines a log as all natural wood that retains the original shape of the bole (trunk) of a treee whether raw, partially processed, or fully processed.

  • Raw: All tree species that have been harvested, with bark; may have been trimmed or cut to length
  • Partially processed: Fully or partially debarked, or further reduced in length
  • Fully processed: Utility poles, trated poles, log cabin building components

The specific requirements for logs cover shortwood and longwood.

Shortwood
  • Normally up to about 2.5 m (100 in) in length.
  • No longer than 4.9 m (16 ft) in length.

  • Also called:

    • Cut-up logs
    • Cut-to-length logs
    • Bolts
    • Pulpwood
Longwood
  • Anything not considered shortwood.
  • Also called Long Logs or Treelength.
Exceptions to the specific requirements

The following types of logs are not covered by the specific logs requirements:

  • Logs unitized by banding or other comparable means. [Secure according to general cargo securement requirements.]
  • Loads of no more than four processed logs. [Secure according to general cargo securement requirements.]
  • Firewood, stumps, debris, other short logs, and longer logs. [Transport in a vehicle or container enclosed on both sides, the front, and the rear and strong enough to contain them.]
What's in a stack?

Some stacks may be made up of both shortwood and longwood. Any stack that includes shortwood must follow the shortwood securement requirements.

Exception: If shortwood is embedded in load of longwood, it can be treated as longwood.

Components of the Securement System

Specially designed vehicle

Requirements:

  • Vehicle must be designed and built, or adapted, for transportation of logs.
  • Vehicle must be fitted with a means to cradle the logs and prevent rolling, such as:
    • Bunks
    • Bolsters
    • Stakes. OR
    • Standards
  • All vehicle components must be designed and built to withstand all anticipated operational forces without failure, accidental release, or permanent deformation.
Stakes

Requirement:

If stakes or standards are not permanently attached to the vehicle, secure the stakes so that they do not separate from the vehicle.

Tiedowns

Requirements

  • Use tiedowns in combination with bunks, stakes, or standards and bolsters to secure the load.
  • All tiedowns must have a working load limit not less than 1,800 kg (4,000 lb.).
  • Tension tiedowns as tightly as possible but not beyond their working load limit.

Related Cargo Securement Terms That Every Driver Should Know:

  • Bulkhead:

    A vertical barrier across a vehicle to prevent forward movement of cargo.

  • Hook-lift Container:

    A specialized container, primarily used to contain and transport materials in the waste, recycling, construction/demolition, and scrap industries, which are used in conjunction with specialized vehicles, in which the container isloaded and unloaded onto a tilt frame body by an articulating hook-arm.

  • Well:

    The depression formed between two cylindrical articles when they are laid with their eyes horizontal and parallel against each other.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Bulkhead:

A strong wall-like structure placed at the front of a flatbed trailer (or on the rear of the tractor) used to protect the driver against shifting cargo during a front-end collision. May also refer to any separator within a dry or liquid trailer (also called a baffle for liquid trailers) used to partition the load.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Review Questions - Click On The Picture To Begin...

A bulkhead is defined as:
  • A vertical barrier across the front of the deck of a vehicle to prevent forward movement of cargo.
  • A vertical barrier placed directly behind the cab of a tractor to protect the cab in the event cargo should shift forward.
  • A structure, device, or another substantial article placed against or around an article to prevent horizontal movement of the article.
  • A vertical barrier across a vehicle to prevent forward movement of cargo.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

Bulkhead:

A vertical barrier across a vehicle to prevent forward movement of cargo.

Next
A hook-lift container is:
  • A specialized container, primarily used to contain and transport materials in the waste, recycling, construction/demolition, and scrap industries, which are used in conjunction with specialized vehicles, in which the container isloaded and unloaded onto a tilt frame body by an articulating hook-arm.
  • The load carrying area of a truck, trailer, or intermodal container.
  • A reusable, transportable enclosure that is especially designed with integral locking devices that secure it to a container chassis trailer to facilitate the efficient and bulk shipping and transfer of goods by, or between various modes of transport, such as highway, rail, sea, and air.
  • A vehicle especially built and fitted with locking devices for the transport of intermodal containers.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

Hook-lift Container:

A specialized container, primarily used to contain and transport materials in the waste, recycling, construction/demolition, and scrap industries, which are used in conjunction with specialized vehicles, in which the container isloaded and unloaded onto a tilt frame body by an articulating hook-arm.

Prev
Next
In terms of cargo securement, what is a 'well'?
  • A rail along the side of a vehicle that protects the side of the vehicle from impacts.
  • The depression formed between two cylindrical articles when they are laid with their eyes horizontal and parallel against each other.
  • A device placed between the deck of a vehicle and car or between articles of cargo, intended to provide greater friction than exists naturally between these surfaces.
  • A female housing fixed to the side or ends of a vehicle to receive a stake or peg, and may also be used as an anchor point.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

Well:

The depression formed between two cylindrical articles when they are laid with their eyes horizontal and parallel against each other.

Prev
Next
Which of the following are covered by the specific log securement requirements?
  • Firewood, stumps, debris, other short logs, and longer logs.
  • All of these can be handled according to general cargo securement rules.
  • Loads of no more than four processed logs.
  • Logs unitized by banding or other comparable means.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

Exceptions to the specific requirements

The following types of logs are not covered by the specific logs requirements:

  • Logs unitized by banding or other comparable means. [Secure according to general cargo securement requirements.]
  • Loads of no more than four processed logs. [Secure according to general cargo securement requirements.]
  • Firewood, stumps, debris, other short logs, and longer logs. [Transport in a vehicle or container enclosed on both sides, the front, and the rear and strong enough to contain them.]
Prev
Next
The definition for "shortwood" identifies pieces that are no longer than:
  • 16 ft
  • Half the length of the trailer.
  • 75 in
  • The width of the road.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

Shortwood
  • Normally up to about 2.5 m (100 in) in length.
  • No longer than 4.9 m (16 ft) in length.

  • Also called:

    • Cut-up logs
    • Cut-to-length logs
    • Bolts
    • Pulpwood
Prev
Next
What is the minimum WLL of a tiedown used to secure logs?
  • 1,800 lb
  • It depends on if you are hauling shortwood or longwood
  • 4,000 lb
  • 50% of cargo weight

Quote From The CDL Manual:

  • Use tiedowns in combination with bunks, stakes, or standards and bolsters to secure the load.
  • All tiedowns must have a working load limit not less than 1,800 kg (4,000 lb.).
  • Tension tiedowns as tightly as possible but not beyond their working load limit.
Prev
Next
In what circumstance can shortwood be treated as longwood?
  • When it is painted green on the ends.
  • When it is stacked long-ways on the trailer.
  • When it is embedded in a stack of longwood.
  • Right after it is cut down.

Quote From The CDL Manual:

What's in a stack?

Some stacks may be made up of both shortwood and longwood. Any stack that includes shortwood must follow the shortwood securement requirements.

Exception: If shortwood is embedded in load of longwood, it can be treated as longwood.

Prev
Finish
Please select an option
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Page 125:
Aggregate Working Load Limit
Page 126
Page 127:
Log Securement Requirements

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