Mainzer:
TokenYank:
So we have started doing some ipv work and I’ve got some questions about it. If anyone here has done the IPV course, I could use some advice.Thanks in advance,
Token.
Yes I am an IPV driver, what do you want to know?
Right, so I’m having to drive one regularly, and I’m trying my best, but I’m having some trouble getting my employer to acknowledge the requirement for providing us training for it. We’ve had an hour or so familiarisation on how the controls work, and we are currently in the process of developing a set of instructions on how to complete a specific task.
So we use the IPV on a 30mph (most traffic does 40+ on this particular stretch of road, on a dual carriage way, with about 50-60 metres or so visibility from where cars come from around a bend to being able to see where we are stopped.
Up to now, the directions go like this… Before setting off from the hard shoulder, we set the direction of the arrow to point left (currently covered by the crash cushion) when approaching our stopping point, we slow down to about 15mph, raise the billboard, once that is raised, we start lowering the cushion, and try to get the cushion lowered before coming to a stop against the central reservation, at which point we are now directing traffic into the nearside lane, and can then provide cover to the lads working in the offside lane. After the offside lane is closed, we then lower the billboard, then raise the crash cushion, and drive off when we have a clearing in traffic, moving into the left lane and carrying on.
We drive a traiload cushion mounted to an IVECO hiab wagon, so the cushion lowering controls are on the middle of the dashboard and the billboard controls are on a big control box that is mounted to the floor just under my left knee. Not sure if the procedure would change with vehicles, so I thought I’d let you know what type of controls and crash cushion we have.
So I’ve found on the gov website an article relating to the training courses available for the vehicle, and it says refer to an article on the UKAS website, which I then looked up, which said that there is a different license for working on hard shoulders than in live lanes, and up to now, all I’m being told is that as far as management can see, nowhere says the training is mandatory, and it’s optional, and they can’t put a case together to the higher ups to authorise the training if it’s just suggested training.
I need to know a few things here though… Is lowering the crash cushion required on a 30mph road? Is there supposed to be any weight in the back of the vehicle? What’s the safe working distance between the front of my truck and the people working in the road? Do I lower the cushion while driving or do I come to a stop in the live lane and then lower it?
I can’t get a definitive answer on any of these questions, and I keep saying that training would provide us with this info, however up to now, no training is being arranged. Do you know of any documentation that states the 12A/12B training is an absolute requirement for using the IPV on live lanes that I could forward up the chain to get us on the courses? Can you answer any of those questions I have about using it?
Many thanks.