Hi guys I’m just looking for some advice/views on wheel torqing and load security.
I recently lost my job a Class 2 ADR driver after a year of being victimised and bullied by the operations director who suffers from severe small man syndrome!
One of the reasons was wheel torqing…Out of a fleet of 10 only 3 drivers used to torque their wheels on a weekly basis and these were artic drivers and it was usually only their trailers that where torqued. The other 7 of us only used to do it after a tyre change or wheel removal after work at the dealership. Is there a legal requirement to torque your wheels on a weekly basis or is it sufficient to do a visual check every day whilst filling in your defect book?
The second reason was load security I am aware that all of the pallets are supposed to be secured but the vehicle I was driving could carry 14 pallets but only had 7 internal straps and an additional 2 belly straps. I had asked on various occasions for some more internal straps and all I kept getting told was we’ll sort some out for you……it never happened though. So obviously I couldn’t secure every pallet like I’m supposed to and I ended up only strapping the ones that I thought may cause me problems due to weight and size.
A third problem that I used to have (nothing to do with my dismissal) was my tail lift. The weight inside the tail lift was broken making the tail lift extremely hard to lift up, it also used to drop but about an inch when you put a pallet on it. The companies health and safety adviser condemned it when he tried to do some training (he condemned 3 on the same day due to a failure of lifting equipment) but this was never fixed after more than 8 weeks of being defected and I was told by the operations director that it could still be used.
I know its a little bit long and drawn out but im thinking of claiming unfair dismissal and just need some advice.
Well for a start, there is no legal requirement to torque your wheels on a weekly basis. A visual daily check however is a legal requirement.
There are a couple of interesting threads on here at the moment, (maybe only over the next page) concerning VOSA and load security. Its now a legal requirement to have all pallets secured from what ive read!
The company i work for has tail lift services carried out regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose and safe to use. I guess thats because if someone were to injure themseleves whilst using a lift that was faulty, the company WOULD be liable for any damages / claim by the employee.
dpt2011:
A third problem that I used to have (nothing to do with my dismissal) was my tail lift. The weight inside the tail lift was broken making the tail lift extremely hard to lift up, it also used to drop but about an inch when you put a pallet on it. The companies health and safety adviser condemned it when he tried to do some training (he condemned 3 on the same day due to a failure of lifting equipment) but this was never fixed after more than 8 weeks of being defected and I was told by the operations director that it could still be used.
So far as that tail lift goes, research LOLERÂ and PUWER, the two main sets of regulations covering lifting equipment and equipment at work. I’m not sure tail lifts are in scope of LOLER, but they probably are. PUWERÂ certainly applies.
It may also be wise to remove the name and location of the company from your post - it may cause you problems later on if you don’t.
dpt2011:
A third problem that I used to have (nothing to do with my dismissal) was my tail lift. The weight inside the tail lift was broken making the tail lift extremely hard to lift up, it also used to drop but about an inch when you put a pallet on it. The companies health and safety adviser condemned it when he tried to do some training (he condemned 3 on the same day due to a failure of lifting equipment) but this was never fixed after more than 8 weeks of being defected and I was told by the operations director that it could still be used.
So far as that tail lift goes, research LOLERÂ and PUWER, the two main sets of regulations covering lifting equipment and equipment at work. I’m not sure tail lifts are in scope of LOLER, but they probably are. PUWERÂ certainly applies.
It may also be wise to remove the name and location of the company from your post - it may cause you problems later on if you don’t.
Thanks I’ll have alook into those, probably a good idea about naming, I’ll remove it straight away.
dpt2011:
One of the reasons was wheel torqing…Out of a fleet of 10 only 3 drivers used to torque their wheels on a weekly basis and these were artic drivers and it was usually only their trailers that where torqued. The other 7 of us only used to do it after a tyre change or wheel removal after work at the dealership. Is there a legal requirement to torque your wheels on a weekly basis or is it sufficient to do a visual check every day whilst filling in your defect book?
I’ve never known of any driver who torques his/her wheel nuts other than after a wheel change. The only legal obligation on the driver is a daily visual check.
repton:
I’ve never known of any driver who torques his/her wheel nuts other than after a wheel change.
Dunno if this is true or not, but I have been told it is not good practice to torque the wheels other than after a wheel change as it can stretch the threads. Certainly the most I would ever do is to tap the wheel nuts with a small hammer and listen for the classic sound of loosening.
Harry Monk:
Dunno if this is true or not, but I have been told it is not good practice to torque the wheels other than after a wheel change as it can stretch the threads. Certainly the most I would ever do is to tap the wheel nuts with a small hammer and listen for the classic sound of loosening.
We have ATS come round once a week to do a fleet check and they torque all the wheels as well as a visual on the tyres. This despite us having Ric clips fitted to all vehicles, although personally I’m rather sceptical as to their effectiveness.
It sounds like the Torsion bars located on the bottom of your lift (under a cover) were defective, possibly one of them snapped. The lift ramp should lower and push home without too much effort, the torsion can even be adjusted and yes it will be covered by LOLER but may only be inspected every six months, however a defect report indicating the fault should have been looked into within a reasonable time.
This VOSA thing with the straps doesn’t seem to be a regulation as yet and infact its been more like a rumour unless someone has proof it has been brought in Nationwide with an amendment to the Regs. Your wheel nut question has been answered. You didn’t give the reason for dismissal though, or were you indicating it was because of those three points. Sometimes its best just to put it down to experience and move on, however in this age of work being hard to come by its not easy to let go, you might well be onto a loser though. Franky.
Wheel Nut:
Too tight or too slack, they will all come off in the end.
Too right they will as I found out to my cost just south of Rouen on the motorway, passenger side driving wheels of the unit. New tyres had been fitted two days before, allegedly torqued at Wymondham and visually checked at Dover.
Long distance clara:
Was you or have you ever been trained or shown how to torque the wheels. Do you know the correct setting? Is it doccumented you were shown?
PUWER 98 covers all work equipment and states you should be trained on all equipment.
We have never been shown or trained how do it and there was no information on settings. Which in my book is dangerous seeing as im sure an artic, 18 tonner and a 7.5 tonner would all have different torq settings.
Frankydobo:
You didn’t give the reason for dismissal .
The reason given by the ops director was “You have been dismissed from (insert name of business) for failure to conform to the professional requirements of your role, so putting the business as risk and that is deemed as gross misconduct under section 5 of the company disciplinary procedure”. The reasons were wheel torqing and strapping, I had done no more or no less than any other driver but he spent the last 14 months victimising me and a female driver (he doesnt agree with female drivers) I got sacked and she walked out.
Can the company produce your signature as receipt for x number of load straps and training in their correct use? Can they also produce the same regarding the correct method of re-torquing wheel nuts and that you have been given written details of what values to use for every relevant fixing on their equipment?
They have tried no doubt to cover their backs regarding practically everything else from the reading of their dismissal letter; but can they prove the above?
cav551:
Can the company produce your signature as receipt for x number of load straps and training in their correct use? Can they also produce the same regarding the correct method of re-torquing wheel nuts and that you have been given written details of what values to use for every relevant fixing on their equipment?
They cant produce anything, I never signed anything and there has never been any training for any of the above.
