Trailer Inspections - Workplace Inspection Checklists

A startling 89% of trailers tested failed NTTA checks

By global standards British roads are very safe, but every death and injury is a tragedy for the families involved. It is clear, including from roadside checks by DVSA, undertaken for this government report that many light trailers are used on public roads in a defective state.

From the main data source which covers all of 2017, there were approximately 20 collisions resulting in injury or death where a vehicle defect in a trailer was a contributory factor, and that defect would have been identifiable if present at testing. DVSA undertook roadside checks to provide additional data on light trailers for this report. About 50% of O2 trailers checked were non-compliant in random stops, as opposed to about 20% of GB heavier (O3 and O4) trailers, with the rate of immediate prohibitions (i.e. defects so dangerous repairs were needed before further use of the trailer) being 29% for O2 and 5% for heavier trailers.

Trailer

The National Towing and Trailer Association (NTTA) provided data from 307 free safety checks they conducted at NTTA certified servicing centres, between July 2017 and January 2018 which unveiled a startling finding with 89 per cent of those trailers tested, failing NTTA checks with one or more defects recorded.

If used for work, then a trailer will fall under the usual requirements of PUWER to provide safe equipment and the need to carry out routine checks. In addition, The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 specify the need for maintenance and use of vehicles so as not to be a danger to any person in or on the vehicle or trailer or on a road.

Good to Go Safety enables a tag to be attached to a trailer (usually at the hitch or coupler point) and serves as a reminder to carry out a pre-use trailer safety inspections checklist before taking to the road. The trailer safety inspections checklist allows a run through of critical component checks including chassis, brakes, lighting, wheels etc as well as the load itself. The tag can be attached using cable ties, close to the hitch point for maximum visibility and will advise users when the trailer is “Good to Go”. A tamper evident seal will help ensure the trailer safety inspections checklist remains in place until the next safety inspection is due. A duplicate copy of each completed trailer safety inspections checklist provides documented evidence of a safe equipment management system (SEMS) and could prove indispensable in the event of an accident.

If the assurances provided by completing a trailer walk around check are not enough to convince you of the importance of safety maintenance checks, then the fact you can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving, and get 3 penalty points for using a vehicle in a dangerous condition should help to focus the mind further. By using the Good to Go Safety system to complete and record your pre-drive inspections you will be taking a significant step towards improving road safety, reducing your maintenance costs and meeting your legal responsibilities.


Trailer Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Trailer Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

There is evidence showing that towing trailers can be more likely to result in serious or fatal road accidents. The Transport Research Laboratory a..

£6.20

Trailer Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Trailer Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

There is evidence showing that towing trailers are more likely to result in serious or fatal road accidents. Of 4,173 accidents involving at least one..

£37.10

Trailer Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Trailer Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

There is evidence showing that towing trailers are more likely to result in serious or fatal road accidents. Of 4,173 accidents involving at least one..

£109.50

Trailer Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Trailer Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Our trailer safety poster has been designed to highlight key components of a trailer and reinforces the importance of completing vehicle trailer inspe..

£21.77

Inspection Information Station

Inspection Information Station

The information station will provide your workplace with the ideal central location to store inspection check books. Organising your inspections an..

£233.20

Inspection Wallet and Pen

Inspection Wallet and Pen

A handy wallet that not only provides additional protection from the elements but also gives inspectors a solid writing surface to complete inspection..

£6.20

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

These industrial strength pockets have a press seal fastening to keep important documents clean and dry. An ideal solution for storing check books, in..

£6.31

Inspection Book Dispenser

Inspection Book Dispenser

Allow the storage of checklists in a central location for quick and easy access to important inspection checklists. Provide workers with the ideal ..

£13.25

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News

Worker crushed to death by overhead crane load

Worker crushed to death by overhead crane load

A 46-year-old worker was crushed to death by two granite slabs whilst working for Graniteland Limited at the company’s Lyde Green site in Halesowen. An investigation by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) found that the incident which occurred on the 30th November 2020 could have been avoided with the correct training and maintenance procedures. The investigation found that Robert Czachracz, who was from Poland, had been moving the granite slabs onto storage racks, using an over...CONTINUE...

Worker loses right arm in accident

Worker loses right arm in accident

A woman's right arm has been severed after becoming trapped in machinery whilst working for F.J Church and Sons Ltd, a metal recycling company in Rainham, Essex. An investigation by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) followed the incident, which happened on the 12th June 2021. The investigation found that incident occurred after Ms Troia attempted to remove a blockage by reaching through an unguarded rotary valve of a catalytic converter sampling machine. Ms Troia, the victim was...CONTINUE...

Investigation underway after scaffolding collapse

Investigation underway after scaffolding collapse

An investigation has been launched after scaffolding succumbed to 60mph winds during Storm Henk. The scaffold tower collapsed onto a busy high street on Tuesday the 2nd January 2024. Sutton Council where the collapse happened took quick action to ensure the high street was made safe whilst the police, Sutton council and the scaffolding company investigated the incident to determine the root cause of the collapse. The scaffolding was then cleared to ensure businesses were able to continue ...CONTINUE...

Dad killed by shovel loader whilst working for recycling firm

Dad killed by shovel loader whilst working for recycling firm

Atlantic Recycling Limited (a recycling company) has been fined £300,000 after a father-of-two was killed by a shovel loader. Anthony Bilton, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was fatally injured on 4 September 2019 when he was run over by a shovel loader whilst working on site in Cardiff, Wales. The 59-year-old was walking across a wood processing yard in order to undertake routine maintenance tasks when the tragic accident happened. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) inves...CONTINUE...

