Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Research reports
Aimed to review the rollover risk in the light of current
regulations and best practice, by theoretical and practical
analysis of the real-life operations of a haulage company
specialising in paper reels and paper products. Focused on the
centre of gravity loads, which basic physics and accident reports
suggested were vulnerable to rollover. A series of road trials were
carried out with laden lorries, the acceleration vectors and other
parameters were measured. The analysis included establishing the
main risk factors, looking at the effect of natural oscillations
and identifying possible instabilities such as load movement.
Little evidence was found to support any major change in existing
best-practice, except for the highest loads where there was an
inherent rollover risk . Suggests this could be eliminated by good
driving augmented by maximum speed recommendations on sharp bends
and roundabouts.
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