ATS Euromaster increasing wheel security training

ATS Euromaster has released a specialised training DVD designed to demonstrate the best practice in wheel security. The disc illustrates the correct procedures for preparing, removing, inspecting and fitting the most common types of commercial vehicle wheels. It will be distributed across ATS-E’s commercial, car and van network, covering more than 2,000 employees including centre operations managers and technicians nationwide. Group Sales director at ATS-E, Peter Fairlie said that the DVD will help “demonstrate the real dangers of not following procedures” and reinforce the network’s message of making “safety a personal choice for every member of staff”.

The DVD is being utilised as a valuable interactive learning tool within specific ATS Euromaster technician training courses, which help to ensure consistency in knowledge and skills nationwide. To illustrate the danger of wheel loss it features footage of a stationary vehicle being struck by a truck tyre at 40mph, resulting in considerable damage.

The DVD demonstrates the 15 steps to go through to correctly replace a wheel, emphasising that correct procedures avoid damage to vehicles, downtime, missed loads, prohibition notices, operating license penalties, damage to property, possibility of criminal prosecution, personal injury, and even death.

“It’s one thing to say that correct re-torque procedures are crucial after a new tyre has been fitted,” says Fairlie. “But this DVD helps us demonstrate the real dangers of not following procedures, on the road. In addition, the DVD forms an integral part of our ‘Safe by Choice’ programme, designed to make safety a personal choice for every member of staff. The key message is that if our technicians do find any abnormality, they should act on it. And they do.”

Wheel safety focus after MWS partnership

In July, ATS-E signed a two-year partnership agreement with independent wheel distributor, Motor Wheel Service, in order to increase the tyre specialist’s wheel stock. In addition, MWS – whose managing director, John Ellis has campaigned extensively for increased safety measures to be taken on commercial vehicle wheels – agreed to provide increased technical support and training. While MWS has focussed much of its energies on lobbying the Department for Transport, the increase in wheel safety training by its major commercial vehicle services partner could be seen as a second way to reach tyre and wheel fitters and end users with its message.

Commenting on the partnership in July, Ellis said: “Over the last few years we’ve been campaigning extensively for increased safety checks on commercial vehicles’ wheels. This new relationship with ATS Euromaster reinforces our belief that wheels should be supplied and inspected by professional organisations employing skilled technicians. I am confident that by working in partnership with ATS Euromaster, we will be able to jointly improve the safety of the UK’s extensive commercial vehicle parc.”

The new training initiative perhaps shows ATS-E’s willingness to take on its commercial partner’s advice when it comes to wheel safety. Since most of the wheels ATS-E replaced last year were as a result of the company’s mobile technicians finding that a wheel needed replacing during roadside tyre replacement, or during a fleet inspection, it would seem to make sense commercially to increase the company’s focus on safety checks as it expands its wheel market interest.

Related news:

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• DfT to investigate hubs following MWS research
• Hub damaged CV wheels going unnoticed: MWS
• HGV wheel safety debated at Westminster again