Pre-Use Inspection: Four Defects Before Dispatch
At 06:50, before the first movement of the shift, you carry out the pre-use inspection on a three-year-old LPG counterbalance truck with 1,840 hours on the hour meter. The engine oil and coolant are at the marks, the seat switch operates, and the parking brake holds the truck on the marked 1-in-10 test slope. You then find: a hydraulic hose under the carriage has a damp patch and forms a slow drip when the mast is raised with a load; the left drive tyre has a 25 mm deep chunk missing, exposing cord; the horn sounds only when the steering wheel is turned about 30 degrees; and the LPG cylinder is secure but the hose connection has a faint gas smell. The yard is busy, and your supervisor has already allocated you six pallets for a 07:30 dispatch. A fitter is on site but is working on a reach truck at the far end of the yard.
1. Assess the four defects. Which make the truck unsafe to operate, and why?
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All four are safety-critical, not cosmetic:
- Hydraulic hose weep under load: a pressurised hose can burst, dropping the mast or load, spraying hot oil and creating a slip/fire risk. A weep that appears only under load is a sign of a weakened hose.
- Tyre chunk exposing cord: the cord is the tyre's structural reinforcement. A 25 mm deep exposure can lead to sudden failure under load, especially on a drive tyre during steering or braking.
- Intermittent horn: the horn is a warning device for blind corners and pedestrians. A horn that works only at a particular steering angle cannot be relied on.
- Gas smell at the cylinder connection: LPG is flammable and can accumulate at low level. A faint smell can still indicate a leak that becomes dangerous in an enclosed or busy yard.
The truck should be treated as unfit for use. The seat switch and parking brake passing their tests do not offset these defects.
2. State your immediate actions, including tagging, isolation and reporting.
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I would park the truck in a safe, designated area away from traffic, lower the forks, put the direction control in neutral, apply the parking brake, switch off and close the LPG cylinder valve. I would attach a clear 'DO NOT USE - defective' tag, remove the key if the site system requires it, and report to the supervisor and fitter immediately. I would complete the pre-use inspection/defect report with the time, hour meter reading, exact defect locations and my name. I would not move the truck to the workshop unless a competent person authorises a controlled move, because the hydraulic and tyre defects could fail during movement. I would also keep other operators from taking the truck by telling them directly and, where permitted, by isolating it.
3. The supervisor says: 'It's only a weep and one tyre - just finish the six pallets and I'll book it in tonight.' How do you respond?
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I would decline to operate it and explain why in practical terms: the hydraulic hose is leaking under pressure, the tyre has exposed cord, the horn is intermittent and there is a gas smell. I would not accept 'only a weep' because the defect is pressure-dependent and can worsen suddenly. I would ask for a replacement truck or for the fitter to attend before dispatch. If the supervisor continues to pressure me, I would escalate to the site manager or health and safety adviser and record the instruction and my refusal. Operating a known-defective truck would breach my duty to take reasonable care and could invalidate insurance or disciplinary protection. The six pallets are not worth a load drop, tyre blowout or fire.