Four Useful Safety Tips for Trade Companies and Their Vans
If you use a van for work, you must ensure it is safe, secure and protected whilst deterring thieves from stealing its contents. This is particularly important for those working in trade businesses such as electricians, plumbers and Gloucester Roofer companies such as http://gloucester-roofer.co.uk/ as their vans carry their workers and their equipment from job to job.
Keeping your van secure and safe is essential to keep your business moving; follow these four useful safety tips for your van.
1. Ensure You Understand the Safety Features of Your Van
As standard, your van will likely be equipped with a variety of safety kit including ABS, stability control, and airbags, which save an average of 44,869 lives each year on the road.
The latest vans also come with advanced safety features such as lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and auto city breaking.
Whilst these features the manufacturer include are useful to help keep you and other road users safe, many vehicle owners simply do not understand how the safety features work.
To get the maximum benefit from these features, ensure you thoroughly read the van’s manual, and familiarise yourself with the vehicle’s safety aids.
2. Know the Maximum Weight Your Van Can Carry
However your van is laid out, and whatever the load, you must ensure you load it correctly so it’s safe to drive.
Before loading, you must know the maximum weight your van can transport, which is displayed on the VIN (Vehicle Identity Number) plate. This number is the total amount you can carry, including the weight of any passengers and the driver, as well as fuel.
3. Secure the Load
Everything you carry in your van must be securely tied down to ensure you remain safe.
Modern vans now feature many load securing options such as lashing eyes which are located at the hard points on the load floor. This offers the best security for the load at the back of the van, ideally using ratchet straps instead of rope, which are more effective.
Consider upgrading your van’s interior with speedliner, which will protect your van from any damage from the loads you carry.
4. Drive Slow and Steady
To ensure that items do not move around within the load area, drive as slowly and steadily as possible. Smoothly use the throttle, steering and brakes, as sharp movements can disturb the load.
