Footwear and modifications to goods vehicles in the UK road haulage sector

In my previous life as a wagon driver in the forces, part our job was driving and operating aircraft refullers. Apart from no hobnail boots as we were working with fuel we used to be up and down ladders, climbing onto the tanks to dip tanks, check levels/sun bathe etc.

These trucks were (are) large, banned from UK roads because of the length, and the tanks had no baffles (so the fuel would slosh from front to back, side to side etc), making them very unstable.

I know of 3 occasions where these tankers rolled over on airfields (driving too fast, ie faster than 25mph, turning too tighter circle etc), one of them dumping 8000 gallons of fuel across a taxiway, which melted it, and then the rest soaked into the water table

But my mate was stationed at Brize Norton, where one of his colleagues fell off the back of his tanker, tripped over in his big boots.

Next thing, elf and safety arrives, and from then on, a big frame was designed, which trucks had to be driven into, the driver then had a safety cable attached, etc etc, slowed down even the simplest checks, much to the amusement and ridicule of all.

All very over kill. Never did solve the problem of the tankers rolling over though, which would have been a better use of resources

100% agree with H&S, I just sometimes wonder about its application. Guess its down to indvidual interpretation and percieved priorities....

Not wrong Steve. Most of our bible work is descriptive at best and this then means that interpretation will differ greatly.

Ask to chartered practitioners the same question ...and guarantee two completely different solutions.