Exceeding a vehicle’s maximum permissible weight is not only a danger to the driver and other road users; it is an offence which carries with it a range of risks and penalties, from fixed fines to prison sentences.

With prohibition notices on the increase, the issue of safe and compliant loading is of increasing importance.

Legislation relating to overloading – including the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Road Traffic Act and the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations – put the onus on both the driver of the vehicle and the operator. Falling foul of this legislation is a costly mistake.

Whatever the size of your operation, we have a solution to ensure safe and efficient vehicle loading. From our market-leading forklift truck scales which can weigh while they are loading, to our mobile axle weighers or our robust weighbridges.

Service options

We understand that loading safety and compliance are not just a ‘nice to have’, so our groundbreaking Uptime Select™ service plans ensure high uptime levels to keep your systems running while not compromising on safety.

As well as the risk of loss of license and fines, overloading on gross vehicle weight (GVW) causes increased running costs, damage to roads and increased likelihood of accidents. In some instances, the GVW is not exceeded, but the load may still exceed the maximum permissible axle weight, resulting in an unsafe, uneven load. The only way to ensure that the vehicle’s maximum permissible weights are not exceeded is to weigh it.

Drivers should check their vehicle’s ID plate, which is usually located in the cabin and gives details of maximum permissible axle weight and maximum permissible gross weight. Loads should also be evenly distributed across the vehicle and weights should be checked (using axle weighers or weighbridges) before setting out. Finally, drivers and operators should familiarise themselves with the legislation to ensure they know and understand their obligations.

With spot checks and secret road sensors used increasingly to crack down on vehicle overloading, our systems protect your Operators Licence, your employees, other road users and your revenue.

Whilst most offences are dealt with using a fixed penalty notice, overloading convictions can affect the decision of the traffic commissioner to suspend, revoke or renew both a driver’s and/or an operator’s licence. Drivers and operators alike should also be aware of the possibility of prosecutions for dangerous driving, health and safety offences and corporate manslaughter.

Our weighing systems are not only highly accurate but designed to integrate into your existing goods loading processes – providing efficient checks which can help to protect your business, improve health and safety and optimise payload.

Service options

We understand that keeping these systems up and running 24/7 is key to this assurance, which is why our industry-leading Uptime Select™ service plans guarantee a high level of uptime to keep your operation running while reducing the risk of non-compliance.

Aside from the risk of penalties, overloaded vehicles cost more to run since fuel consumption is significantly increased. Tyres are more prone to wear; steering becomes more difficult to control and vehicles take longer to react to braking. This can dramatically affect vehicle handling, increase daily wear and tear and increase the likelihood of a costly – and potentially fatal – accident.

Our high accurate weighing systems are designed to integrate into your existing goods loading processes – whether weighing as bulk consignments using a forklift scale as you load, weighing full vehicles using a weighbridge or weighing individual axles, we have a solution to fit.