Section 9 - Tipping

Check that tipping operations are carried out safely

Do visiting drivers report to the site manager for any relevant instructions prior to commencing tipping operations?

Drivers should be given full details of the load and delivery conditions, including how they can get there safely.

Drivers visiting a site should have to report to the site operator for any relevant instructions.

When tipping is being arranged, both the haulier and the person receiving the load should exchange written information about the load, safe tipping, the characteristics of the site, a safe route to the site, and safe ways of working.  The driver and workers at the receiving site should be made aware of this information as well, and before the delivery begins.

Tipping information[78]

Are non-essential personnel excluded from tipping areas?

You can remove the risks to people who do not need to be in the tipping area by making sure that they are kept completely clear.

Making sure that everyone is aware tipping is about to happen and only those people involved in the tipping are in the immediate area.
Are tipping operations undertaken on ground that is level and stable, and a location free from overhead hazards such as power lines, pipework, etc?

Overhead power lines[79]

Where sites are not level and stable, are the tipping faces safe for vehicles involved in tipping operations, eg compacted and no side slopes?

At sites where level and stable tipping places cannot always be guaranteed you will need to make sure that tipping faces are suitable and safe (for example, by making sure that the faces are will compacted, and that there are no significant side slopes.

For tipping over unsupported embankments or faces. The wheel stop will need to be far enough from the edge to make sure the weight of the vehicle does not make the ground collapse.

Tipping information[80]

Are suitably sized wheel-stops provided where vehicles need to reverse prior to tipping? Where possible, and particularly where reversing needs to happen, wheel stops that are large enough to let the driver know to stop should be used, to help position vehicles correctly.

Tipping information[81]

Are drivers clear about when tailgates should be released or removed? The tailgate should be released before tipping and removed if necessary.
Do drivers check that their loads are evenly distributed across the vehicle prior to commencing tipping operations? Before tipping starts, the driver may need to check that the load is evenly distributed across the vehicle.  This is particularly important where:
  • The load might have slipped sideways or too far forwards, risking overloading the tipping gear;
  • The load shifting sideways or backwards could make the vehicle topple over; or
  • There is a risk of the load 'freezing' down one side as a result of movement or settling. If this happens, that side could cause an imbalance and cause the vehicle to topple. Care needs to be taken that the load is released evenly.
Are the drivers sufficiently experienced to anticipate loads sticking?

Drivers should be trained in safe tipping, and should understand the limits of what their vehicle can do safely.

Drivers should receive training and instruction in how to anticipate loads sticking or 'freezing' in the body.

Training drivers[82]

Do drivers always ensure that the body is completely empty, and drive no more than a few metres forward to ensure the load is clear?

After releasing the load the driver should always make sure that the body is completely empty.

The driver should not drive more than a few metres forward to make sure the load is clear, and should only do this after checking that the load is at the bottom of the tipped body.  If the driver has to leave the cab to do this, they should fully apply the brakes, turn off the engine and (if possible) remove the keys.  Again, the vehicle will always need to be given a wide berth.
Is there a system of maintenance in place for the tipper and the tipping mechanism?

By law, every employer must make sure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

Each vehicle you purchase or hire should come with a handbook giving manufacturer's guide on regular maintenance.

Poorly maintained tipping vehicles and under-trained operators are common causes of accidents during tipping, for example, overturns usually have the potential to kill people and can be the result of a  number of different problems.

Inspection, maintenance and repair[83]

