Released in partnership with Logistics UK, the guide is a crucial new resource for the road transport and commercial vehicle sectors: ‘Good Practice Guide on the Use of Axle Stands and Chassis Stands’, with a Foreword from IRTE PSC Chair Nick Elliott.
This guide is designed to improve safety during vehicle lifting and support procedures, particularly in workshops, depots, roadside settings, and plant sites.
Preventing Fatalities and Improving Workshop Safety
Working under vehicles, supported only by jacks, remains one of the most dangerous activities in vehicle maintenance. Every year, technicians suffer fatal or life-changing injuries due to inadequate lifting and support practices. This guide aims to prevent those incidents by promoting safe systems of work and raising awareness across the industry.
What the Guide Covers
The guide provides detailed advice on several key areas of vehicle maintenance safety. It explains how to choose and use axle stands and chassis stands correctly and emphasises the importance of both dynamic and formal risk assessments. It highlights the need for technicians to be properly trained and competent and outlines the requirements for managing equipment inspections in line with LOLER and PUWER regulations.
The guide also stresses the importance of assessing environmental conditions such as ground surfaces, weather, and vehicle stability, and it helps users understand the limitations of lifting equipment, particularly regarding safe working loads and rated capacity.
A Practical Resource for Engineers and Workshop Managers
This publication is essential reading for:
- Commercial Vehicle Technicians
- Workshop Managers
- Fleet Operators
- Health and Safety Professionals
- Engineers working with trailers, passenger-carrying vehicles, and wheeled plant
The guide highlights everyday hazards, such as contaminated jacking points and unstable surfaces, and provides clear recommendations to manage them. It also outlines common equipment failures and the need for regular checks, including visual inspections and scheduled audits.
Supporting Industry Standards
The launch of this guide reinforces the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE)’s long-standing commitment to improving safety standards across the transport engineering industry. By providing clear, practical advice on the use of axle and chassis stands, the guide aims to reduce the number of serious incidents caused by unsafe lifting practices.
It complements a range of established industry standards and regulatory frameworks, including IRTE’s Wheel Chock Best Practice Guide, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). It also aligns with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) safety publications relating to vehicle maintenance and repair.
Together, these resources provide a strong foundation for safer working environments and more effective risk management in workshops, depots, and on roadside operations.
Download your copy of the Guide today