SAFETY BRIEFING NOTE -142016
Weekly inspection of push along verticals (PAV’s)
Background
Recently we have become aware of an incident where a swivel/castor wheel became detached from the
chassis of a Push Around Vertical (PAV). Fortunately no one was injured during the incident as the machine was being pushed from one location to another.
On close inspection it was found that the bolt which secures the wheel to the chassis of the machine had snapped/sheared off.
What you should know and do:
The incident does highlight the importance of ensuring that this type of machine is used correctly and engineers know what to look for when carrying out routine weekly inspections.
PAV’s are not designed to be dragged sideways or be manually lifted into a particular space. If the equipment can’t be manoeuvred into a particular space alternative means of access equipment should be sourced. Any unnatural movement or lateral force applied to the wheels anchor points can place undue stress on any nuts/bolts and may cause them to fail.
The security of wheels should form part of a weekly inspection. To ensure wheels are secure, the following procedure must be carried out;
1. Apply the brakes to each wheel.
2. Whilst holding each nut/bolt give the PAV a shake.
3. If you discover any movement in any of the nuts/bolts, the wheel is loose.
4. Take the PAV out of service and request an engineer from the hire company to visit site to re-torque the nut/bolts.
As waste materials such as polythene can become entangled around the axle and prevent the wheel from rotating, a good housekeeping regime should be maintained. Check for foreign objects and waste materials during your pre-work and weekly inspections. Note the adoption of an effective safe space/clean as you policy should prevent this issue from occurring.
Should any signs of corrosion, damage or excessive wear and tear be noted during your inspection, the machine is to be taken out of service and an engineer from the hire company is to be called out to repair/rectify as appropriate.
Remember if in doubt stop, stand the equipment down and seek advice from the hirer or one of the Regional Safety Managers.
Please display on all relevant HSE Noticeboards
Prepared by / Approved by / Issue Date / Alert Ref No / Source / Attachments / PagesS Marsh – Health & Safety Advisor / A Connick, National Director HSE / July 2016 / 14/2016 / External / No / 1 of 2