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What is Meant By a Pump Truck Inspection?

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What is meant by a pump truck inspection?  How often should it be examined?  Is there a legal requirement as to how often it must be inspected and if so, what is it?  These are all valid questions.  First of all, let’s be clear what a pump truck is.  A pump truck, hand pallet truck or pallet jack is probably one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in the company.  It’s designed to pick up heavy loads and allow them to be moved safely.  In other words, it’s workplace equipment that needs examining under PUWER 1998.

Provisions and Use of Workplace Equipment 1998 (PUWER)
The PUWER regulations state the equipment must be ‘safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate’.  This is a useful snippet but we recommend reading the regulations in full.  You may also find our Daily Checklist of value.  Our recommendation is that the inspection should be part of the pump truck service.   Above all, this means an in-depth examination by a competent person to ensure that truck is safe to use.  Upon completion, the engineer signs to confirm that the equipment has been left in safe working order. 
How often does it need inspecting?

OK, so now we’ve answered the question; what is meant by a pump truck inspection?  The next question is;  how often should it be carried out?

It’s a legal requirement to examine a pump truck annually.  Should the equipment be involved in an accident a further examination will be necessary.  We also recommend an annual service unless:

  • the application is particularly arduous e.g. 24/7
  • the conditions are agressive e.g. wet areas, cold stores or corrosive agents are present e.g. brine
  • the truck has been condemned as beyond economical repair

in which case it will require more regular attention or in the latter case, scrapping.

If you’re not sure, just call us on 0161 272 1900.  We cover the UK mainland.

How do I get a copy of the Daily Checklist for pump trucks?

We’ve put together a free pallet truck checklist that can be downloaded here.  We recommend that it’s printed off and put in a prominent position.  Any faults should be reported immediately so that repairs can be carried out.  This will not only improve safety, it will help keep costs under control.  A small repair can become a big repair very quickly, so it’s worth getting them done immediately.

Do pump trucks need LOLER inspections?

Pump trucks which only lift to about 250mm or less are excluded from LOLER.  However, high lift pump trucks (typically with around 700mm of lift) do require an annual LOLER inspection.  We can undertake these on your behalf.

Conclusion

Pump trucks are not high risk pieces of equipment.  However, accidents can and do happen.  To meet HSE requirements, an annual inspection is required.  We cover the UK mainland for pump truck repairs, service and certification.  Call us now on 0161 272 1900 to discuss your requirements.

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