does commercial vehicles have to have a headache rack on there truck when hauling a flat bed load?
Public Comments
1. no but it is nice to have to put stuff in or on instead of your truck2. it's not required but nice to have. but if something is heavy and big enough to even be able to go through the cab it will probably go through the headache rack anyways, the rack MIGHT slow it down enough to not kill the driver though. i don't think it's even required by DOT for logging because i've seen some here in NC without a headache rack or any kind of protection behind the cab. most 18 wheelers with a headache rack more or less use it mainly to hang chains on and for other stuff, so mostly a "utility rack" more than protection.
and just so you know, a headache rack can be both the rack on the back of the tractor (18 wheeler cab truck) and the vertical piece (like a wall) on the front of a flatbed trailer. some flatbed trailers have them but most don't. it's also called a"bulk head" to but most like me just call it a headache rack and don't really call the vertical piece anything. but i personally call the piece on the back of the "tractor" the headache rack and the "wall" on the front of the flatbed trailer a bulkhead.
3. 393.110 specifies that if there is no headache rack/headboard, additional securement is needed.
..it must be secured by at least:
(b)(1) One tiedown for articles 5 feet (1.52 meters) or less in length, and 1,100 pounds (500 kg) or less in weight;
(b)(2) Two tiedowns if the article is:
(b)(2)(i) 5 feet (1.52 meters) or less in length and more than 1,100 pounds (500 kg) in weight; or
(b)(2)(ii) Longer than 5 feet (1.52 meters) but less than or equal to 10 feet (3.04 meters) in length, irrespective of the weight.
(b)(3) Two tiedowns if the article is longer than 10 feet (3.04 meters), and one additional tiedown for every 10 feet (3.04 meters) of article length, or fraction thereof, beyond the first 10 feet (3.04 meters) of length.
