There are many law enforcement procedures relating to the safe loading of your vehicle, and it’s important to note that policy and law are there to keep you and those around you safe. The following article is an insight to help drivers, operators, fleet managers and those involved in loading...

This Safe Loading Code of Practice (The Code) has been compiled to offer guidance to drivers and operators of vehicle transporters to address the basic issues which can lead to serious incidents where personal injury and damage are all too common.

Our Van Driver Toolbox Talks are designed to help you share important information with your drivers. You can download video files for each Toolbox Talk as well as notes on the content. Click here to watch the Toolbox Talk: Safe Loading  

When in comes to safe loading of vehicles and load security it might be easy to dismiss it as something that is simply a box that needs to be ticked as part of your other driving for work compliance duties. The real story is very different. There are a number of incidents that have happened over...

Did you know? Each year, DVSA issue over 2,000 prohibitions to drivers of vehicles which present a road safety risk because of poor load security. Where a vehicle’s load is deemed to be in a dangerous condition, the driver can receive 3 penalty points and a licence endorsement. Drivers...

Trust vehicles carry aggregates, tools and equipment and so loading requirements can vary. The organisation has two sets of mobile scales and visits two depots, unannounced every month to check the weights of vehicles. This is both educational for the drivers and gives an immediate insight into...

Insecure loads are illegal, and highly dangerous. 62,000 items fell off vehicles onto the strategic road network in 2022. This is a key cause of injury, serious collisions and network delays. Drivers must be trained in how to secure their loads, and in the correct use of appropriate restraint...

Metworks has no depots, only offices and so its operatives carry everything they need in the back of the van. It was initially a challenge to impress upon drivers that the respon-sibility for staying within proscribed weight limits was their personal responsibility. However, on-board scales, which...

Did you know? A driver can be fined up to £300 or get a court summons if their van exceeds its maximum permitted axle weight. Exceeding the manufacturer’s load limit can put serious strain on the vehicle and may invalidate insurance cover. Overloaded vans are a common issue in the UK...

Webbing ratchet straps can be used to secure most types of loads, but it’s 5518 important to make sure that you use and store them properly for safe loading.

Did you know? Drivers face a non-endorsable fixed penalty of £50–£100 for causing an unnecessary obstruction by parking opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction. The average motorist in the UK spends nearly 4 days every year looking for parking spaces. Parking lights must...

Most HGVs must be driven by someone with a corresponding C or C+E licence. However, road marking trucks can be driven on a car licence. This is not an exemption WJ Group takes advantage of. It trains all of its drivers to HGV standards, and pays for their licence acquisition as part of their road...

Did you know? MOT Tests - Half of all vans fail their MOT at the first attempt. Enforcement - The police and DVSA have the power to carry out spot checks on vehicles and stop you using the vehicle (prohibition). Roadside Checks - Two thirds of vans stopped at the roadside by the DVSA have a...

Did you know? Towing with a van could: Mean you need different driving licence categories. Require use of EU drivers’ hours rules and tachographs (although there may be exemptions you can use). Overload the towing vehicle beyond its legal and / or physical capabilities. Vans with a...

Did you know? MOT Tests - Half of all vans fail their MOT at the first attempt. Two thirds of vans stopped at the roadside by the DVSA have a serious mechanical defect. You are responsible - It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure the vehicle is safe and roadworthy... Learn more and...

Metworks is the in-house residential maintenance company for housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley Homes. Transport manager, Joe Masters, oversees a fleet of 200 Citroën Relay and Vauxhall Movano vans, all of which are in the care of individual remote operatives. Read how Metworks...