Road Legal

Maintenance requirements vary dramatically according to the type of vehicle and the type of operation it is used for.

All commercial vehicle operators should refer to VOSA’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, a substantial but easy-to read document – the Traffic Commissioners will expect  operators to abide by its recommendations.

Daily checks of wheels and tyres

Routine in-service checks should be carried out by the driver or other designated person during normal vehicle use. Tyres should be visually examined regularly. They should be checked for damage, irregular or excessive wear, foreign objects embedded in them or trapped between dual tyres, and incorrect inflation. All tyre pressures must be checked with an accurate pressure gauge and valve caps refitted.

Inflation

Overloading and/or under-inflation cause tyres to deflect excessively, leading to premature tyre failure. In addition under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, thereby reducing fuel efficiency. An over-inflated tyre is more susceptible to impact fractures. Refer to your tyre supplier for correct inflation  pressures; all tyre pressures must be checked (when tyres are cold) with an accurate pressure gauge.

Correct specification

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 specify that goods vehicles, trailers, buses and certain other categories must be fitted with tyres that are capable of carrying the maximum permitted axle weight of the vehicle at the maximum legal speed for the type of vehicle concerned. This information is contained in the tyre markings on the sidewall of the tyre.

Other sources of information on tyres and tyre safety:

• Tyre Industry Council 020 7734 6363
• Continental Tyres
• National Tyre Distributors Association 0800 9000 600

Torqueing wheel nuts and studs

All the truck and axle manufacturers issue guidelines for the correct torqueing procedure for wheels and the correct torque settings. To avoid long-term damage to the wheel, nut and stud, wheels should only be tightened using a torque wrench. After refitting wheels all wheelnuts should be re-torqued, following the correct pattern, after 50km or half an hour of operation.

Other daily checks

Once again, routine in-service checks should be carried out by the driver or other designated person during normal vehicle use. They should look at:

• brakes
• lights
• reflectors
• number plates
• windscreen wipers and washers
• horn
• exhaust system
• fifth wheel or trailer coupling
• load security

In-cab checks:

• the driving seat is correctly adjusted
• interior and exterior mirrors are clean and correctly adjusted
• the lenses and screens of rear-view video equipment are clean
• gauges and warning systems are working
• the parking brake is applied
• the gear selector is in neutral
• the doors are working and are closed

The government has published a comprehensive list of daily check items.

Checking vehicles safely

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a number of reports on safe operation around tyres. A recent example is guidance on the Collection and Delivery of Tyres. This guide is limited to dealing with the risk of musculoskeletal disorders arising from the manual handling of vehicle tyres during collection and delivery. The HSE has also produced information drawing attention to the risk of serious or fatal injury if hot work is done on vehicle wheels to which tyres are still fitted.

For more information about health and safety ring the HSE’s Infoline (08701 545500) or log onto the HSE website.