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Charlotte Haye 20th June 2019

Why You Need Your Annual HGV Safety Inspections

HGV drivers rely on their driving skills every day to keep themselves and other road users safe. But sometimes it takes more than skill to ensure everything and everyone is safe. Just like with a normal vehicle, your HGV needs to be kept in good, roadworthy condition at all times. To make sure this is the case, you will need to maintain your HGV, and put it through an annual safety inspection.

Why Do You Need An Annual Safety Inspection?

HGV’s are big, complicated machines. There are countless systems and moving parts, and they all need to work well together to keep the vehicle running smoothly and functioning properly. If something within that system is off, then it could cause problems with the vehicle – anything from fuel inefficiency to the brakes cutting out. Everything from the air brakes to a tachograph, each part of your vehicle needs to be kept in good working order.

In the same way as a car needs to pass an MOT every year to remain road legal, an HGV needs to be able to pass an annual safety inspection. This inspection looks at the roadworthiness of the vehicle, and a pass guarantees that the HGV is safe to drive for another year. Any HGV driver who has gone through an annual HGV training and HGV inspection knows just how thorough the testing is, and for good reason.

What Gets Checked?

As an HGV driver you will be used to doing daily walkaround check of your vehicle. These are pretty standard checks, and after a while they become routine. For your annual check however, you will have an inspector with you to examine the vehicle, and it needs to pass a series of minimum standards that asses the vehicles roadworthiness and condition. Some of the areas checked are:

Topside

The first part of the inspection looks at the top of the vehicle, and will be conducted on a hard standing surface. The inspection will look at a range of factors, including:

Checking the vehicle’s identity against the VTG6 plate
Ensuring the mirrors fairings are securely fixed and in good condition
Making sure both the driver and the passenger doors open and close securely
Checking that the tyres are in good condition and of the right rating for the vehicle
Ensuring that spray suppressors are of sufficient size
A check of all lights, including indicators, repeaters, headlights and fog lights, ensuring they are all operational and aligned correctly

During this phase of the inspection, every visible part of the vehicle is checked. The driver will accompany the inspector as they move around the vehicle, methodically checking the entire structure, including inside the cab. Many of the element they check are part of an HGV drivers routine checks, so if there are any problems, you should have caught them already.

Underside

Once the upper part of your vehicle has been inspected, you will be asked to move the HGV over a pit so that the underside can be examined. In this section, they will look at:

Axle alignment
Steering
Air brake function
Shaker plated
Foot brakes
Potential oil and fuel leaks
Bearings

The inspectors are experts, and are trained to look out for signs of wear and tear, loose bolts, and all manner of other warning signs. You might think they are too rigorous at times, but when it comes to road safety, we believe there is no such thing.

If you’re HGV is due for its annual inspection, it’s worth giving it a once over before the inspection date. If you aren’t sure what to look for in your daily checks, or want advice on what is involved in the annual inspection, we are here to help. Our expert trainers are on hand to help you understand every element of being a professional HGV driver, from learning the ropes through to vehicle maintenance. For more information, just get in touch with us today.

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