The law and unsheeted tipper [20 tonners] loads ?

I ride a NCN route near Bristol that is getting showered in falling rocks from lorries. Before I go moaning to the cops {or a point}. I was wondering if I have any grounds.

Or just ride faster pass the danger zone.

Some pix.

http://www.mtbarena.com/2011/09/unsheeted-lorry-loads/

Report it, they should be sheeted

As above. No doubt.

EFF ME!

Sheeted or otherwise, that is an unsafe load. Driver’s responsibility.

You need to spot a truck carrying the same material and go direct to the company concerned. I work for Hanson Aggregates. If it’s one of ours, heads would roll!

To be fair, even unsheeted, stuff like that should not fall out. They are either overloaded or poorly loaded, both of which I know ALL ABOUT bein an ex shovel driver and weighbridge clerk!!

Sheeted or otherwise, that is an unsafe load. Driver’s responsibility

For sure! But he didn’t load it, most likely….
If the company concerned get to hear about it, they should action it pretty quickly. Our quarries hire sweepers to clean the roads immediately outside (That’s where the worst debris is)

To be fair though, that looks like old stone to me. it’s not freshly quarried, that’s for sure, so I’m thinking it’s a ‘muck away’ job…

i.e. There’s no weighbridge on site and the loader driver isn’t used to loading trucks that go on the road/is trying to cut corners buy getting as much on as possible!

That blue one behind in the pic is loaded and unsheeted, but it’s only a light electric sheet anyway, which is more for show than any use to be honest.

You could try the police. A couple of years ago I was passed by a wagon with dangling / flailing about ratchet strap complete with hook on the end of it.

The hook hit a parked car and missed me by inches, it could have easily killed someone.

Reported to police with time, date, vehicle details. They took it seriously, came and took a statement etc but driver claimed it wasn’t him (even though the taco and his route could have placed him there). Without any direct CCTV or other corroborating evidence it went nowhere.

The law is unsafe load. Regardless of who loaded it, its the drivers responsibility to check that his vehicle is both roadworthy and safely loaded. A you can also get done for this if you loose a bike of the back of a car.

The law is unsafe load. Regardless of who loaded it

It is. But you can’t get hold of the driver, can you? And even if you could, he’d tell you to fek off. His company name, however, is probably in 2ft high letters down the side of his truck, and they pay his wages….

Go to the comany concerned first. Serioulsy. Don’t get mad, just explain what’s happening, give the location and any reg numbers if you can.
I’ve been on the recieving end of complaints like this, and any reputable company WILL sort it fast, believe me…!

Our drivers know that if they go out unsheested they risk suspension, put it that way!

PP talks sense, I used to be a tipper driver and this was treated very seriously, you could murder as many prostitutes as you wanted, eat a four course Chinese lunch on the move, smerk tabs all day long while Bullshitting telling your boss where you are on the phone and tuning the radio, but you had to use sheets on your load………Or else……

both those wagons have sheeting systems, neither is in the closed position. Also if the material is waste soil (muck away) you should speak to the Environment Agency…

wagon should be sheeted and if it is waste they are failing the duty of care to correctly transport waste – plus a little bit of illegal deposit of waste on land – not that that would stick.

Looks like a stake out is required.

I#ll get onto my beat manager or report on the non emergency.

Thanks for the info.

PS There are stone crushing plants around the corner. Steve Ball, Chrurngold, Bristol & Avon etc.

both those wagons have sheeting systems, neither is in the closed position.

The one moving away isn’t loaded. It doesn’t need to be sheeted.

Also if the material is waste soil (muck away) you should speak to the Environment Agency…

No, no, no. For the THIRD time GO TO THE COMPANY THAT OWNS/OPERATES THE TRUCKS first. If that doesn’t work (It should!) then the police if it carries on. The EA will faff and arse around for 3 weeks and do nowt other than refer you to someone else. Probably the operator. The EA duty of care is wooly at best, this is the only bit I can find that applies:

“make sure the waste is safely contained and that it is not
able to escape control”

Which generally applies to the handling at the destination (I’ve worked in a tip, too, by the way)

This is the bit tip operators are concerned with, BTW
“You may be asked to prove you are an authorised person when
collecting or transferring waste to someone else.”

i.e. We want to see your waste carriers registration before you tip. No reg, no tip. It’s an arse covering exercise and a money spinner for the EA though, no more.

Anyone can register as a waste carrier here
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/wastecarriers.aspx

Regs here
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0411BTTC-e-e.pdf

Actually, I’ll call the EA and ask for you…….

I called ’em. I was right, they’d refer you to the council or vehicle licensing bods.

Neither of which will sort it as fast as going to the waste carrier themselves IME. If the carrier doesn’t sort it in a few days, THEN that’s where to go to take it further.

HTH
🙂

Here you go:

http://www.keyway.co.uk/

That’s the company on the blue truck

both those wagons have sheeting systems, neither is in the closed position.

The one moving away isn’t loaded. It doesn’t need to be sheeted.

Knew you would bring that up 😉 Point I was making was that both have auto sheeting systems and not hard for the drivers to actually use them when they have a load.

yes probably best to go to the truck operator or better go to the site developer.

Yes DoC is a bit woolly and the EA are slow/shite (I know I used to work for them), but the consignee (if this is waste) has a Duty to ensure it gets to is permitted/exempt site… i.e. not spill out on route and he should do this my employing decent hauliers. Perhaps the loader should place the loads better in the bodies as well.

If this was a site I was undertaking Env audit (construction or waste site) of it would be massive black mark for letting mud and debris get onto the road but only tends for construction sites that the larger companies give a toss.. I have spoken to people like Cemex for example in a professional capacity and as a cyclist, in both cases they were very helpful. Keyway is a plant hire. (edit looks as though they also provide muck away – good spot woody – i have only seen then in other peoples yards to cover breakdowns)

same with hauliers, decent ones will sort this out if you approach them in the right way – dodge ones will not.. and just tell you to f off..

there are less and less crap operators round now – many have simply gone to the wall as construction output has nose dived.

Keyway also provide removal services, not just hire BTW

(edit looks as though they also provide muck away – good spot woody – i have only seen then in other peoples yards to cover breakdowns)

Hi Guys,

I will be creating a blog on this subject, and would ask for everyone’s support on this once created. There have been a number of incidents that this has occurred, and The health and safety are fully aware of this problem, as well as the Department of transport.

It just needs to be re enforced, and put in front of the authorities to make some changes.

Auto sheeting systems alone are still not effective, which is why we are pushing for further changes in the industry, with the support of the public who are concerned of these risks.

All of which will be explained in my Blog.

Cant wait to see response on this.

In the meantime please add my page on facebook for support:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tarprite/274163532630237

And check this out while your online:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5ypkr7dWBs

Antonio.