Safety Equipment, Personal Protection and Vehicle Safety Systems
Required equipment
ADR requires the vehicle to carry fire extinguishers, warning signs, wheel chocks, and for some classes additional equipment. The driver must carry personal protective equipment: gloves, eye protection, and where required, a respiratory mask and protective clothing. Traps: assuming one extinguisher suits all classes, and forgetting that equipment must be accessible, not buried under the load.
Vehicle safety systems
Vehicles must meet ADR construction requirements: electrical equipment protected, anti-lock braking where required, and speed limitation. The driver should check that systems work before departure. Traps: ignoring a warning light, and assuming a vehicle approved for one class is approved for all classes.
Worked rule of thumb
Before departure, do an equipment check: extinguishers charged and in date, warning signs present, PPE accessible, wheel chocks present. If any item fails, do not depart.