roadtransport.com/Articles/2 … river.html
My thought here is that the driver was to blame by cutting corners like we all do. Familiarity etc.
Quite possible… or another employer who didn’t give a ■■■■ regarding safe working practices or training drivers 
safe systems of work, which include risk assessments
Unfortunately “safe systems of work, risk assessments” and other types of paperwork aren’t ever going to prevent plain absent-mindedness 
I’m sure we’ve all done odd things in the wrong order etc - fortunately however these usually just end with embarrasment or bent metal - not such tragic results.
In the written post it says nothing at all#
as to how long the driver has been, (a),with
the Firm.(b), How long he had driven a Tipper.
as mentioned before if this person has had his
licence and also experience on tippers THEN
he is at fault,How ever if the guy has no
knowledge what so ever then,the Firm MADE
a very big mistake which will be very costly
weither one likes it or not the H&S aspect
is one that need to be covered,as this prevents
problems both ways, if the person is properly trained
and upto date then they have to account for any problems
but if the firm is at fault by non complience with H&S
they should get the BOOK thrown at them,
Wouldn’t common sense tell you not to try and jump into a moving lorry 
You obviously would try and stop the lorry if it was likely to crash into other people etc, but if it is not let it carry on, the lorry can be replaced you can’t.
I still think this sounds like absent-mindedness
It’s years since I did my HGV test / training , but I’m sure the fact that the “handbrake” just works on the drive axle was covered at that point, before I got near any potential employers.
Reading the article, it’s obvious that tipping like this with the tailgate closed is going to take the weight off the drive wheels - thinking about it, we can all see what’s going to happen - but as I said before, aren’t we all guilty of doing stuff without thinking at one point or another?
Even if we are warned about specific dangers in a specific way, isn’t there still a possibility that we could just plain forget something, or be disturbed during our normal sequence of work and overlook something as a result?
Another thing to mention is that the tipping point was on a ramp. If this had been level there wouldn’t have been a problem.
My thought here is that the driver was to blame by cutting corners like we all do. Familiarity etc.
And my thought is that if there where safe systems of practice in place for the driver to follow then this comment would not of been made
…
HSE Inspector Charles Linfoot says it was “appalling” that Wootten ignored basic safety precautions. He adds: “Hauliers need to make sure they have safe systems of work, which include risk assessments, adequate training and supervision of all workers. These actions are simple and could have saved the life of Mr Caruana.”
Had there of been training/risk assesments etc. in place the report would of said along the lines of…
Mr.Caruna ignored his training, and risk assesments etc…
But thats not what it said.
A sad affair.
I can remember someone on here having a similar experience with an artic tipper. As the load discharged, the ‘braked’ drive axle lifted clear of the surface and the whole lot moved forward into parked cars.
My immediate thought was that the driver has done this before, We probably all have! Reverse up, hit the pto as we leave the cab, run to the back and release the tailgate. 9 times out of 10 it will work.
Seems like this time the tailgate jammed, the weight transfer shifted the weight off the drive axle and the rest is history. I just don’t see how the operator can be blamed for a tragic mistake.
this happened in 2001 it took 8 year to prosecute
i would say that its a tragic accident and we would all act differently to every incident what you are thinking at the time
IMHO he thought it would of help be in the truck to put the brakes on you nether now what will happen
I would be interested to find out what kind of wagon he was driving, as everything I’ve driven since my 113, has put the air through to the trailer (and I put a conversion on that so it would) The risks of tipping on ramps should be explained to new tipper drivers, but also, If the handbrake doesn’t operate the trailer brakes, this should, maybe, be displayed in the cab. As it should affect descision making in other situations such as parking on hills in icey conditions etc.
Am I missing something here? When the handbrake is applied, the trailer brakes also get applied. Isn’t that why after loading or tipping you get a jolt as you take the brake off? The jolt caused by the brakes on the trailer being taken off and allowing the suspension and airbags to return to normal ride height. You telling me there is only one axle holding a 44t artic?
