TRF/Site Traffic/TBT-TRF-012

HGV and Tipper Safety on Site

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HGV and Tipper Safety on Site

Toolbox Talk Record

Ref: TBT-TRF-012  |  Issue: 1  |  Date: March 2026
PresenterProject
LocationDate

What?

  • HGVs and tipper trucks are involved in more construction site fatalities than any other single vehicle type.
  • Tipping operations create overturning risk, especially on uneven, soft, or sloping ground.
  • Drivers must be briefed on site rules, routes, speed limits, and tipping procedures at the gate.
  • Pedestrian segregation from HGV routes is critical — blind spots on large vehicles are extensive.
  • Reversing is the highest-risk manoeuvre — a banksman must guide reversing HGVs on site.
  • Raised tipper bodies can contact overhead power lines, structures, and other plant during tipping.
  • Tailgate mechanisms can fail, releasing material unexpectedly and injuring nearby workers.
  • Drivers must remain in the cab during loading unless the loading procedure requires otherwise.
  • Overloaded vehicles create stability and braking problems that endanger everyone on site.
  • Wheel washing and sheeting requirements must be communicated to all delivery drivers.

Why?

Fatal incidentsHGV and tipper incidents are the leading cause of vehicle-related death on UK construction sites.
OverturningTipping on soft or uneven ground causes tipper trucks to overturn, crushing the cab and anyone nearby.
Pedestrian strikesExtensive blind spots mean HGV drivers cannot see pedestrians in many positions around the vehicle.
Do Don't
  • Brief all delivery drivers on site rules, routes, and tipping areas at the gate
  • Use a banksman to guide all reversing HGVs to the tipping or loading point
  • Check the tipping area for level ground, overhead obstructions, and stability
  • Segregate pedestrian routes completely from HGV traffic routes on site
  • Ensure all HGVs have functioning reversing cameras, alarms, and mirrors
  • Confirm loads are within the vehicle rated capacity before leaving the site
  • Require drivers to remain in the cab during mechanical loading operations
  • Check that sheeting and wheel washing are completed before vehicles leave site
  • Display site speed limits and route plans at the entrance for all drivers
  • Report any unsafe driving behaviour or vehicle defects to the site manager
  • DON'T allow HGVs to reverse without a trained banksman in attendance
  • DON'T tip on soft, uneven, or sloping ground without a ground assessment
  • DON'T walk in the blind spot areas around an HGV or tipper truck
  • DON'T tip near overhead power lines without checking clearance distances
  • DON'T stand behind or beside a tipper during the tipping operation
  • DON'T overload vehicles beyond their rated gross vehicle weight
  • DON'T allow drivers to proceed without a site-specific briefing at the gate
  • DON'T let HGVs travel at excessive speed — enforce the site speed limit
  • DON'T climb onto the body of a tipper truck to check the load
  • DON'T allow unsheeted or unwashed vehicles to leave site onto public roads

See also: Delivery Vehicle Management | Reversing Procedures and Banksmen
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