Securing Cargo in Winter: How Ice Changes Your Strap Count

How do you secure cargo properly in winter?

Securing cargo in winter differs from summer securing in one respect: the friction your calculation relies on disappears. EN 12195-1 gives friction factors μ only for clean, dry and wet surfaces free of frost, ice and snow, and if the deck or the underside of the load is iced up, you may not use a μ above 0.2. For a 10-tonne load that is the difference between 6 straps at μ = 0.6 and 48 straps at μ = 0.2. That is why, on ice, you block the load and lash it directly rather than simply “pulling it down” with straps.

It is a familiar picture for anyone who hauls freight between November and March. In the morning the trailer stands under snow, the deck is glazed with ice, and last night’s straps are lying in the cab in a frozen tangle. You load, tension, set off, and everything looks just as it does in July. Except that nothing is holding the load any more: the calculation behind those straps assumed dry timber, not ice.

In frictional (top-over) lashing, the strap does not hold the load. It only presses it onto the deck, and friction does the holding. Once you take the friction away, five straps become five pieces of string laid over a sliding crate.

Securing cargo in winter: why does ice break the strap calculation?

The strap-count formula

EN 12195-1 (Table 2) requires the load to withstand 0.8 g forwards under braking, and 0.5 g rearwards and sideways under acceleration and cornering. For frictional lashing, you calculate the number of straps with equation (8) of the standard:

n ≥ f_s · (c_x,y − μ · c_z) · m · g / (2 · μ · sin α · STF)

• n: number of straps;
• f_s: safety factor, 1.1;
• c_x,y: acceleration coefficient (0.8 forwards; 0.5 rearwards and sideways), c_z = 1.0;
• μ: friction factor between the load and the deck;
• m · g: weight of the load;
• α: angle of the strap to the horizontal plane of the deck;
• STF: standard tension force, as marked on the strap label.

The same load at different friction levels

Notice where μ sits: in both the numerator and the denominator. The relationship is therefore not linear but runaway. Here is the same load at different levels of friction.

Why frictional lashing alone fails on ice

However, this is not a safety margin; it is an order of magnitude. Neither 48 straps nor 240 will fit on a trailer. For example, a strap with an STF of 500 daN instead of 350 daN brings the μ = 0.2 case down to 34 straps instead of 48, which is better but still unrealistic. The conclusion is simple: on ice, frictional lashing cannot be your only method. Real ice is even more slippery: reference values for ice on timber and steel are around 0.03–0.05.

In addition, the flatter the strap, the less it presses down. We covered this in our article on cargo securing methods. In winter, when the friction margin is already used up, every percentage point lost to a shallow strap angle hurts that much more.

What should you do about securing cargo on an icy deck?

When friction cannot be calculated, it cannot be counted on. That leaves methods that do not depend on friction, or depend on it only weakly.

First: clean the surfaces and block the load

1. Clear the deck and the load before loading. The μ values in the standard apply only to clean surfaces free of frost, ice and snow. Ice under the load cancels the calculation, however perfectly the straps are tensioned on top.
2. Block the load. EN 12195-1 names blocking (headboards, side boards, stanchions, wedges) as the first method to use whenever it is possible. Because a stop needs no friction, it holds the load on ice too.

Then: direct lashing, mats and retensioning

3. Switch to direct lashing. Diagonal and loop lashing work through the strap’s LC, not through friction. Example: the same 10-tonne load, braking forwards, μ taken as 0, straps with LC 2500 daN at 30° to the deck, running lengthways. Under equation (23) of the standard, 2 · cos 30° · LC > 0.8 · m · g, so you need 2 pairs, 4 straps in total, against 48 in the frictional scheme. The conditions: the load has attachment points, the vehicle body has lashing points of sufficient strength (EN 12640), and you have checked the other directions and tilting separately.
4. Use an anti-slip mat only with a test report for its μ value. The standard requires a certificate for the friction value of friction-enhancing materials, and those values also refer to a clean surface. A mat on ice is still just a mat on ice.
5. Retension at the first safe stop. EN 12195-1 recommends retensioning after a short distance: the load settles, and temperature swings change the force in the strap. So in winter, with thaws and frosts within a single shift, do it more often.

