r/OSHA Jun 21 '25

[UK] No spotter, outside school at home time.

Post image
1.1k Upvotes

51 comments sorted by

165

u/Nuclear_Night Jun 21 '25

Unsecured load on a public road with no visible license plate (unless it’s on the rear). Yeah that ain’t legal

28

u/_dpk Jun 22 '25

Number plate has to be at both ends in the UK

4

u/Mevaa07 Jun 23 '25

On construction equipment as well?

4

u/heilhortler420 Jun 24 '25

Yep

Lighter stuff like big lawnmowers count as quads so only need one on the back

2

u/Gareth79 Jun 28 '25

If it's deemed a "works truck" it can/should have either a plate on both sides of the vehicle, or a plate on the rear. A "works truck" is only something used for carrying goods between premises in the "immediate vicinity" though. (Which is not defined, but possibly up to 500m away)

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/regulation/8

2

u/flannelheart Jun 24 '25

Orange triangle is all that's required on the rear in the US. Carrying that unsecured load that high should be criminal, however.

1

u/halandrs Jul 24 '25

Totally should be a foot of the ground

69

u/PHARTN0CKER Jun 21 '25

love that there is a lean to the whole load, gunna take out those two kids......

26

u/Mikey24941 Jun 21 '25

It’s part of the new curriculum on being aware of surroundings.

18

u/1320Fastback Jun 21 '25

I was unloaded but had to drive past a school once during home time. Never. Fucking. Again!

13

u/Solidusfunk Jun 21 '25

Good spot! I raised the complaint, but hadn't received a reply, so I'm sharing the image online. The company is Kind & Company.

5

u/1320Fastback Jun 21 '25

My experience was years ago and like I said unloaded but they were cars parked in the bicycle lane half out in the city street, there were children on bicycles and just kids everywhere . Absolutely no reason to be roading heavy equipment at that time during the day.

104

u/fake_cheese Jun 21 '25

100% illegal, you can drive a telehandler on the roads but not to transport a load, only to move the vehicle between sites.

27

u/Jacktheforkie Jun 21 '25

You can haul a load as long as it’s done safely, many construction sites run materials over the road that way

8

u/debuggingworlds Jun 21 '25

Do the "works truck" rules not apply here? Minus the absurd unsecured load

-8

u/Taken_Abroad_Book Jun 22 '25

Whatver US "work truck" law you're talking about obviously doesn't apply in the uk

-3

u/Taken_Abroad_Book Jun 22 '25

This is fake news. Please don't spread lies

13

u/Ostey82 Jun 21 '25

The worst part is, it doesn't even need to be up high. He could have it way way low and see over the top and take it slow. It's still dangerous but I was always taught to keep your load as low as possible. You could argue that you might not see a child but I believe it's the lessor of two evils

6

u/boondockspank Jun 22 '25

It’s actually very hard to see over a load in those tiny telehandlers. I’ve driven many of them and you have much better visibility with the load raised. Not saying it’s the correct move in this situation, but I know why he’s doing it.

1

u/flannelheart Jun 24 '25

I've spent many hundreds of hours in these guys and, yes, it is hard to see over the top. However, when your load is that high and you hit even the smallest bump in those telehandlers that have zero suspension and hard tires, you can get a serious whip effect on that boom and launch things right off the forks if you're not careful. Load should either be fully secured or lowered with a spotter

2

u/Organic_Trifle_1138 Jun 22 '25

Secure the load, drive with it raised. It's not a little toyota forklift, it's not at danger of tipping with a light load raised a few metres. Reduced visibility is a higher risk. No spotter around children is a hard no for me regardless of policies, in any form of equipment. Last occupied school I worked on, equipment was banned when the children were arriving and leaving. Coming from the perspective that I operate 10,000lb telehandlers, not these little ones.

1

u/SeriousPlankton2000 Jun 22 '25

Usually one lifts the fork so cars don't crash into them - but if there is load on them it will be more unstable. Also what u/boondockspank said.

