Eurowaste 'made every effort'
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• Because Lancaster skip hire operator Eurowaste UK had made every effort to rectify maintenance problems it escaped with a warning when it appeared at a Manchester disciplinary inquiry before North Western LA Martin Albu.
DOT vehicle examiner Brian Heyhurst said he had carried out a maintenance investigation after one of the company's vehicles had received a prohibition notice. He had examined two vehicles. One had recently been tested and was satisfactory; the other was given an immediate prohibition for four dangerous defects, three relating to brakes.
The company was aware of two of the braking defects but the vehicle had been operated in a dangerous condition. The inspection period of six weeks had not been adhered to and there were only two inspection sheets for one of the vehicles du ring 1994. Heyhurst was told the veh icles had been inspected more frequently than the records showed but the garage concerned had not provided the records.
For the company, John Backhouse said it had been told of the air leak on the prohibited vehicle in February but thought it could still be operated as long as care was taken. Heyhurst said when he inspected the vehicle the air gauge was on zero.
Director Timothy HamiltonCox said inspections were now carried out every six weeks. If he had appreciated the seriousness of the defect the vehicle would not have been used and a replacement vehicle would have been hired.
Taking no action against the company's five-vehicle restricted licence, Albu warned that if there were any more infringements action would be taken.