Pacific National's Freight Loading Manual did not require the use of radial unitising straps to prevent telescoping on jumbo coils where the thickness of the steel was greater than 2 mm.
The ATSB is satisfied that the use of a minimum of two radial unitising straps on jumbo coils will reduce the risk of telescoping during transit.
Pacific National issued a safety notice to drivers on 8 June 2018. This included a requirement that all coils, regardless of steel thickness, shall be fitted with a minimum of three radial unitising straps.
On 18 September 2020, Pacific National also advised that they have updated the Freight Loading Manual to include a requirement for all jumbo coils to have a minimum of two radial and two circumferential unitising straps applied. The manual further requires that coils that pass through an additional processing step, called the skin-pass mill, must have three radial straps fitted.
