As the title says. Is there a lower age limit on a second man when moving an abnormal load?
From time to time I have to get someone to come out with me for a day or two when I’ve got a wide or long load on but I’ve been thinking about taking one of my daughters with me. They are 13 and 15. Would this be legal?
Cheers
Gloria.
I used to do it at 16.
But I was employed by the company , that may have a bearing on responsibility.
I used to go with a family friend as a second man when I was 13 so you should be ok as I’m sure he looked into it before I went to see if it was allowed.
No one is going to shoot you but obviously they wouldn’t be insured, I would suggest though that someone over 21 is in the code of practice, again not set in stone.
I think with the correct ppe and knowing what they are doing they’ll be fine.
Good on them for getting involved!
i had this out with an old boss. he wanted me to at midnight on a saturday. i was taking a bridge section to cambridge, i think.
i asked him if i could take my two lads, he said no, due to insurance etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
i asked him if he had sorted an ■■■■■■ vehicle? or who is going to ride shotgun?
he hadn’t sorted a thing, not even a permit.
anyway, i told him to check with the RHA to see if there are any age limitations for the second man, and there isn’t.
Cheers for the replies. That makes life a little easier for me and I might get to spend some time with my kids.
The company pays me extra for the second man and then I pay them so I think that is how they get around the insurance issue.
limeyphil:
i had this out with an old boss. he wanted me to at midnight on a saturday. i was taking a bridge section to cambridge, i think.
i asked him if i could take my two lads, he said no, due to insurance etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
i asked him if he had sorted an ■■■■■■ vehicle? or who is going to ride shotgun?
he hadn’t sorted a thing, not even a permit.
anyway, i told him to check with the RHA to see if there are any age limitations for the second man, and there isn’t.
Regardless of insurance or not - it’s not illegal to against the ‘rules’ to take anyone with you in the lorry, regardless if you own it or not, although the company would much like to think there is.
Sam Millar:
limeyphil:
i had this out with an old boss. he wanted me to at midnight on a saturday. i was taking a bridge section to cambridge, i think.
i asked him if i could take my two lads, he said no, due to insurance etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
i asked him if he had sorted an ■■■■■■ vehicle? or who is going to ride shotgun?
he hadn’t sorted a thing, not even a permit.
anyway, i told him to check with the RHA to see if there are any age limitations for the second man, and there isn’t.Regardless of insurance or not - it’s not illegal to against the ‘rules’ to take anyone with you in the lorry, regardless if you own it or not, although the company would much like to think there is.
It’s not surprising though sometimes why company doesn’t like young uns going in the lorry, when my dad used to do the odd saturday for his mate working out of somerfield I used to be able to go with him but I wasn’t allowed to go after a while because another driver took his lad and had his lad out with him operating the tail lift and one of the cages fell off and the lad broke his arm.
But so long as you’re safe I don’t see where the problem is 
H&S Bull crap again!
Cheers
Jonny 
jonnytruckfest:
Sam Millar:
limeyphil:
i had this out with an old boss. he wanted me to at midnight on a saturday. i was taking a bridge section to cambridge, i think.
i asked him if i could take my two lads, he said no, due to insurance etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
i asked him if he had sorted an ■■■■■■ vehicle? or who is going to ride shotgun?
he hadn’t sorted a thing, not even a permit.
anyway, i told him to check with the RHA to see if there are any age limitations for the second man, and there isn’t.Regardless of insurance or not - it’s not illegal to against the ‘rules’ to take anyone with you in the lorry, regardless if you own it or not, although the company would much like to think there is.
It’s not surprising though sometimes why company doesn’t like young uns going in the lorry, when my dad used to do the odd saturday for his mate working out of somerfield I used to be able to go with him but I wasn’t allowed to go after a while because another driver took his lad and had his lad out with him operating the tail lift and one of the cages fell off and the lad broke his arm.
But so long as you’re safe I don’t see where the problem is
Cheers
Jonny
Yeah that’s fair enough, can’t say that I never operated a tail lift on the luton van but i’d never touch anything on the lorry just case.
Its 16 years old. Employment laws prevent anyone younger than that doing it.
There are some extra rules about the employment of children under 14. If you are under 14, you are not allowed to work at all except in the following types of work:-
to take part in sport, advertising, modelling, plays, films, television or other entertainment. The employer must apply for a licence from the local authority
to do odd jobs for a parent, relative or neighbour
to do babysitting — see under heading Babysitting.
simples used a search engine. 
Conor:
Its 16 years old. Employment laws prevent anyone younger than that doing it.
the man is dead right, i left school at 15 to do it full time at the place my dad worked but when the coppers came along with the ■■■■■■ they always asked how old i was, even though i had officially left school i had to pretend to be 16 for 3 months. then when we parked up i had to pretend to be 18 to get in the boozer 
{some of the older lads might remember parking up after a shift and going for a few pints, i think its illegal now 
}
chaversdad:
the man is dead right, i left school at 15 to do it full time at the place my dad worked but when the coppers came along with the ■■■■■■ they always asked how old i was, even though i had officially left school i had to pretend to be 16 for 3 months. then when we parked up i had to pretend to be 18 to get in the boozer
Yep, my boy used to come away with me during the school holidays when he was 8 or 9, and when we loaded at Cardiff steelworks or tipped at a Tesco RDC, he had to pretend he wasn’t in the cab.
my lad too, hiding on the top bunk!
del949:
my lad too, hiding on the top bunk!
Yes, been there, done that. Got kicked out of Warrington Safeway RDC cos lad was with me. Security on gate said it was stupid and to wait until Hitler ■■■■■■ off then they let me back in.
I used to go all over with my old dad when I was kid. Docks, Brickfields, steel works, Woolwich Arsenal even. Didn’t have RDC’s in those days though.
H & S ■■■■■■■■ has come about nowadays because everyone has to be dumbed down to the idiots out there, instead of just relying on Darwins survival of the fittest. Have a look at Darwin Awards. 
Used to go all over as a kid, the only place he couldnt (and wouldnt) get me into was May and Baker on the Norwich Ring Road.
Not sure he ever tried but it was only ever a trailer change in there so no bg wait and the Guardroom was always warm
Also used to be his second man, cant remember what I got paid but didnt care though. Going the wrong way up one way streets with a wide/long load was great.
Under 16s do paper rounds legally so why not 2nd manning?
mrx:
Under 16s do paper rounds legally so why not 2nd manning?
adviceguide.org.uk/index/you … atyoucando
Children and young people under school leaving age (England and Wales only)
No one under school leaving age (see under heading General rules on employment) can be employed in work other than light work. You are not allowed to do work which is likely to be harmful to your safety, health, development, or work that will affect your attendance at school or participation in work experience. You are not allowed to work:-
in a factory or in construction work
in transport
in a mine
on a registered merchant ship.