Petrol Transport Vehicles – How to Inspect Safely

By Alice Mullard
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If you work with heavy-duty vehicles in your workshop, safety is always a top priority. However, it’s not just about the vehicles themselves; it’s also about the goods and substances those vehicles carry.

When inspecting ADR vehicles, you are dealing with a variety of hazardous goods and dangerous substances. This means that when you carry out vehicle inspections using your own ATF lanes, you need to keep these dangers in mind.

Here’s what you need to know about red site ATF lines and the special equipment we recommend to help keep ADR testing safe.

 

What is a Red Site AFT Lane, and do you need one?

Red site AFT lanes are specially designed for ADR vehicles – vehicles carrying dangerous or hazardous goods in bulk.

However, just because you have an ADR vehicle doesn’t mean every AFT lane is required to be red site. This depends on what substance is being transported and the vehicle’s condition when it is presented for testing.

For example:

If the vehicle is carrying petrol = you may need a Restricted Dangerous Goods ATF.

If the vehicle is carrying diesel = you may need a Dangerous Goods ATF.

But what about the vehicle’s condition and how does this affect the test?

Well, it depends on whether the vehicle is laden and whether it has been declared as purged.

If an ADR vehicle comes for testing unladen and has been declared as purged and safe for inspection, you won’t need a red site AFT lane.

If the ADR vehicle comes for testing laden, or it has not been declared as purged, you’ll have to test it using a red lane.

 

What else is required for the test?

If your vehicle falls into the latter category (laden and hasn’t been declared as purged), you’ll need a ‘competent person’ to accompany the vehicle during the test.

For an ADR test, this person would be required to:

  • Hold a vocation training certification
  • Have a valid Hazchem licence that’s appropriate to the dangerous goods being carried.

 

Is your vehicle inspection pit suitable?

A properly ventilated vehicle inspection pit is essential for any vehicle testing, but it becomes even more important when testing ADR vehicles.

With dangerous substances (or resides) on board, there is a higher risk of fumes building up, which can have serious consequences. This is why every red site AFT pit must have a Zone 1-rated extraction fan to help remove potentially explosive gases.

You would some need Zone 1-rated LEDs in the pit, as well as potentially having the sump removed to ensure there are no trapped fumes.

 

Are your brake testers ADR-ready?

Brake testers are another workshop feature that will need to be specialised if you wish to use them to inspect ADR vehicles, including petrol transport vehicles.

An ADR-ready break tester would require:

  • Spark-proof motors
  • Electromagnetic braked motors
  • A cooling fan and fume duct connected to a Zone 1-rated extraction fan

Like the vehicle pit, these additional features are designed to create a safe environment for using the brake tester, helping to minimise the risk of explosive gases in a laden or undeclared vehicle.