MWheels publishes commercial vehicle wheel safety white paper for fleet operators

MWheels has continued to educate commercial vehicle fleet operators on the importance of wheel safety with the launch of a white paper entitled, ‘Evaluating commercial vehicle wheel safety – how to keep safe and stay compliant’.

The report, which has been designed to further augment information which exists from leading industry bodies, gives an overview of the current landscape, a look at problem wheels and non-circumferential hubs, today’s legal implications should an accident occur and a comprehensive 10-point wheel checklist.

It continues to outline three recommendations on how to keep a fleet safe including best servicing practices, traceability and procurement and choosing the correct wheel and fittings.

The conclusion focuses on the EU Roadworthiness Act, which had to be adopted and published by Member States, including the UK, by 20 May 2017 and must be fully applied by 20 May 2018.

The new law states “compatibility between parts and components, such as between wheels and wheel hubs, should be treated as a critical safety item and should be checked during roadworthiness testing.”

Addition legislative text includes several visual wheel inspection prerequisites and also that ‘wheel size, technical design, compatibility or type not in accordance with the requirements [laid down by type-approval at first registration or first entry into service] and affecting road safety’ will be classed as a major defect.

It also brings into context a number of minimum essential requirements that need to be stipulated when purchasing wheels, and furthermore the key roles that will be played by fleet managers and product purchasers.

MWheels has spearheaded the CV wheel safety campaign for several years under the previous company name of Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD). The business rebranded in May 2017.

Kevin Ryan, chief technical officer for MWheels, said: “With Europe-wide legislation due to come into force in 2018, it is becoming even more important to know whether commercial vehicle wheels are fit-for-purpose.

“The white paper takes the unprecedented step of truly focusing on the wheels themselves, looking at all the key aspects from technical advice to purchasing to maintenance to end-of-life.

“When read in conjunction with other leading literature on ensuring the correct torque, walk-around checks and other essential operational steps we have ensured that fleet operators now have a comprehensive understanding of the wheel and its position as a safety critical item.”

The white paper is available from MWheels’ website.