Worker loses two fingers - Company fined

Worker loses two fingers - Company fined

An engineering firm in Perth has been fined £10,000 after an employee lost his little and ring finger. The worker, employed by Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited, had been carrying out maintenance work on a grain dryer at East of Scotland Farmers on 28 June 2020. He inadvertently placed his hand into the blades of an unguarded rotary fan in the grain dryer. The fan was rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute when it came into contact with the worker’s hand. He was off work for sev...CONTINUE...

Workers arm dragged into machine at textile factory

Workers arm dragged into machine at textile factory

A textiles company has been fined £60,000 after an employee suffered serious injuries their right arm in an incident at a factory operated by Pin Croft Dyeing and Printing Co. Limited in Market Street, Adlington, on 20 June 2022. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the employee had been operating a large fabric spooling machine when the brake malfunctioned. During an attempt to manually slow the rotation of the machine, he broke both major bones in his forearm ...CONTINUE...

Joiner falls from unsafe Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP)

Joiner falls from unsafe Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP)

A 35-year-old man from Caernarfon fell approximately 2.44 metres from a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) whilst he was working for Aspire Park and Leisure Homes Ltd (a manufacturer of leisure lodges and park homes) on the 6th January 2022. The end gate of the Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) was taped open whilst two employees were raised into the air to spray insulating foam into a lodge wall. The injured worker broke nine ribs, forearm and suffered a kidney laceration...CONTINUE...

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day (and forever) - Give them quick pre-drive inspections to make sure they're doing ok ❤️ Monitoring all your forklifts and assessing their environments with regular (pre-use / pre-move) forklift safety inspections will help achieve a safer workplace environment for employees. Pre-use / pre-move forklift checklists will not only increase the likelihood of spotting a fault early before it deteriorates further, but it also provides employees ...CONTINUE...

Construction company fined after worker killed by an Excavator

Construction company fined after worker killed by an Excavator

A North Yorkshire construction company has been fined after a worker was struck on the head and killed by a 16-ton excavator. On 13 January 2021, Dean Myers, an employee of HACS Construction Ltd, was undertaking groundwork activities in a partially excavated trench at a site in Ripon, North Yorkshire. During the works, the 56-year-old was struck on the head by the moving bucket of the excavator suffering catastrophic injuries to his face and head. He was pronounced dead at the scene ...CONTINUE...

Farming company fined £320,000 after fatality

Farming company fined £320,000 after fatality

A company involved in fruit and vegetable production has been fined £320,000 after a man “who always put family first” was killed at a site in Burscough. Francis Schlachter, known as Frank, suffered severe head injuries when he fell from a skip at a farm operated by M.A.Forshaw Limited on 3 January 2020. The 64-year-old from Southport was described as ‘a rock’ by his wife of 35 years Linda, who said how much he would be missed by his friends and family. Frank had been working at th...CONTINUE...

Tyre tread statistics

Tyre tread statistics

A fascinating report courtesy of TyreSafe Admin National Highways Imperial College London looking at tread depth survey at the point of tyre replacement. The 2023 findings show an overall reduction in the number of illegal and borderline tyres at the point of replacement compared to 2016 but 16.7% of tyres were below the legal limit when replaced. The 2023 findings confirm the number of illegal tyres on Britain’s roads annually is potentially as many as nearly one-in-four vehicles – at just over...CONTINUE...

How often should you carry out warehouse racking inspections?

How often should you carry out warehouse racking inspections?

Damaged pallet racking is not only a severe health risk to workers in warehouses, but also a financial nightmare to any business. As an employer, you are legally required to implement and maintain procedures that minimise these risks. Racking inspections are a form of risk assessment. They look for any damage in the racking and can highlight vulnerable areas. The inspection is a crucial opportunity to identify, repair, or replace any areas of damaged racking. The Health and Safety Executive r...CONTINUE...

A Roadworthiness challenge for Fleet Managers

A Roadworthiness challenge for Fleet Managers

A recent global report generated from Good to Go Safety’s TakeAIM pre-use checking app, showed that one in a hundred fleet vehicles had a fault so serious that the vehicle had to be immediately removed from service until fixed. Had these vehicles been driven, it could have resulted in a breakdown and/or a collision. There are 5.4 million fleet assets on British roads. If that 1% of vehicles which were not roadworthy is extrapolated to the whole fleet, this means 54,000 fleet vehicles on any g...CONTINUE...

Mother grieves loss of son and HSE deem accident preventable

Mother grieves loss of son and HSE deem accident preventable

A 24-year-old engineer was fatally crushed whilst attempting to repair a factory goods lift with his colleagues on the 14th January 2020. Lift Monitoring Systems Limited, previously known as RJ Lift Services Limited, was fined £200,000 after a HSE (Health and Safety Executive) investigation into the death. The following information was found during the HSE investigation: Lewis McFarlin (the victim) and two other lift engineers were on site to work on a different lift before bei...CONTINUE...

Now's the time for farms to change

Now's the time for farms to change

Farmers are being reminded they must change their attitude towards safety as Britain’s workplace regulator readies itself for a wave of inspections in the coming months. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will visit farms across England, Scotland and Wales as part of a push to change the culture in the industry and check for compliance with long standing legal requirements. People on farms are 21 times more likely to be killed in a workplace accident than other i...CONTINUE...

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited, had failed to adequately protect a 16-year-old whilst on paid work experience. On August 3, 2021, the teenager, Tom Cutler, was hoping to start a vehicle maintenance course at Sparsholt College after gaining some work experience at Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited, Folds Farm, in the New Forest. On that fateful day he was driving a tractor down a track when i...CONTINUE...