Secure and Cover Your Load
Help prevent litter and hazards from uncovered loads coming to the Waste Management Centre.
.png)
Secure tightly with appropriate lashings AND cover your load with a cargo net.
Please refer to the National Transport Commission’s - Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles to help you understand how to safely restrain and cover your load.
When you transport any kind of load (ie rubbish or greenwaste to the tip), your ute/trailer/truck must be loaded safely. Your load must not endanger other road users, you or your passengers or damage road infrastructure.
This means ensuring that your load:
- Is properly restrained
- Doesn’t overhang dangerously
- Doesn’t exceed mass limits
- Doesn’t cover lights, indicators, reflectors or the number plate
Across Australia, it’s illegal to drive a vehicle carrying or towing a load without a load restraint system that meets relevant performance standards.
What if I don’t have the appropriate tie downs or cover for my ute/trailer/truck?
Then you must not transport your material or goods to a waste management facility, or wherever your destination may be, until you do have them. If you do, you are subject to fines (see below).
Please refer to the National Transport Commission’s - Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles.
Is it okay to use ropes only?
No. You must use a combination of appropriate lashings and an appropriate cover that will not let loose material escape from the transporting vehicle or trailer such as a tarp, large old blanket or fine mesh trailer/ute cover. Large hole cargo nets are generally not good enough to cover loads.
The cover is not to be relied upon as the restraint device to keep the load affixed to your ute/trailer/truck.
Refer to Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles for requirements and reference to Load restraint equipment and materials and Restraining Specific Loads information is located from Page 15 – 19.
If I have sides on the ute/trailer/truck do I still have to cover my load?
If you are transporting any rubbish or green waste to the tip that may blow out or is at risk of falling out if the vehicle over turns, then you must cover your load with an appropriate cover, even if you have sides.
Refer to Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles for requirements (page 16 – restraining specific loads).
If I get caught without the correct cover on my load, what is the fine?
You risk 2 types of fines if you don’t cover and secure your load correctly:
My cover only has half of my load covered, is that good enough?
No. Your appropriate cover needs to conceal ALL of the load so that nothing can blow out or fall out of the trailer or vehicle.
The cover is not to be relied upon as the restraint device to keep the load affixed to your ute/trailer/truck.
Refer to Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles for requirements and reference to Load restraint equipment and materials and Restraining Specific Loads information is located from Page 15 – 19.
.png)
