Afternoon all.

Anyone know what the rules are for clearing snow and ice from the top of HGVs?

On the way to work the other morning I saw an articulated lorry parked in a lay by with the driver up on the roof knocking the ice off with a broom!

He didn’t appear to be tied on to anything while he was up there.

Is this standard practice?

It should be. I had a car written off in Germany when a massive sheet of ice came off a trailer in front, flew through the air (seemingly in slow motion) and smashed down on top of my car.
Proper mess, bent the A pillars and smashed most of the glass.

Do a risk assessment and report back here.

Ideally you’d have work restraint fitted. Fall arrest would be useless. Who would do the rescue? What part of a truck roof would be strong enough? Standard trailers?

Sounds like a proactive driver. I’ve only ever seen truck roof ice on the motorway disintegrate in front of me as I test my reactions brakes and escape routes.

Proactive driver was my first thought until I considered the danger he had placed himself in by going up on the roof.

Proactive driver was my first thought until I considered the danger he had placed himself in by going up on the roof.

Did you stop and ask him if he knew what he was doing?
I hope you were walking while looking at him, being distracted while riding or driving is considered a danger by some.

Was he in an industrial estate?

Business Park, shirley?

I’d like to see some drivers of HGV’s exit the cab without getting in a puff, expect them to climb on the roof ?

No.
Chance.

Though it ought to be an offence if they don’t clear stuff off the truck, like it is if we don’t on the car.

Business Park, shirley?

In Scotland, it’s an Industrial Estate 😀

In Scotland, it’s an Industrial Estate

You could be right, but only scotroutes know why he posted what he did though.

He was in a lay by on the A9 just outside Inverness.

Had a very close call once, massive sheet of ice came off the roof of a truck, smashed on the road inches in front of the car. At a guess it was about 2m x 4m, and about 5cm thick.. . .. 40kg if you do the sums. 😯 very lucky that day.

Business Park, shirley?

I don’t think it has snowed in the West Midlands recently.

Though it ought to be an offence if they don’t clear stuff off the truck, like it is if we don’t on the car. [/I]

Aye, lets see you get on top of an icy trailer 12 feet up…

And how would they know it was there in the first place? 🙄

And how would they know it was there in the first place?

Presumably because it had snowed?

In canada some truck operators have a adjustable height barrier to sweep trucks, also long cranked snow scraper type things. Some have a catcher deflector affair on the rear of the roof to try and make the snow drop down the back instead of flying off. With this being the uk maybe leave a bigger distance to the truck in front if its been snowing.

Presumably because it had snowed?

It’s not just snow though, a 12′ sheet of ice flying off at 60mph will do a lot of damage.

Yup, ignorance is no excuse.

A standard trailer is 13’6″. Your welcome to climb up onto the very weak, not designed for walking on, fibreglass roof if you like. It’s made more dangerous by being icy as well. Have fun.

Some of the trailers we pull are between 15-16ft tall . No chance on this earth I’m getting up there .

It should be. I had a car written off in Germany when a massive sheet of ice came off a trailer in front, flew through the air (seemingly in slow motion) and smashed down on top of my car.
Proper mess, bent the A pillars and smashed most of the glass.

Yup, ignorance is no excuse.

standard trailer is 13’6″. Your welcome to climb up onto the very weak, not designed for walking on, fibreglass roof if you like. It’s made more dangerous by being icy as well. Have fun.

Some of the trailers we pull are between 15-16ft tall . No chance on this earth I’m getting up there .

So, are those demanding that Something Must Be Done, after reading the bottom two quotes, going to volunteer their services to make sure that Something Is Done?
‘Cos I’m pretty sure a H&S risk assessment will require a risk assessment before anybody goes near the top of any truck trailer that isn’t a shipping container.
For starters, exactly how the **** do you get on top of a sixteen foot tall trailer that’s been parked overnight in a layby somewhere?
It’s all well and good demanding that trailers are cleared before being driven off, but let’s see exactly how you imagine a driver is going to do it!

Not sure about the U.K. But in Germany it is an offence for a truck to drive with ice on the trailer. In fact there are various places that they can drive to with a frame like structure that lets them climb easily onto the roof.

Years ago I had a sheet of ice fly off the front of a trailer I’d picked up from the docks.Fortunately being nighttime in midwinter no one else was involved.
The thing is,A) How was I supposed to inspect the roof of a trailer in the middle of the night in December?
B) If I had the opportunity to check it,how would I be expected to de-ice it?

It’s all well and good demanding that trailers are cleared before being driven off, but let’s see exactly how you imagine a driver is going to do it!

This sounds very similar to the good old “lorry mirrors are never going to be very good, so let’s just make it all the cyclists’ problem instead” argument.

If it’s not safe to drive it, you can’t drive it. If it’s not safe to make it safe, you still can’t drive it. Haulage businesses need to find a way.

So, are those demanding that Something Must Be Done, after reading the bottom two quotes, going to volunteer their services to make sure that Something Is Done?

Nope, I’m not, I’m not driving the bloody thing though am I.

Clearly the owner/driver of the vehicle has that responsibility… or, unless the laws changed maybe it’s your responsibility??