Oil and Water Checks at start of shift

ASK THE EXPERTS SAFETY, LAW AND WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE FORUM (INTE
1

Morning All
I’m new to this forum and not as qualified as you guys and gals, I am a lowly 7.5 t driver working permanent nights delivering a time sensitive product to shops, I need some advice desperately. in September I did part 2 of the DCPC and at it we were told it was a legal requirement for drivers to check oil and water levels during their start of shift vehicle check, several of us raised this with our transport supervisor and were told it was not our problem as this particular depot operated a weekly bonnet up day, (based on the fact that every vehicle only covers approx 72 mile a night) we asked him what part of the words legal requirement he didn’t understand, but were told that’s the way we work so sod off. onm the 28th november I did part 3 of the DCPC and it was again raised during the discussion on start of shift checks that it was a legal requirement for drivers to check oil and water levels. I again raised the point we are not allowed under the bonnet, he said he would email the overall head off transport within the group. below is a copy of what was asked and what his reply was
question:
I have had an issue raised by some drivers during the course of the DCPC courses regarding the checking if oil & water as part of the pre start safety vehicle check.
Could you please clarify the company policy regarding these checks as some drivers have been told not to check these items as part of the pre start check & that this check only need be performed once per week.
answer:
The company procedure is that these items must be checked as part of the vehicle “walk around” process.
I suspect that in some cases these item may not get checked daily, however we need to preach the policy. If someone decides not to check these items and there is a mechanical failure, then it is on their head.

Armed with this info I again raised the issue with our depot and again was told to “sod off”
so I emailed the overall head of transport within the group see below
Dear Sir
If you will bear with me while I endeavour to explain why I am writing to you.
On the 19th September 2011 I attended phase 2 of the driver cpc at the Preston Depot, at which it was pointed out that it was by law the drivers responsibility to check oil and water levels, this worried myself and several other drivers as our depot operates a once weekly bonnet up day. I raised this on behalf of myself and colleagues with my night manager and he said he would raise it with our transport manageress.
On Monday I attended phase 3 of the driver cpc at the Chester Depot, this gave me the opportunity to again clarify that it was indeed A legal requirement for the driver to check the oil and water levels and he again said it was, and that he would contact yourself for confirmation on company policy. on arriving at work last night he showed me the reply that he had received from yourself, which caused me some concern in that it stated a driver would be held responsible for any damage caused by not checking said levels, ( I must however agree with the policy and problems tilting the cabs as regards the Isuzu’s)
I again raised the issue this morning and was told in no uncertain terms by 2 senior supervisors the responsibly was not mine and as the vehicles are only doing on average 72 mile a night it did not merit nightly checks,
Can I please ask you for your guidance on this matter,
On turning in for the start of my shift I was hauled into the office and was given a right dressing down, so I emailed our depot transport manageress to state my reasons for my action (won’t bore you with my email) but here is the reply
Tony,
I was very disappointed that you had chosen to go direct to Allan Hughes in connection to this matter. AS you said in your e-mail to Allan there is a Transport manager at Chester. If you had no joy from Mr Thomas, why did you not refer the matter to me?
For the purpose of clarity, at Chester we operate a bonnet up day to purposely remove the responsibility from the driver as it is very difficult to check levels in the dark and I’m not so confident that all drivers would be as diligent as perhaps yourself.
The process has worked well for the 25+ years that it has been in operation so I see no reason to change it.
All vehicles are fitted with warning indicators to advise drivers if there was an issue with either oil/water/clutch fluid and also if there had been an oil/water leak the driver would see this on the floor as he did his walk around check.
I understand that you feel your concerns have not been properly addressed by the manager you advised, however I hope this will now allay your fears but I would appreciate you contacting me in future if you have any issues that you feel have not been satisfactorily addresses.

my question to the knowledgable ones is it indeed a Legal Requirement for a driver to check the oil and water.
I must admit I have never come across anyone in authority to put in writing permission to break the law
and possibly jeapodise the operators licence of a major company in event of a VOSA check.
Sorry it’s such a long post but please I need your help

Tony

2

There is no written law that says anything MUST be done at the start of a shift BUT it is good practice to do so

The authorities EXPECT a driver to do basic safety checks before they drive a commercial vehicle and frown on those that do not
Cannot really blame the authorites because to me that is common sense

My car does very little mileage so a once a week check is sufficient for oil + water

DCPC trainers …hmmm… read other posts on how many, not all, of those have been caught out by making stuff up

3

Welcome to Trucknet-UK indyblade :wink:

As far as I know it is not a legal requirement to check oil and water at any-time, though it is obviously advisable and common practice to check both on a daily basis as part of the start of shift vehicle check.

My advise would be to ask the manager to put it in writing that you are not required to check oil and water and that in the event of mechanical failure due to loss of oil or water the driver will not be held responsible.

Obviously there would never be any excuse for failing to take appropriate action on seeing a warning light indicating a problem.

On a side note when you say you did part 2 of the DCPC presumably you mean you did a second 7 hour course ?

4

Thanks for the reply tachograph, our Chester Depot policy is we are not allowed under the bonnet, but as you will have seen in my original post company policy is that it is the drivers responsability.
Yes I did mean the 2nd 7hr session, so far completed 3 sessions in 14 months

tony

5

If you work where I think you work the levels on your vehicles have always been spot on nearly everytime I been to them lol.

I am here: maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.524696,-2.503865

6

As far as I am aware the law/rules only details that “A repsonsible person must carry out a walkaround check before the vehicle or trailer is used” and the responsbile person “must carry out at least one walkaround check in every 24 hours”.

It does not - as far as I know - detail what a walkaround check consists of. However VOSA have published a DVD guide to a walkaround check on which they do not check oils & water. They do emphasise looking under the vehicle for signs of leaks.

The walkaround check is more about safety than maintenance/servicing. the VOSA guide only shows to check safety items such as things falling off, tyres, wheel nuts, lights etc. If I remember correctly, Ian Marsh - the VOSA guy on the video says something like “We only say you must carry out a walkaround check, we don’t say what you must check” (or something like that)

VOSA also produce a pull out guide to the walkaround check. This is obtained from the Guide To Maintaining Road Worthiness. This shows to check for leaks - but not actually check the levels.

if your company has a written policy (do you have a drivers handbook or employee handbook that forms part of your contract of employment etc that might have this in) then you need to follow that.

it sounds as though the depot are wary of drivers going ‘under the bonnet’ and as an employee, as long as doing what they want doesn’t break the law - then you should comply.

Your DCPC trainer was wrong to state it is a legal requirement to check the oil.

7

shep532:
Your DCPC trainer was wrong to state it is a legal requirement to check the oil.

Of course he was, he’s a DCPC trainer and unless he falls into the 2%, or 1 TruckNet DCPC trainer member whose username begins with a ‘B’ (statistic pulled from my ■■■ in the same way they pull ‘legal requirements’) that know what they are talking about then it is fact he will be wrong.

VOSA Walkround Check Guide with no requirement to check oil and water levels.

8

I don’t physically check fluid levels unless my truck’s just come back from service and I do a walk round check every day.

Modern lorries have got more sensors than an ICU ward and I’ve been equipped with five senses that should warn me of any inpending problems.

Relax but stay aware and you’ll be fine. Epic post BTW.

W

9

No laws broken, some older lorries need oil every day, some don’t need any for 3 months,

any company who says you cannot lift the front flap wants shafting with a rag mans trumpet, winter is almost upon us and screen washer fluid will be used much more, as it is £60 with 3 points, it is up to me to check there is water in it, whatever some bloody bulletin says on the notice board!