Steve-o:
Am I missing something here? When the handbrake is applied, the trailer brakes also get applied. Isn’t that why after loading or tipping you get a jolt as you take the brake off? The jolt caused by the brakes on the trailer being taken off and allowing the suspension and airbags to return to normal ride height. You telling me there is only one axle holding a 44t artic?
no the park brake in the cab don’t hold the trailer its the foot brake that does that
i have been to MOT centres with trailers and when there do the brake test there use the trailer brake and the foot brake ,for the trailer
I find that very hard to take in. Read a Reno Premium handbook on the proper operation of the handbrake. It says with the handbrake applied, you can push the handbrake further down than the normal applied position and that will disable the trailer brake to ensure your drive axle can hold the whole outfit in the event of the trailer brake becoming ineffective. Also, what’s that loud PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise from a BoAlloy trailer when you take the handbrake off? Sounds a lot like the same PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise the trailer makes if you floor the brake pedal then release it
delboytwo:
Steve-o:
Am I missing something here? When the handbrake is applied, the trailer brakes also get applied. Isn’t that why after loading or tipping you get a jolt as you take the brake off? The jolt caused by the brakes on the trailer being taken off and allowing the suspension and airbags to return to normal ride height. You telling me there is only one axle holding a 44t artic?no the park brake in the cab don’t hold the trailer its the foot brake that does that
i have been to MOT centres with trailers and when there do the brake test there use the trailer brake and the foot brake ,for the trailer
As this accident happened back in 2001 and it has taken so long to get to court, there would be many trailers around that still had a ratchet brake. remember they probably only operate on the first two trailer axles as well. In fact I was using a trailer with cable brakes and steel suspension as recent as December 2007.
Steve-o:
I find that very hard to take in. Read a Reno Premium handbook on the proper operation of the handbrake. It says with the handbrake applied, you can push the handbrake further down than the normal applied position and that will disable the trailer brake to ensure your drive axle can hold the whole outfit in the event of the trailer brake becoming ineffective. Also, what’s that loud PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise from a BoAlloy trailer when you take the handbrake off? Sounds a lot like the same PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise the trailer makes if you floor the brake pedal then release it
hi i dropped a trailer once the truck brake was on was distracted by someone and forgot to put the trailer brake on and legs down and all the suzie’s were sill attached and what i did was i pull the pin and the trailer went for a run down the yard 
luckily for me the boss was ok and said it happens so i thine the truck brake do not hold the trailer
delboytwo:
Steve-o:
I find that very hard to take in. Read a Reno Premium handbook on the proper operation of the handbrake. It says with the handbrake applied, you can push the handbrake further down than the normal applied position and that will disable the trailer brake to ensure your drive axle can hold the whole outfit in the event of the trailer brake becoming ineffective. Also, what’s that loud PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise from a BoAlloy trailer when you take the handbrake off? Sounds a lot like the same PSSSSSHHHHTTT noise the trailer makes if you floor the brake pedal then release ithi i dropped a trailer once the truck brake was on was distracted by someone and forgot to put the trailer brake on and legs down and all the suzie’s were sill attached and what i did was i pull the pin and the trailer went for a run down the yard
luckily for me the boss was ok and said it happens so i thine the truck brake do not hold the trailer
they definitely do on Renault Premiums, CF DAFs and the older MANs
it was in a 95 xf 55 plate
This is a serious matter & something i have often wondered about. AFAIK the unit park brake (operated by the secondary brake lever when in the locked on position) brakes only the unit. When using it to operate the secondary braking system, it brakes everything.
We need to establish if unit park brakes apply the trailer brakes or not? I don’t think so.
When live loading/tipping on a bay where you don’t have to hand in the keys, i always apply the trailer brake as a failsafe which would prevent me pulling off before i should.
Time for the fitters or trailer owning O/D’s to put us right.
Driveroneuk:
This is a serious matter & something i have often wondered about. AFAIK the unit park brake (operated by the secondary brake lever when in the locked on position) brakes only the unit. When using it to operate the secondary braking system, it brakes everything.We need to establish if unit park brakes apply the trailer brakes or not? I don’t think so.
When live loading/tipping on a bay where you don’t have to hand in the keys, i always apply the trailer brake as a failsafe which would prevent me pulling off before i should.
Time for the fitters or trailer owning O/D’s to put us right.
As I already said they do on most, they certanly do on my 51 plate CF, and would be amazed if they didn’t on a 55 plate XF as the only difference is the cab.
The reason you have to use the trailer handbrake for test is that this is a completely different scenario, as it is basically testing the trailers braking when unattached from the unit.
When the unit puts air through the yellow line when you apply the park/handbrake, it basically uses the service brakes on the trailer, working on all axles.
I hope this makes sense. AFAIK all modern trucks do this, certainly all the ones I have had anything to do with recently
edit Just talked to the service manager at DAFs and all DAFS since approx 1996 have put full pressure through the trailer service brake when the unit handbrake is applied.