Securing machinery on a trailer: what DVSA guidance requires

Who is responsible

DVSA is direct about the scope of the duty: "All loads carried on vehicles must be secure regardless of: what vehicle they're on, the size or type of the load, the length of the journey." Responsibility is shared, not left with the driver alone: "Operators, drivers and companies sending goods ('consignors') must: secure all loads carried on vehicles, make sure loads are transported, loaded and unloaded safely" (gov.uk). If you are the company sending the machine, that includes you.

The standard the securing system has to meet

DVSA states that the load securing system must be able to withstand forces equivalent to (gov.uk):

• the entire weight of the load in the forward direction;
• half the weight of the load to the sides;
• half the weight of the load to the rear.

The guidance describes this as the minimum requirement for normal driving on the road, applying to all vehicles and all loads regardless of size or weight, and says a load secured to that standard should withstand foreseeable emergency manoeuvres such as an emergency stop or swerving to avoid an obstruction. It also warns against relying on weight alone: "You cannot rely on the weight of a load alone to keep it in place once the vehicle is moving", because friction between most loads and standard load beds is generally low.

What that looks like on a machine

• Chains and tensioners rated for the machine, attached to designated lashing points on the trailer and to structural points on the machine, not to hydraulics, pipework or guarding.
• Chocks and physical restraint against tracks or wheels, so movement is prevented rather than merely resisted.
• Attachments dealt with separately. Buckets, booms and quick hitches are their own loads and need their own restraint, or their own journey.
• Articulated machines locked and moving parts pinned or lowered so nothing shifts in transit.
• Friction matting where appropriate, since the guidance is explicit that the friction of a bare load bed is generally low.

Standards you may see quoted

DVSA notes that British and European (BS EN) load securing standards published by BSI "are not legal requirements under road traffic law, but they are used as recognised reference standards", meaning they can be used as a reference when choosing a securing system and that regulators will refer to them when deciding whether a system is suitable. A haulier quoting equipment made to a current BS EN standard is telling you something useful about the kit, not claiming an exemption.

This page summarises DVSA guidance published on gov.uk (published July 2023, last updated December 2024, checked August 2026) for buyers of machinery transport. It is not a load securing plan or safety advice, and it does not replace the operator's own assessment for your machine.