If you need to choose a strap for direct lashing, use our guide to selecting a lashing strap by LC.

How do lashing straps behave in the cold and the wet?

In fact, polyester itself does not fear winter: the standard covers deep frost. The trouble comes, however, from ice, dirt and moisture around the strap.

Three questions before a winter run

So before a winter run, ask yourself three questions. Is the deck, and the underside of the load, clean? What is actually holding the load: a stop, lashing points, or friction alone? When and where will I retension? If the answer to the second is “friction alone” and there is ice outside, it is time to change the scheme.

LPX Trade lashing straps conform to EN 12195-2 and carry legible LC/STF marking. You can find straps, chains and lashing accessories for winter runs in the lpxtrade.lv catalogue.

FAQ: securing cargo in winter

Can you use lashing straps in freezing weather?

Yes, provided the straps are polyester (PES) and conform to EN 12195-2: for PES the standard allows use from about −40 °C, and the exact limit is printed on the label. Cold does not relax the condition requirements: a strap with an illegible label, cuts or a jamming ratchet is as unfit in winter as in summer.

At what temperature must lashing straps not be used?

For polyester (PES), EN 12195-2 allows −40 °C to +120 °C; many labels state −40 to +100 °C, so follow the label on your strap. Outside the stated range the strap must not be used. Polyamide (PA) and polypropylene (PP) straps behave differently: their temperature range and performance when wet are not the same.

Do you need to retension straps during a journey?

Yes. EN 12195-1 recommends retensioning after a short distance: the load settles and temperature swings change the force in the strap. In winter this matters even more. As a practical rule, check tension at the first safe stop, then regularly on long runs, especially after a thaw, wet snow or a change in the weather.

How many straps do you need to secure a load in winter?

Use the EN 12195-1 formula for frictional lashing: n ≥ fs·(cx − μ·cz)·m·g / (2·μ·sinα·STF). In winter the key is the right μ: with ice or snow present, the standard does not allow a value above 0.2. If the result runs to dozens of straps, switch to blocking or direct lashing.

Do anti-slip mats work on ice and snow?

No, you cannot count on μ = 0.6 on ice or snow. The friction values in EN 12195-1 apply to clean, dry and wet surfaces free of frost, ice and snow, and anti-slip materials need a certificate for their μ value. A mat only works if the mat, the deck and the underside of the load are cleared of ice.

What should you do if a strap or ratchet has frozen?

Do not hammer the ratchet or heat it with an open flame: polyester melts, and damage to the webbing is hidden under ice. Clear the ice with a soft brush, let the mechanism thaw in a warm place, then check its action, the label and the stitching. If the ratchet jams or the webbing is damaged, replace the strap.

Author: LPX Trade Editorial Team, supplier of cargo securing equipment (Liepāja, Latvia).
Last updated: 29 October 2026.
Calculations: the examples in this article are illustrative and follow EN 12195-1 equations with the stated assumptions; for a specific journey, calculate from the full text of the standard and the actual load and vehicle data.

Sources:

• EN 12195-1:2010, Load restraining on road vehicles — Safety — Part 1: Calculation of securing forces (acceleration coefficients, equations for frictional and direct lashing, blocking, friction factors): iTeh catalogue
• EN 12195-2, Load restraint assemblies on road vehicles — Safety — Part 2: Web lashing made from man-made fibres (marking, temperature range): iTeh catalogue
• Directive 2014/47/EU on the technical roadside inspection of commercial vehicles
• EN 12640 (lashing points on commercial vehicles) and EN 12642 (body structure strength)
• JOAB, Appendix — Friction Factors (note on surfaces with ice and snow, μ not above 0.2): joab.se
• Instructions for the use of web lashings to EN 12195-2 (effect of temperature changes, PES temperature range): manuals.plus
• Reference friction values for ice: MISUMI, Coefficient of Friction