Tipping
What's the problem?
Tipping can be dangerous. The machinery or load can seriously
hurt people. A lot of vehicles overturn each year, sometimes
causing fatal accidents.
This guidance should be followed to help avoid problems
Guidance
Drivers visiting a site must report to the site office.
The site operator and the visiting driver need to speak to each
other and co-operate, for example:
- Making sure that everyone is aware tipping is about to happen
and only those people involved in the tipping are in the
immediate area.
- Arranging for wheel-stops to be used.
The site operator must make sure that tipping faces are suitable
and safe, for example by making sure that tipping platforms faces
are compacted on landfill sites etc., and that there are no steep
side slopes.
Tipping sites should be:
- Level
- Firm and stable (the whole site must be able to hold the
vehicle and load during tipping)
- Clear overhead (there must be no power cables or pipe
work)
Articulated vehicles must be tipped with the cab and trailer in
line.
Always check that the load is evenly spread across the
vehicle.
The vehicle should remain level at all times, even if it is
driven forward during tipping.
Wheel-stops must be used when possible to help position
vehicles.
- They must be large enough to let the driver know when to
stop.
- When tipping into a pit or trench, the enough from the edge
to prevent the vehicle overloading the edge.
Make sure that the tailgate is safe. The tailgate:
- Should be released and then locked open or removed
completely, before tipping starts.
- If the load is released through an opening or chute, the
tailgate latch must to be strong enough to take the full impact
of the load when it is tipped.
- Check that the load will be released smoothly and safely and
that it cannot jam under the tailgate.
Never allow anyone to stand or walk behind the vehicle when the
body is raised or during tipping.
Whenever possible, tipping mechanisms should be controlled from
the cab.
When raising or lowering the body, the driver should never leave
the vehicle and should make sure that the cab doors are closed.
- The use of 'donkey engines' to drive the tipping mechanism is
not recommended.
- Drivers should be experienced enough to anticipate loads sticking.
- The vehicle must never be driven in order to shake free a stuck
load. If the load does stick, the body must be lowered and the load
freed before the body is raised again.
- Aids such as mechanical 'Vibratory Discharge Systems' can
help.
- The operator should always make sure that the body is completely
empty after tipping.
- The operator should not drive more than a few metres forward to
make sure the load is clear, and should only do this after checking
the load is at the bottom of the tipping body.
- If the vehicle begins to topple over, the driver should brace him/herself
against the back of the driver's seat and hold firmly on to the steering
wheel. The driver should never try to jump out of a lorry that is falling
over.
- Vehicles should not touch ANY cables. It is not always clear what sort
of cable might have been touched. Some telephone and electricity cables
look similar. If this does happen, and the situation cannot be made safe
immediately:
- The driver should leave the vehicle by jumping as far clear as possible.
- The driver must NEVER make contact with the ground and the vehicle,
or anything touching the vehicle, at the same time as this would complete
an electrical circuit and may cause serious injury or death.
- The driver must then make sure that no-one else comes into contact with
the vehicle or anything touching it, while it is still touching the power
cable.
- The surrounding area should be secured, and the local electricity supplier
contacted to arrange for removal of the power supply. If you do not know
your local number, call 999.
- DO NOT 'RISK IT'!
