Weight Limits

ASK THE EXPERTS SAFETY, LAW AND WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE FORUM (INTE
1

This must have been asked before but here goes anyway. :smiley:
Vehicle is a 7.5t Box with a tail lift. I have weighed it on 2 weighbridges and the figures come out at 5178kg empty. Therefore I reckon it has a load capacity of 2320 kg (actually plated at 7498kg). After several rows with the TM’s trying to overload it I have gone and seen the Boss.
To my amazement he tells me it will carry just under 2700kg because you are allowed to be 5% of your gross vehicle weight overloaded. Now surely if the plate says 7498kg max then that is the maximum you are allowed to run the vehicle at, otherwise what’s the point in having it there.
It wouldn’t be a seven and a half tonner it would be a seven and three quarter tonner.
“We used to put 4 tons on them once” was one of the comments I got from one of the TM’s" !!!

Confused of Northolt

2

you’re not confused - it’s your TM :slight_smile:

however what your boss is relying on is the fact that you are unlikely to be prosecuted for a <5% overload

Of course if it happened regularly who knows!

I nicked the next bit from chrishodgetrucks.co.uk/pagelaw/law2.htm
( it’s the CM law pages from when they were running a website)

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU’RE OVERLOADED
Overloading a truck is an absolute offence. In other words, the offfence is committed even where the driver or operator had no knowledge that the vehicle was overloaded. Unfortunately, even the most conscientious operator and driver can get it wrong. Moreover, consignors can (and often do) incorrectly state the weight of a load. Wherever possible get the consignor to confirm the cargo weight IN WRITING and make sure that the weight is on the weighbill/consignment note. It could be used in mitigation if you’re then found to be overloaded.
The prosecuting authorities-whether Vehicle Inspectorate, Trading Standards or Police-do not normally prosecute where a detected overload is less than 5% or one tonne, whichever is the smaller. If this is the case the driver will still be cautioned before being allowed to proceed.

3

… don’t forget that the excess weight will have to be removed before the vehicle can proceed.

Using the tolerance between the plated weight and the prosecution threshold as a method to increase a vehicles payload is an extremely dodgy practise. Don’t forget who will pick up the fine when it goes wrong.

4

Thanks guys, just confirms what I thought. The other point is that 99% of our freight is airfreight so you can be fairly certain that the weights on our weighbills are accurate. After all you DON’T overload an aircraft !!
looks like this will be a recurring argument then :unamused: