According to The Health and Safety Executive, it is a requirement by law for employers to ensure that their equipment is in good working condition, to make sure that no accidents occur. This is why planned maintenance checks are necessary to minimise the risk of a commercial vehicle failing during its use. In addition to this, you should treat your commercial vehicle like your own car or van and get it annually serviced to check any small faults so bigger problems don’t arise.
With this in mind, we have put together four signs that your commercial vehicle needs repairing so your construction or agricultural site can remain safe.
Hissing or grinding sounds
It is no secret that your heavy machinery and commercial vehicles will make a lot of noise when being used. From grinding and breaking materials to excavating the ground – it can cause quite a headache for you and your employees. However, the vehicle itself shouldn’t make lots of noise in its interiors – keep an ear out for any hissing and grinding noises that appear unusual and that come from inside the vehicle as this could indicate leaks, misalignment and or problems with your machines hydraulic systems.
Discoloured or thick exhaust fumes
Seeing thick dark smoke coming out of any motor vehicle is a cause for concern, especially from heavy machinery. Not only does this indicate that your vehicle needs repairing, but it will also need to be repaired quickly. This is because the fumes are a health and safety concern for your employees – harmful exhaust fumes can contribute to respiratory problems amongst your staff.
If your heavy machinery or commercial vehicles are exhuming thick dark fumes then this could indicate that your vehicle’s air filters are clogged or dirty and there is a ventilation failure.
Oil leak
If you notice oil leaking from your heavy machinery, or consistent low fluid levels after filling up – it is imperative that you get this fixed. Simply because oil leaks are signs of bigger problems like issues with the steering gears. So, potentially hazardous for your employees operating the machinery. Plus, oil leaks are also hazardous as they can cause slips and falls in the workplace as well as being highly flammable, leading to less productivity at work and also a potential injury lawsuit, causing damage to your reputation. If you do notice an oil leak, this could be due to failures of the hydraulics systems too. If this is the case, then you need to call out a hydraulic expert, like one of us at HP hydraulics, as soon as possible.
Here at HP Hydraulics, our experts are skilled at commercial vehicle repairs. We pride ourselves on having over 50 years experience dealing with a range of hydraulic problems and helping out owners of commercial vehicles and heavy machinery on or off-site. To find out more about our services, contact us today.