News

Vosa has changed its mind and decided that vehicles with front-mounted cranes do need sideguards - but not until April 2008.The sideguard legislation introduced in 1984 required continuous protection along the length of the vehicle, but the outriggers fitted with front-mount cranes need a gap in the sideguards. This became custom and practise, but there have been a number of recent cases in which vehicles presented for MoT have failed for inadequate sideguards.

Vosa says: "The sideguard  requirements are contained within the HGV Inspection Manual. In the year 2000, to simplify the test, examiners were advised not to measure sideguards, although the requirements remained in the manual to aid operator compliance. "It was considered at that time that this would not have a notable affect on vehicle compliance. However, towards the end of last year it was identified that vehicles were being presented for annual test with sideguard sections missing, in some cases where the vehicle had been non compliant from new."

The spokesman adds that vehicles fitted with "short bodies" or sleeper cabs were identified as those most likely to have non-compliant sideguards due to the increased complexity of compliance. "Examiners have therefore been advised to consider carefully any vehicle where there appears to be a sideguard section missing as there remains a requirement to have sideguards fitted where they are required by regulation. The situation is currently being discussed with  the trade associations."

However, this week Vosa issued a directive stating that until 1 April 2008 no vehicle should be failed for incomplete sideguards. Instead their operators will be advised that they are non-compliant and will fail in the future. Vehicles presented after 1 April 2008 will have to be fitted with continuous guards. These will probably have to be detachable, as most crane controls would be in the path of the guards, and there are likely to be further issues with the siting of the crane when it is stowed for travel.