Back to top

Link URLs in this page

  1. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/about.htm
  3. Legislationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/legislation.htm
  4. Overview - Management responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/index.htm
  5. Risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/risk.htm
  6. Taking responsibilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/responsibilities.htm
  7. Communicationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/communication.htm
  8. Co-operationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/cooperation.htm
  9. FAQs on workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/faq.htm
  10. Overview - People's safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/index.htm
  11. Recruitmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/recruitment.htm
  12. Inductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/induction.htm
  13. Initial traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/initialtraining.htm
  14. Refresher traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/refreshertraining.htm
  15. Maintaining good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/goodpractice.htm
  16. Managing contractorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingcontractors.htm
  17. Visiting drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingvisitors.htm
  18. Medical fitness to drivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/medicalfitness.htm
  19. Smoking in vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/smokinginvehicles.htm
  20. Overview - Vehicle safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/index.htm
  21. Safe vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safevehicles.htm
  22. Safe manoeuvringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safemanoeuvring.htm
  23. Ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/waystostop.htm
  24. The right vehicle for the jobhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/rightvehicle.htm
  25. Inspection, maintenance and repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/inspection.htm
  26. Securing loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/securingloads.htm
  27. Site-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/sitebased.htm
  28. Vehicle-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/vehiclebased.htm
  29. Preventing falls from vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/preventingfalls.htm
  30. Safe siteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safesites.htm
  31. Safe drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safedrivers.htm
  32. Overview - Site safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitelayout.htm
  33. Traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficroutes.htm
  34. Driving surfaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/driving.htm
  35. Vehicles and loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles.htm
  36. Vehicle handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehiclehandling.htm
  37. Speedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/speed.htm
  38. Traffic managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficmanagement.htm
  39. Separating pedestrians and vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/separating.htm
  40. Signs, signals and road markingshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/signs.htm
  41. Protecting structureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/protecting.htm
  42. Lightinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lighting.htm
  43. Parking https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/parking.htm
  44. Loading areashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/loading.htm
  45. Temporary workplaces and unprepared roadwayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/temporaryworkplace.htm
  46. Site-based ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitebased.htm
  47. General maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/generalmaintenance.htm
  48. Overview - Lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/index.htm
  49. Managing lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/managing-lift-trucks.htm
  50. Lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/lift-truck-training.htm
  51. Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/accreditation.htm
  52. Thorough examinationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/thoroughexamination.htm
  53. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/faqs.htm
  54. Overview - Inspectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm
  55. Management and supervision of workplace transport riskhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section1.htm
  56. Site layout and internal traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section2.htm
  57. Vehicle selection and suitabilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section3.htm
  58. Vehicle maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section4.htm
  59. Vehicle movementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section5.htm
  60. Un(loading) activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section6.htm
  61. Driver competencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section7.htm
  62. (Un)sheetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section8.htm
  63. Tippinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section9.htm
  64. References and useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section10.htm
  65. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/resources.htm
  66. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/index.htm
  67. Interactive case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/interactive-case-studies.htm
  68. Overview - Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/publications.htm
  69. Factsheets and further readinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/index.htm
  70. Other publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/otherpubs.htm
  71. Overview - Safety signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/index.htm
  72. Banksman's signalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/banksman/index.htm
  73. 'Not allowed' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/prohibitory.htm
  74. 'Danger warning' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/warning.htm
  75. Signs required by lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/mandatory.htm
  76. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/research.htm
  77. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/statistics.htm
  78. Tipping informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/tipping.htm
  79. Overhead power lineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/overhead.htm
  80. Tipping informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/tipping.htm
  81. Tipping informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/tipping.htm
  82. Training drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/training.htm
  83. Inspection, maintenance and repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/inspection.htm
  84. Next: Section 10 - References and useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section10.htm
  85. Previous: Section 8 - (Un)sheetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section8.htm
  86. Checklist HSEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm
  87. Workplace transport safety – an overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg199.htm
  88. Workplace transport safety - An employer's guide (HSG136)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  89. Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles (Guidance - GOV.UK)https://www.gov.uk/guidance/securing-loads-on-hgvs-and-goods-vehicles
  90. Falls from vehicleshttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200731110308/https://www.hse.gov.uk/fallsfromvehicles/index.htm
  91. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
  92. Science and researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/index.htm
  93. Safety bulletinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm
  94. Agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm
  95. Constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm
  96. Logisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/index.htm
  97. Road safety (work related)https://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
  98. Whole Body Vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/wbv/index.htm
  99. Safety bulletinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm

Is this page useful?

Updated 2021-11-15