The thing is, your warehouse may be nicely lit for your checks, but if your then driving along at night and hear or feel something on the truck, you don’t always get the luxury of somewhere bright to have a look around, the ability to grab one of the torches from near me and have a quick walk round can just ease the nerves when you think “it’s never made that noise before”
Usually anywhere I get with good light I tend to have a quick walk round while doing the delivery, fueling up or whatever, to make it easier for myself, but there’s still times I find myself lying under the vehicle at 3am in pitch black.
i carry a little l.e.d. one ,cost me £1 in the £ shop ,i struggle to read a map with the cab light and the wee thing is ideal, also it fits quite nicely into the top pocket of my jacket where its nice and handy
dew:
The thing is, your warehouse may be nicely lit for your checks, but if your then driving along at night and hear or feel something on the truck, you don’t always get the luxury of somewhere bright to have a look around, the ability to grab one of the torches from near me and have a quick walk round can just ease the nerves when you think “it’s never made that noise before”
Usually anywhere I get with good light I tend to have a quick walk round while doing the delivery, fueling up or whatever, to make it easier for myself, but there’s still times I find myself lying under the vehicle at 3am in pitch black.
most drivers find the bunk is much more comfortable
dew:
The thing is, your warehouse may be nicely lit for your checks, but if your then driving along at night and hear or feel something on the truck, you don’t always get the luxury of somewhere bright to have a look around, the ability to grab one of the torches from near me and have a quick walk round can just ease the nerves when you think “it’s never made that noise before”
Usually anywhere I get with good light I tend to have a quick walk round while doing the delivery, fueling up or whatever, to make it easier for myself, but there’s still times I find myself lying under the vehicle at 3am in pitch black.
most drivers find the bunk is much more comfortable
I walked into that one.
The 2 problems with that are
Mines a day cab
The Oily bits that are making said funny noise tend to be under there!
MADBAZ:
I believe that as part of ADR kit a working torch is a requirement, not sure if it’s required under LQ exemptions like a 2 kg extinguisher.
Hi MADBAZ,
Sorry mate, but you seem to have been misinformed.
A working torch is required when a load is subject to the full requirements of ADR.
When a load of LQs is being carried, neither a 2kg fire extinguisher nor a torch are required.
(Please remember that LQs are small amounts of dangerous goods packed in little packages, usually of the kinds of stuff that you could buy over-the-counter in a retail shop. )
Many people confuse the small load exemption and call it LQs, when there’s no connection whatsoever, because the small load exemption is a way of carrying a small(ish) amount of dangerous goods that AREN’T packaged as LQs. For instance a 1,000 L IBC full of diesel fuel can be carried using the small load exemption, but that size of package will never be regarded as an LQ.
If dangerous goods are being carried by use of the small load exemption, THEN the 2kg fire extinguisher is required, but not a torch.
MADBAZ:
I believe that as part of ADR kit a working torch is a requirement, not sure if it’s required under LQ exemptions like a 2 kg extinguisher.
Hi MADBAZ,
Sorry mate, but you seem to have been misinformed.
A working torch is required when a load is subject to the full requirements of ADR.
When a load of LQs is being carried, neither a 2kg fire extinguisher nor a torch are required.
(Please remember that LQs are small amounts of dangerous goods packed in little packages, usually of the kinds of stuff that you could buy over-the-counter in a retail shop. )
Many people confuse the small load exemption and call it LQs, when there’s no connection whatsoever, because the small load exemption is a way of carrying a small(ish) amount of dangerous goods that AREN’T packaged as LQs. For instance a 1,000 L IBC full of diesel fuel can be carried using the small load exemption, but that size of package will never be regarded as an LQ.
If dangerous goods are being carried by use of the small load exemption, THEN the 2kg fire extinguisher is required, but not a torch.
I knew you’d be along to put things right and yes I thought LQ’s were the same thing as small loads.
To my mind it’s common sense to have a torch (and a small ext).
martinviking:
Ridiculous it may be.
If you drive the same vehicle/Rigid/Tractor & Trailer everyday & you do all the relevant checks when you park up, 9 hundred & 99 times out of 1000 everything is gonna be ok, BUT you still need to check all round the vehicle (‘even on dark mornings’) in case a tyre has gone down over night or a bulb has blown/leaks etc.
We swop trailers nearly every day & shunters move our tractors around to load us up for the morning so I always carry a torch to check for damage that ‘Magically Occurs’ when you’re not there.
