NSTSA is launching an on-going education campaign based on reducing and eliminating wheel separations from transport trucks and trailers. With recent changes coming into effect in Nova Scotia and other Atlantic Provinces based on the National Safety Code Inspection for commercial vehicles (PMVI); the changes have sparked concern that all wheel assemblies must be removed as part of the vehicle inspection for commercial trucks and trailers. The change is not the issue, the concerning part is now the wheel assemblies must be pulled off. This could bring more wheel separation issues if industry does not follow best practices by monitoring wheel changes and ensuring re-torques are completed on an ongoing basis. Depending on the data, some Canadian reports revealed that approximately 65 to 83% of the incident reports noted that repairs or maintenance had been performed on the suspect wheels just a short time prior to the separation.
NSTSA promotes ongoing education and monitoring as an important part for all parties with regards to best practices for wheel service. Coupled with an ongoing maintenance and monitoring of a wheel program; this education should involve all maintenance personnel including supervisors, foremen, mechanics and mechanic assistants. Professional drivers have a responsibility to check tires, rims, hubs and fasteners as part of their required daily pre-trip on their vehicle. This would include all trailers that the professional driver would move during their work shift. Safety and compliance managers, workplace committee members and safety representatives have a part to play with regards to education and workplace monitoring. Transportation company managers and owners have responsibility, for education, hazard prevention and due diligence. Wheel separations can cause catastrophic events with results that are very expensive and in some cases, are responsible for fatalities. In many provinces wheel separations are treated as offense and fines can go up to as high as $50,000.
NSTSA’s mandate is to deliver quality health and safety programs to our community through education training, certification and partnerships. We are pleased to announced that we have partnered with Michelin Tire Canada. Together we are presenting tire care education seminars throughout the province. NSTSA has also partnered with Parts For Trucks & Zafety Lug Lock to provide a made in Canada solution to help reduce wheel separation by attaching Zafety lug locks as part of your wheel maintenance program. The Zafety lug lock helps to prevent lug nuts from coming loose once torqued properly.
NSTSA is committed to further education with the safety representatives and workplace committee members as part of monitoring and education within the various truck transportation companies.
NSTSA encourages people involved in this great truck transportation industry will join us in doing their part in reducing and eliminating wheel separations in the truck transportation industry in Nova Scotia!