Towing and Trailer Safety

Towing trailers and mobile plant is a routine task on construction sites that carries significant risks if done incorrectly.
Common towed items include welfare units, generators, water bowsers, fuel bowsers, compressors, and equipment trailers.
PUWER 1998 requires that all towing vehicles, hitches, and trailers are maintained and fit for purpose.
The towing vehicle must have sufficient power, braking capacity, and gross train weight rating for the trailer.
Overloaded or poorly hitched trailers are a leading cause of loss-of-control incidents on construction sites.
Breakaway cables or secondary coupling chains must be fitted to prevent a detached trailer rolling freely.
Trailer lighting boards must be connected, working, and visible when towing on public roads or shared routes.
On public roads, drivers towing over 750kg must hold the correct driving licence category for the combination.
Speed limits for vehicles towing trailers are lower than standard limits on single carriageways and motorways.
Coupling and uncoupling are high-risk activities — crush injuries occur when trailers roll or drop unexpectedly.

Prevent runaways	A detached trailer or bowser can roll uncontrolled across a site causing crush injuries, fatalities, or property damage.
Crush injury risk	Coupling and uncoupling trailers causes serious hand, finger, and foot crush injuries — this is when most accidents happen.
Road safety	An unstable towing combination on public roads puts other road users at serious risk and creates criminal liability for the driver.
Legal compliance	Driving licence categories, weight limits, and trailer maintenance are all legal requirements enforceable by police and DVSA.

Do

Don't

Check the towing vehicle's gross train weight rating before hitching any trailer.
Inspect the hitch, coupling, safety chain, and breakaway cable before every tow.
Ensure the trailer jockey wheel is fully raised and secured before moving off.
Connect and test all trailer lights, indicators, and brake lights before towing.
Chock the trailer wheels and apply the handbrake before coupling or uncoupling.
Distribute the load evenly with the correct nose weight on the hitch point.
Use a banksman when reversing a towed trailer in congested site areas.
Check your driving licence covers the combined weight of vehicle and trailer.
Carry out a walk-around check of tyres, wheel nuts, and load security before departure.
Reduce speed and increase following distances when towing on any road or route.

DON'T tow a trailer that exceeds the vehicle's maximum towing capacity.
DON'T stand between the vehicle and trailer during coupling without wheel chocks in place.
DON'T tow without a breakaway cable or secondary safety chain fitted and connected.
DON'T load a trailer with all the weight at the rear — this causes dangerous snaking.
DON'T tow on public roads without a valid lighting board and number plate displayed.
DON'T leave a detached trailer on a slope without the handbrake on and wheels chocked.
DON'T allow passengers to ride on or in the trailer while it is being towed.
DON'T reverse a trailer in a blind area without a banksman guiding the manoeuvre.
DON'T use a damaged or worn hitch pin, ball, or jaw coupling for any towing operation.
DON'T exceed reduced speed limits that apply to vehicles towing trailers on public roads.

See also: Reversing and Banksman Procedures | Plant Pre-Use Inspections

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