5 Steps to Prepare for a Safety Inspection

Safety Blitz Inspections Are Here To Stay

To some people, the month of June signifies the beginning of summer. But to those of us in the commercial vehicle industry, the coming of June also means the coming of inspections and surprise safety blitzes.

Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) does their due diligence by having commercial vehicle inspections. This ensures that commercial vehicles on the road are being safely operated. Some inspections are planned and give fleet owners and managers time to prepare, such as the International Roadcheck throughout North America, which typically happens in June. This signifies a 72-hour period where commercial vehicle inspectors in jurisdictions across the country perform inspections on trucks and drivers.

However, some inspections are unannounced, such as the CVSA's surprise Brake Safety Inspection Initiative in May 2019. This safety blitz results in over 1,600 commercial vehicles being removed from service for critical brake violations.

Planned or not, CVSA inspections are something you should be ready for year-round. When your preparedness suffers, your business and uptime can suffer as well.

How Can I Prepare For a Safety Blitz?

Even though you can't always know when the CVSA is going to be staging inspections or in what jurisdictions, the good news is that it's incredibly easy to prepare as long as you do your homework and know what they're going to be looking for.

For planned inspections like the annual International Roadcheck, there is typically an area of emphasis. For example, for the 2019 Roadcheck, the emphasis was on steering and suspension systems. While all areas of inspection are essential to maintain accountability in the industry, these areas of identified to remind truck owners and drivers alike of their importance to truck safety.

There are also strong trucking habits you can develop now to help you feel prepared and confident, no matter when a safety blitz inspection pops up.

Stay Organized and Keep it Clean

Keeping your logs and paperwork organized isn't always a top priority when you're driving on a deadline, but if your logs, paperwork and credentials are not electronically filed or if you just prefer to keep paper copies handy, getting into the habit of keeping them organized in a binder can ensure that you're not caught unprepared at inspection time.

Another good habit to stick to is keeping both the inside and outside of your truck clean. Although the cab and sleeper of a truck become a home to a driver, it is also important to present yourself as a professional to inspectors.

Stay Current on Your Hours of Service

Let's be honest: updating your Hours of Service log is also not something that you may have in your daily task list. But setting aside the time to keep your HOS current on a daily basis rather than at the end of the week can save you the stress and scrambling at inspection time.

Make Time For Your Brakes and Air Tanks

The phrase "break for your brakes" is imperative to keep them at peak condition and performance. When inspecting your vehicle, spend a little extra time on your brakes and check:

• Friction on the brake pads
• Cracks on the brake pads
• Missing pieces on the brake pads
• Appropriate brake pad thickness

It's also important to keep an eye on the drums and rotors for signs of dragging brakes or liners that are overheating and to know when to bring out-of-adjustment slack adjusters into a technician.

As far as your air tanks go, it's a best practice to manually release the air from your air tanks depending on usage. For high usage applications, once a month is typically recommended, and once every three months for average linehaul applications. Also, keep a visual on the hoses and address any that appear loose.

Be Confident In Your Load Security

You know that joke going around social media where every man who ties something down on this truck says, "Well, that ain't going nowhere"? Regardless of your ability to secure your cargo, there are still rules that apply for tie-downs according to length and weight, which can be found in your Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations handbook for the latest cargo tie-down standards.

While a violation of this type may not necessarily result in your truck being taken out of service, it could potentially impact your safety score.

Keep in mind that load security doesn't just refer to your cargo. Your spare tires, chains, and other loose tools must also be properly secured during an inspection.

Pay Attention to Tire Pressure and Visibility Lights

When it comes to preventing tire failures and improving safety on the road, being cognizant of your tire pressure is one of the most beneficial things you can do. As temperatures climb, so does the pressure on the tire. Once you start your day and your tires get hot, it can be difficult to get an accurate measurement, so make this a habit when your tires are still cold. Do your homework on the tire manufacturer's specifications for load and tire pressure.

For visibility lights, tail and running lights must be installed and in proper working order to pass an inspection. Check for:

• Cracked, punctured, or broken light housing
• Blown seals around the lights
• Moisture or clouding within the light housing

For a complete CVSA checklist for 2019, click here.

Where to Buy Replacement Truck Parts

If you know that some of these areas in your truck or fleet need to be addressed, it's better to be prepared than to put it off and wait to feel the consequences. With distribution centers strategically placed throughout the country, we have parts from some of the most trusted brands in the industry including Delco Remy, Horton, BorgWarner, ConMet, and more.

Shop our online catalog today or contact our team of highly-trained parts experts to learn more and make sure your truck is ready for inspections all year long.