The DVSA’s made changes to the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness.
By doing so, the agency hopes that it has made some of the more complex areas of the guide clearer to operators.
The changes, as published in the Moving On blog, involve the following sections.
The Inspection Safety Graph
Because the agency had received complaints from operators on the matter, the Annex 4 graph was amended to make it more for amenable for use in real-life scenarios. To remedy this, they’ve added a table that includes “examples of time-based frequency for various operating conditions using case studies”.
Inclusion of Other Guidance
Since the publication of the last updated Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, two additional guides have been issued. These guides, on IT for Vehicle Maintenance Systems and Electronic Braking Performance Monitoring System (EBPMS), are now subsumed into the Roadworthiness document.
Safety Inspection/Repair Facilities
Changes stress that operators must ensure inspection facilities, even when the work is contracted out, must be suitable for the job. They further highlight that workshops and their personnel should ideally attain a recognized quality standard.
Tyre Maintenance
Year on year, tyre defects are consistently among the most common issues discovered in HGVs.
More information has been added to this section, reinforcing the importance of monitoring specific areas of tyre management, including keeping an eye on tyre age.
Brake Testing
Included in the changes was a recommendation that laden roller break tests ought to be undertaken during every safety inspection. Moreover, the agency advises that brake temperature readings should be incorporated in the inspection report.
We also advise hauliers to stay up to speed on the proposed changes to MOT testing (due to be implemented in May 2018).
Emissions/Air Quality
In recent months, much has been said about the emissions issue. Road haulage industry leaders have criticised the implementation of certain Clean Air Zones (CAZ), questioning the efficacy of measures that seem primarily to punish smaller and struggling hauliers.
To shed some light on the situation, the Roadworthiness Guide now includes further information on exhaust emissions, and ways to effectively surveil a lorry’s emissions control system.
Monitoring Section
They have updated this section to include information on the Earned Recognition scheme, which went live yesterday (Tuesday 24th April 2018). The scheme’s implementation was announced at the CV Show, held at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.
Also, the section now comprises new details about how the EU Roadworthiness Directive is affecting maintenance best practice in the UK.
Also included in the blog post is an assortment of further updates. They include:
- “updated driver defect report, including vehicle height and AdBlue system checks
- updated safety inspection reports, including brake temperatures and report sign-off
- advice for using Vehicle Operator Licensing system (VOL) for maintenance updates
- updated CEO and TCs forewords
- updated Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) guidance”
Those interested in reading the full amended guide can get it on the Safe Driving for Life site.
Should hauliers have any questions regarding the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, they can get them answered at a free webinar. These webinars, titled Lighten the Load, are held weekly and cover all areas of road haulage.
During the webinars Chris Allen, renowned in the industry for his Ultimate Drivers’ Hours Guide, is committed to tackling operators’ concerns. You can register for the next webinar here:
Any Questions? – Just Ask Chris
