Archive

1. What is an S marked prohibition?

   14th September 2020 4:07 pm Comments Off on What is an S marked prohibition?

   An S marked prohibition is the most serious of these prohibitions and is issued when an examiner believes a severe defect is due to a significant breakdown in the vehicle’s maintenance procedures. Failing to connect the EBS line between the trailer and unit is a common example of when an S marked prohibition could be issued. Other examples include driving incomplete vehicles on the public road without trade plates and severe tyre damage.

   S marked prohibitions are referred to DVSA Regional Enforcement and are almost always followed up with a maintenance investigation which scrutinises the procedures that the operator has in place to ensure compliance. Unless the operator is able to demonstrate a satisfactory level of compliance across the rest of the fleet, there is a high possibility of the case being referred to the Traffic Commissioner who may then decide to hold a Public Inquiry to determine whether any restrictive measures should be placed on your licence.

   It is important to drill down into the circumstances of the S marked prohibition as soon as you receive notification of its issue. Getting a clear and accurate picture of what caused the prohibition to be issued allows you to take proactive steps to ensure remedial action is taken before DVSA arrive to inspect which can stand you in good stead.

   Contact us today for some free advice on how to deal with your S marked prohibition.

2. How long should a daily walk around check last? Is there any minimum time limit?

   12th September 2020 5:51 pm Comments Off on How long should a daily walk around check last? Is there any minimum time limit?

   There is no legal minimum period; however, we would suggest taking between 5 and 10 minutes to carry out a comprehensive check. Some companies adopt policies that drivers’ must take 15 minutes but there is no legal requirement for this specific period.

   Remember to insert your tachograph prior to carrying out your daily walk around check and set the mode switch to “cross hammers” to record the activity of other work as this is a legal requirement.

   Some operators can have doubts over the effectiveness of a driver’s daily check. This can result in ‘driver discoverable’ defects being picked up during safety inspections. Contact us today for some free advice on how to address these issues.

   Here is some guidance on what your daily walk around check should include.

3. HGV brake testing – how often? Are road tests acceptable?

   5:46 pm Comments Off on HGV brake testing – how often? Are road tests acceptable?

   HGV brake testing should be one of the most crucial components in your preventative maintenance systems. EVERY safety inspection must assess the braking performance of the vehicle or trailer. It is strongly advised that a calibrated roller brake tester is used at each safety inspection to measure individual brake performance and overall braking efficiencies.

   It is also acceptable to use an approved and calibrated decelerometer to test vehicles without trailers to measure overall brake efficiency values.

   Road tests are permitted – however if this is the only method of brake testing, it will be deemed inadequate. It is normally expected that a vehicle should complete at least three successful brake efficiency tests spread throughout the year in addition to the annual MOT test.

   Guidance was issued by the DVSA in April 2016 which you can read here.