Problem is- I see a lot of drivers who clock on at 06.00 & drive out of the yard at 06.05 (maybe they hav’nt checked the wagon over properly)
I try to wash my wagon at least once a week, that way you find little defects that you would’nt find on a daily check, today I found the spray suppresor on the nearside rear of the tractor hanging on by one bolt, defected, should be sorted monday.
I’m also a Biker & Bikers wash/inspect & Maintain their bikes, that way I know it’s safe when I twist the throttle to warp factor 9 it’s gonna stay together. I just apply the same methods to my Truck.
and, according to VOSA guidelines, if you drive the same vehicle every day, and in the case of a tractor unit and trailer, same combination, you can do the walk round check in 2 minutes
this is taught on the drivers hours course of the DCPC
As long as he did a manual entry to cover the work then no problem lol
Any good driver will have a quick walk round to check everything looks ok every time he stops. Personally I always check tyre temperatures every time I stop.
scotstrucker:
only if your carrying adr but if you do start in the dark they might ask how you seen too do your daily checks but other words it’s a load of [zb]
I start at a warehouse, which has so much light, i need sunglasses at three in the morning. If Im on a night out, Ill park at a truckstop or MSA, (wont park where there ain’t facilities for a bog run and a wash-up,) where there is also light. I don’t need a massive torch to check my wagon.
I also have a baseball cap with two LEDs built into the peak and a small battery pack. Thats enough for checking the Screenwash, Coolant and jaws on the fifth wheel.
nsmith1180:
I also have a baseball cap with two LEDs built into the peak and a small battery pack. Thats enough for checking the Screenwash, Coolant and jaws on the fifth wheel.
You’ll have the fashion police on you for that one, is it hi-viz ?
MADBAZ:
I believe that as part of ADR kit a working torch is a requirement, not sure if it’s required under LQ exemptions like a 2 kg extinguisher.
Hi MADBAZ,
Sorry mate, but you seem to have been misinformed.
A working torch is required when a load is subject to the full requirements of ADR.
When a load of LQs is being carried, neither a 2kg fire extinguisher nor a torch are required.
(Please remember that LQs are small amounts of dangerous goods packed in little packages, usually of the kinds of stuff that you could buy over-the-counter in a retail shop. )
Many people confuse the small load exemption and call it LQs, when there’s no connection whatsoever, because the small load exemption is a way of carrying a small(ish) amount of dangerous goods that AREN’T packaged as LQs. For instance a 1,000 L IBC full of diesel fuel can be carried using the small load exemption, but that size of package will never be regarded as an LQ.
If dangerous goods are being carried by use of the small load exemption, THEN the 2kg fire extinguisher is required, but not a torch.
I knew you’d be along to put things right and yes I thought LQ’s were the same thing as small loads.
To my mind it’s common sense to have a torch (and a small ext).
Hi MADBAZ,
It’s a very common error to confuse the small load exemption with the LQ exemption, and so you won’t be the first or last to do that.
Agreed, it’s common sense to have a torch and a small fire extinguisher in a vehicle, cos you never know when you might need either of them.
I have never heard of such a rule either in Europe or the USA ? I do carry one because a pre trip inspection involves looking at the tyres for any nasty objects or missing tread etc, also I always bend down and look at the air hoses bellow the rear tandems to see if they are anywhere near rubbing and then ziptie them together because DOT with ticket you for any slight chaffing marks on them, thats as far as I go, getting underneath and checking the brake settings is not for me.
shuttlespanker:
this is taught on the drivers hours course of the DCPC on the VOSA DVD that clearly shows the driver doing his walk round check BEFORE he puts his tacho card in
It then clearly explains that ordinarily the tacho card would be inserted before doing the walk round check but for the purpose of the film they did it this way. the guy makes it quite clear - unless VOSA have made more than one DVD and I haven’t seen it.
And of course - it’d be perfectly OK to do the walk round then stick the card in and manually enter the period of work.
Bud143:
Apparently if vosa stop you now they are asking to see the torch that is supposed to be carried in the cab.I always have carried one but didnt know when this came in.My dad was saying on thursday that a driver was stopped and got done for 15 accounts of not doing pre checks because he never had a torch with him!Its getting beyond ridiculous.
What about spare batteries for it? Apprently same rules apply as for spare digi rolls … torch must be able to emit continuous light for at least 15 minutes. £75 fine
I just apply the same methods to my Truck.