Section 204-44-020 - Securing logs(1) Any motor truck, truck tractor, trailer, semi-trailer, or any combination thereof, transporting logs upon a public highway where tiedown devices are required, must have the load thereon securely fastened and protected as follows: (a) On log trucks using stakes: (i) For one log loads, one wrapper chain or cable will be required and it must be secured to the rear bunk and the log must be properly blocked or secured in a manner which will prevent it from rolling or shifting. An additional wrapper secured to the front bunk is optional.(ii) For two log loads, not less than two wrapper chains or cables will be used to secure the load. The logs must be properly blocked to prevent them from rolling or shifting.(iii) For loads consisting of three or four logs not over 44 feet in length, the load must be secured by not less than two properly spaced wrapper chains or cables. Ends of short logs not secured by such wrappers must be secured with extra wrappers. If any log is over 44 feet in length, the load must be secured by not less than three properly spaced wrappers. If the logs have different lengths, they must be secured so that the longer logs are on the bottom, and each log is secured by not less than two properly spaced wrappers.(iv) For loads consisting of five or more logs, when the logs are all 17 feet or less in length, they must be secured by not less than two properly spaced wrappers. Loads consisting of five or more logs, when any log is over 17 feet in length, must be secured by not less than three properly spaced wrappers.(b) On log trucks using chock blocks: (i) For one log loads, one wrapper chain or cable will be required and secured to the rear bunk and the log must be properly blocked in a manner to prevent it from rolling or shifting.(ii) One additional wrapper chain or cable will be required on log trucks using chock blocks over and above the requirements in (a)(iii) and (iv) of this subsection, and logs must be properly blocked in a manner to prevent them from rolling or shifting.(c) In the case of short logs loaded crosswise, the following method of securing the load must be used if the truck trailer is not provided with solid ends of a height sufficient to prevent any log in the load from rolling off:(i) Not less than two chock blocks must be used at each open end of the vehicle and the load must be held with at least two wrapper chains or cables. The wrappers must be firmly attached to the end of the truck or trailer.(ii) Rigid standards or stakes may be used in lieu of chock blocks but each such standard or stake must be either rigidly connected to the bed of the truck or trailer or must be placed in a tight fitting socket at least 12 inches in depth. (d) When two wrappers are required, they must be applied within six feet of the front and rear bunks. When more than two wrappers are required, the front and back tiedowns must be applied within six feet of the front and rear bunks.(e) To properly secure short logs, tiedowns must be placed near the end, not less than 12 inches from the end of the log.(f) No log loaded on top or in outside saddles of a load will be transported unless secured by not less than two wrapper chains or cables, one of which must be placed near each end of such log. (g) All wrappers and tiedowns must be fastened in place prior to tightening to prevent the displacement of logs on the top of the load.(h) All wrapper chains or cables, except in the case of one log loads, must entirely surround the load. This does not apply to gut-wrappers.(i) Gut-wrappers, when used, will be adjusted so as to be tightened by, but not carry the weight of the logs above them.(j) Wrappers and tie-downs must be placed and tightened around the completed load before the truck leaves the immediate loading area.(k) Wrapper chains or cables, tiedowns, fasteners, or attachments thereof, used for any purpose as required by these standards, must have a minimum breaking strength of not less than 15,000 pounds and must be rigged so that it can be safely released. (l) For the purposes of this standard, applied bundle straps or banding are not acceptable as wrappers and tiedowns.(m) All loose ends of wrapper chains or cables must be securely fastened so as to prevent their swinging free in a manner that will create a hazard.(n) Trucks and trailers used around sorting yards, etc., which travel at slow speeds, will not be required to use wrappers providing all logs are contained by and lie below the height of the stakes and there are no persons on the ground exposed to such traffic.(o) Tiedowns for securing wrappers on logging trucks must be fitted with hooks of proper size and design for the wrapper chain being used.(p) Wrappers must be removed from service when any of the following conditions exist: (i) Excessively worn links on chains;(ii) Deformed or stretched chain links;(iii) Cracked chain links;(iv) Frayed, stranded, knotted, or otherwise defective wire rope.(q) Pipe extension handles (swedes) for tightening or securing tiedowns must be limited to not longer than 36 inches. A sufficient amount of the pipe must extend over the tiedown handle.(r) Defective tie-downs must be immediately removed from service.(2) For illustrations of placement and number of wrappers, see Figures 25 through 35 under WAC 296-54-58950.Wash. Admin. Code § 204-44-020
Amended by WSR 15-19-103, Filed 9/18/2015, effective 10/19/2015Statutory Authority: RCW 46.37.005, 46.37.010, and 46.37.490. 78-10-100 (Order 7303B), § 204-44-020, filed 10/3/78; Order 7606, § 204-44-020, filed 2/24/76; Order 7303, § 204-44-020, filed 12/19/73.
Reviser's note: RCW 34.05.395 requires the use of underlining and deletion marks to indicate amendments to existing rules, and deems ineffectual changes not filed by the agency in this manner. The bracketed material in the above section does not appear to conform to the statutory requirement.