Edinburgh Company Loses HGV License

A demolitions firm from Edinburgh made the news last August when one of their HGVs lost a wheel on the A904. The resulting accident left the vehicle hanging over a flyover until emergency crews could stabilise it and bring it back. Now the company is back in the news after having its HGV license suspended.

According to investigators, the company’s transport manager and the HGV driver both bear some responsibility for the 2012 accident. They say the wheel came loose because all 10 lug nuts were missing at the time the wheel was separated from the vehicle. Investigators voiced concerns over the company maintenance procedures and, as a result, will not lift the suspension until a new transport manager has been hired.

The driver of the vehicle is also suspected of not having done the proper safety investigation before getting under way that day. Investigators suspect a proper inspection would have shown the lug nuts loose before the vehicle ever rolled out. That said, the lack of proof prevents any action against the driver.

Safety Is Lesson Number One

It’s true that accidents will happen from time to time. To expect otherwise is foolish. However, safety should be the number one lesson drivers learn through any HGV training course. That safety begins with a proper inspection of vehicles before being driven away. When a driver goes through his training, he is taught how to perform a proper inspection, what to look for, and what to do in the event a problem is found.

As for transport managers, an equally important part of their training is in developing safety and maintenance procedures to ensure actions like this do not happen. The suspension of this company’s HGV license was not a result of just a single accident. It was the result of an investigation that showed numerous concerns about their safety procedures.

In a similar case just a few days later, a Cambridge transport company had its HGV license restricted after repeated maintenance and safety violations — the company in question had received 32 prohibitions dating back to 2007. They will not have use of one of their HGVs for the next month while it undergoes an overhaul to bring it up to standards. No other licensed HGV driver will be allowed to operate the vehicle during that time.

The HGV Training Centre knows how important driver and vehicle safety are. As part of our training, we give drivers the tools they need to identify safety hazards before hitting the road, as well as tools to help them drive safely while on the road. We also boast a 97% first-time pass rate among our students who take the HGV license theory test.

When you train with us, you are learning exactly what you need to know to earn your HGV licence. We even help you find an open position through our updated job listings. If you get started today, you could be embarking on a rewarding career in a matter of months.