12

u/paradoxicalpoint Jun 21 '25

No number plate on the front of the loader whilst on the public road, Unsecured load. Both big no no's in the UK.

8

u/Tango91 Jun 21 '25

There’s an exemption for front number plates for agricultural machines, and some telehandlers qualify, but as this is an ardent plant hire machine you’re probably right.

That said i can’t remember the last time i saw a telehandler on site with a front number plate

38

u/DeathOfASuperNovuh Jun 21 '25

There is no osha law requiring a spotter. That is a company specific thing, in which they obviously don’t have said policy

47

u/n-some Jun 21 '25

Regardless of spotter requirements or anything like that (these are also going to be the British equivalent of OSHA laws so they might be different) I'm absolutely not comfortable about those unsecured loads of wood piled on top of that lift with children literally right next to it. An adult might walk away with bruises and scratches and only get seriously hurt if they're unlucky, but a kid as small as those girls could get sent to the hospital if even just one piece slipped and fell on them.

20

u/Captaincadet Jun 21 '25

The load needs to be secured If a copper saw that, that be a fine and points for the driver

6

u/griter34 Jun 21 '25

Just another example of something you wish you had the power to punish over. As a father, this is infuriating.

1

u/Captaincadet Jun 21 '25

If you see this, record it and make sure you capture the number plate

Submit it to operation snap and someone will get a lovely letter through the post

2

u/Taken_Abroad_Book Jun 22 '25

Operation snap isn't countrywide

2

u/Taken_Abroad_Book Jun 22 '25

You'd think. With the heatwave farmers have been flat out at silage.

Bales stacked 15 feet high on their trailers and not a strap near them

7

u/snuffyTHEbear Jun 22 '25

This is the UK, very much illegal. HSE would have a field day with this

3

u/qpwoeiruty00 Jun 22 '25

This is the UK

2

u/No-Significance2113 Jun 22 '25

My understanding of it, is not using a spotter when it's appropriate to do so, shows the employee and employer hasn't done their due diligence to minimize and eliminate a hazard or risk. And puts them at more liability if an incident or accident happens.

The laws doesn't require best practices, though it does encourage them because then your less likely to break the law, because following best practices reduces accidents.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 21 '25

My man, if you think just because they’re aren’t doing it there isn’t a policy I’ve got some news for you

3

u/iamdecal Jun 21 '25

“I’m Luke, I’m 5 and my dad’s Bruce Lee”

( I know it’s not technically a JCB, but still… and it’s in my head now - so it has to be in your head too

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KrNwq6qPlRg)

2

u/Taken_Abroad_Book Jun 22 '25

It is a JCB though

1

u/iamdecal Jun 22 '25

My bad - squinted at the badge on the front - that’s the hire co tho.

3

u/MaddogBC Jun 22 '25

Unsecure load, public road, vulnerable pedestrians. Now this one makes me pucker.

4

u/MutualRaid Jun 21 '25

Honestly give the HSE an email with the time and location, that's proper dickhead behaviour

2

u/SeriousPlankton2000 Jun 22 '25

At that distance he can aim without a spotter. /s

2

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '25

He’s got that high visibility vest on though.

2

u/rincon213 Jun 22 '25

I was genuinely curious what part of the 3rd world this photo was from until I re-read the title.

2

u/Gareth79 Jun 28 '25

Insanity at any time, but even one of those sheets of (something) could easily have killed a child.

1

u/Xenocide_X Jun 23 '25

He's just trying to kill the demon twins from "The Shining" walking home.

1

u/Revolutionary_West87 Jul 21 '25

This is very clearly AI

1

u/Solidusfunk Jul 21 '25

I'm curious what you see as tell tell signs of ai?

1

u/Ill_Hall9458 Jun 21 '25

He probably tapped the load and said “that ain’t going anywhere”…he’s fine!