A lorry fire on the M4 involving a trailer laden with around 12 tonnes of hay earlier this month has prompted a software firm to remind operators and drivers about how safety critical information passes between consignors, loaders and transport managers.
Although the cause of the fire had yet to be established, the incident prompted a useful question for haulage operators: when a vehicle leaves a farm, supplier, warehouse or depot, does the driver receive the full operational picture behind the load?
DVSA guidance makes clear that safely loading, securing, transporting and unloading goods involves the consignor, operator and driver. The consignor should provide accurate information about the load, ensure it is suitable and stable for transport and communicate the relevant instructions to the operator and driver.
Likewise, the operator must provide a suitable vehicle and equipment and the driver should complete all of the appropriate checks and raise concerns when a load appears unsafe.
Evalu-8 head of marketing said: “Transport operations often involve one business preparing the load, another providing the vehicle and a driver who was not present for every loading decision.
“The handover should confirm what has been loaded, how it was prepared, which checks were completed and what the driver should do if conditions change.
Further information: