Cargo Securement Steel Coils

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name: cargo-securement-steel-coils
description: |
  Use this skill for transporting steel coils. Covers § 393.120 specific rules, chain requirements, dunnage placement, and inspection procedures.
---

# Steel Coil Cargo Securement

Steel coils have specific securement rules under § 393.120. They are a high-injury cargo because of their weight and shape.

## Coil orientation
- **Eye-vertical** (coil sitting up, hole pointing up) — most common, easier to secure
- **Eye-horizontal** (coil lying on its side, hole pointing sideways) — requires special securement
- **Saddled** (coil resting on a U-shaped saddle) — requires additional restraint

## Required securement
- Chains rated to at least 50% of coil weight
- Minimum 4 tiedowns for coils up to 5 tons
- More tiedowns for heavier coils
- Tiedowns must prevent forward, backward, and lateral movement

## Dunnage placement
- Wooden blocks under the coil (load-spreading)
- Side blocks to prevent rolling
- Forward + rearward blocks to prevent shift

## Inspection points
- Chain integrity (no rust pitting, no kinks)
- Chain securing devices (binders or buckles)
- Attachment points to vehicle (rated, not damaged)
- Cargo movement check (pre-trip)
- Cargo movement check during travel (mid-trip if practical)

## Common violations
- Chains rated too low for coil weight
- Insufficient tiedowns (under § 393.120)
- Coil moving during transit
- Coil ride-up on dunnage during braking

## Specialty trailer types
- **Steel haulers** with built-in coil saddles
- **Conestoga trailers** (rolling tarp + secured coils)
- **Multi-coil trailers** (specifically designed for multiple coils)

## Driver training
- Steel coil handling certification (some states require)
- Pre-trip cargo inspection
- Mid-trip stop + tiedown check
- Recognition of coil movement during travel

## Compass cargo securement
- Steel coil-specific compliance scoring
- WLL calculator for coil + chain combinations
- Pre-trip checklist with coil-specific items

## CFR citations
- **49 CFR § 393.120**

## How Compass surfaces this
Searchable in Compass Ask. Runs against carrier fleet data when invoked from the relevant tracker. Read-only; no actions without explicit user approval.


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## Built by X3 Compass

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*This skill is published under the X3 Compass open skills initiative. Contributions welcome at https://github.com/x3fleetsafety/skills*