Transport compliance
Vehicle inspectionsupport.
Practical review of safety-inspection planning, records, rectification and maintenance-provider oversight.
How we can help
Keep inspectionseffective.
JRich Transport Consultancy can help operators review whether their safety-inspection arrangements provide effective, documented control of vehicle roadworthiness.
The work can cover your own workshop or an external maintenance provider. The focus is not simply whether inspections happen, but whether they are planned appropriately, completed to the required standard and followed by fully evidenced rectification.
- Reviewing inspection intervals against vehicle use and VOL commitments
- Checking maintenance-provider agreements and responsibilities
- Reviewing inspection sheets and roadworthy declarations
- Checking defect assessment, rectification and sign-off
- Reviewing planners, first-use and intermediate checks
- Monitoring inspection quality, trends and repeat defects
Frequently asked questions
Safety inspectionsand maintenance records.
Inspection arrangements must be appropriate for the fleet and how it is used. These answers summarise general roadworthiness guidance.
Who is responsible when inspections are contracted out?
The operator remains responsible for the roadworthiness of vehicles and trailers, even where inspections and maintenance are carried out by an external provider. Responsibilities and arrangements should be clearly documented.
How often should safety inspections be carried out?
Inspections must follow the recorded inspection frequency and that interval must remain suitable for the vehicle type, use, mileage and operating conditions. Effectiveness should be monitored and the interval reviewed where evidence shows it is not controlling defects.
How long should safety-inspection records be kept?
Current DVSA guidance requires safety-inspection, maintenance and associated repair records to be retained for at least 15 months, including records for vehicles that have been sold or removed from the licence.
What should happen before a vehicle returns to service?
The completed inspection record should be reviewed, defects should be properly rectified and the vehicle should be declared roadworthy. The evidence needs to show what work was completed and who confirmed it.
Is a safety inspection the same as a walkaround check?
No. A walkaround is a pre-use visual check of readily visible items. A safety inspection is a planned, more detailed examination by a competent person and forms part of the operator’s preventative maintenance system.
Check the current DVSA Guide to maintaining roadworthiness.
Start with a conversation
Are your inspections giving you control?
Discuss the fleet, current intervals, provider arrangements and the quality of the records being returned.