Maintenance Responsibilities for Concrete Mixers.

Two MixerSURE? sessions this week on maintenance for both driver and operator legal responsibilities and best practices, especially regarding daily walkaround checks.

With the recent updates to the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the document sets out responsibilities for maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition, regardless of operating conditions.?

• Where the guide says you must do something, it is a direct legal requirement set out in legislation, something that is required under Road Traffic law, Health and Safety legislation, or the legal undertakings to the Traffic Commissioner for your operator licence.
• Where the guide says you should do something, it is best practice, and while you are not required to do it, it is strongly recommended that you do unless you can demonstrate that an alternative approach provides a similar level of compliance.
• The Upper Tribunal, that is, the Traffic Commissioners' appeal court, has approved this guide for managing maintenance.

Roadworthiness is complying with the appropriate vehicle construction, road safety, environmental and operating standards required by the law in the UK.

The DVSA Earned Recognition scheme allows operators to prove they meet driver and vehicle standards by being compliant with vehicle and safety standards.?

As the driver is legally responsible for the vehicle whilst in use, carrying out a daily walkaround is a vital part of the driver's role. Covering the whole vehicle or combination, there's the additional driver requirement to monitor the vehicle while driving and be aware of any developing faults.?

It's also vitally important that drivers?must?be made aware of their legal responsibilities, including the need to be adequately trained to perform the check.?

Driver's responsibilities?should?be detailed in writing, describing defect reporting systems and any other duties they are expected to perform. The driver should sign to confirm they have received their responsibilities in writing and understand what is required. A copy of the document should be kept on file. Drivers share the responsibility for the vehicle's roadworthiness with the operator.

Traffic commissioners can take action against a driver who fails to complete an adequate walkaround check. This could lead to a driver conduct hearing, which may result in losing their vocational driving licence.

A further legal requirement for drivers across our sector on site work is to check the vehicle before leaving the site to identify any faults or damage, paying particular attention to wheels and tyres.?

Stone entrapment is an issue of many construction sites and quarries, but what about vehicles working from concrete plants??

This picture shows the potential safety issues on the braking system of a mixer from constantly driving through cement slurry that could prevent the vehicle's safe operation.?

Regular safety inspections often miss many of the critical safety requirements for mixers, with many not covering the mixer unit.?

Every mixer manufacturer requires that the mixer unit is checked and maintained in line with their safety requirements, and this should be included in any training delivered.?

Training covers assessing safety-critical items or specialist equipment associated with the vehicle's work activity?and performance.

It's also important to remember that operational needs?must?not override safety considerations.?

One of the most significant issues we encounter in the ready-mix sector is the need for vehicle-specific training for drivers, mentors, managers, and transport managers (or responsible persons).?

If the proper training isn't provided, how is a driver expected to carry out the required check??

You must provide the proper training if a mentor can't explain the safety-critical checks and the consequences of not carrying them out to another driver.?

A manager must be trained in the individual vehicle manufacturer requirements concerning safety checks to control the company's maintenance requirements effectively.?

The introduction of the DVSA's Concrete Operational Earned Recognition module gives clear guidance on what DVSA expects from the ready-mix and batched on-site sectors.?

Many across our sector need to pay more attention to the legal requirements, standards, publications and guidance available for drivers and operators for safety and complaint-related matters.

A one-size fits all approach no longer suits the requirements of this industry, a high-risk industry that requires a different and innovative approach to training and competence.??

MixerSURE? from MinTrain? provides the only multi-award-winning training and assessments accredited by DVSA and EMPI Awards for the ready-mix supply chain and is regularly updated to ensure that everyone has the specific training and can demonstrate competence for drivers and operators of these specialist vehicles.?

If you'd like to know more about what we offer, delivered externally or in-house, why not email us to find out more??

Competence Without Compromise

[email protected]

www.min-train.com