Scaffolder’s improvement supports TC’s formal warning decision

A Derbyshire scaffolding firm has escaped having its licence revoked after it demonstrated significant improvements to its maintenance and management systems ahead of a public inquiry. Safe Access Scaffolding attracted the attention of the DVSA in Leicestershire after one of its scaffolding trucks[1] was found to be 48% overweight with its load not strapped down.

A prohibition was issued and the driver was issued with a fixed penalty. However, when a second HGV was dispatched to the check site to collect the prohibited vehicle's load, it was found that this driver had not inserted his digi-card and further examination revealed several other instances when this had occurred, with no record of him taking a weekly rest. The second driver was prohibited from driving until he had taken the required rest and he was also issued with a fixed penalty.

The incident prompted a DVSA maintenance investigation and the subsequent report recorded a range of unsatisfactory findings. These included incorrect director details on the licence; fleet vehicles not being inspected at the declared six-weekly intervals; no evidence of a forward planner or vehicle off road recording process; no record of daily walkround checks and little evidence of load security training or tacho management and analysis. As a result of the shortcomings, the North West traffic commissioner Gerallt Evans called the company, which holds a restricted licence authorising seven HGVs out of an Ilkeston operating centre, to a PI.

In advance of the hearing, the operator sent the DVSA evidence of vehicle maintenance and driver management for a three-month period since the inspection visits and these showed significant improvements.

According to TC Evans' written decision, PMI sheets were being fully completed with appropriate brake tests; there was now evidence of a forward planner; daily defect report books were being used; drivers had attended a training course for drivers' hours, working time and use of tachographs; vehicle units were being downloaded as required and the directors had attended an operator licence awareness refresher course.

"The matters that brought the operator to the hearing today were serious," the TC said. "Had I been reaching a decision based on the DVSA evidence from August 2023 alone, I would have been considering meaningful regulatory action, if not actual revocation."

References

1. ^ scaffolding trucks (www.commercialmotor.com)