What extra items does a tipper check need?

The tipping gear: body and ram condition, hydraulic leaks, tailgate catches and hinges, the body prop, and the sheeting system — plus the usual HGV walkaround.

Why are tippers stopped so often?

Off-road site work damages tyres, lights and bodywork quickly, and tipping gear and sheeting faults are common — all of which raise roadside-check and prohibition risk.

Can I record load sheeting on the check?

Yes — add sheeting and load-retention items to the template and capture a photo, so there's evidence the load was covered before leaving site.

Tipper walkaround checks

Tipper daily walkaround checks for construction & waste fleets

Tippers work hard on and off road, and the tipping body brings its own failure points. HaulGuard adds ram, tailgate and sheeting checks to the standard HGV walkaround so nothing gets missed on a muddy site at 6am.

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In short

A tipper walkaround check is the daily pre-use inspection for tipping HGVs used in construction, aggregates and waste. It covers everything a standard HGV check does, plus the tipping gear — the body, ram, tailgate, catches and sheeting system — which take heavy abuse and are a common source of prohibitions.

The check list

What a Tipper walkaround covers

Lights & indicators

Headlights, sidelights & tail lights
Indicators & hazard lights
Brake lights
Reversing lights
Number plate lights

Tyres & wheels

Tyre condition (site damage, cuts)
Tyre pressure (visual)
Tread depth ≥ 1mm
Wheel fixings & nut indicators

Mirrors, glass & washers

Mirrors present, clean & adjusted
Windscreen & windows (cracks, chips)
Wipers & washers working, fluid topped up

Brakes

Service (foot) brake
Parking / secondary brake
Air build-up & low-pressure warning

Leaks & fluids

No oil, fuel, coolant or air leaks
Engine oil, coolant & washer levels
Fuel & AdBlue level

Tipping gear

Body & ram condition, no leaks
Tailgate hinges, catches & latches
Body prop / stay secure
Sheeting system operating

Body & load

Load retained & not overloaded
No spillage / material carried in from site

Cab & controls

Tachograph working, correct mode set
Horn working
Seatbelt condition & operation
Steering play & warning lamps

Safety equipment

Fire extinguisher present & in date
Warning triangle present
High-vis & first-aid to hand

What we see

Typical Tipper defects HaulGuard catches

Hydraulic leaks on the tipping ram

Worn tailgate catches and hinges

Sheeting-system faults leaving loads uncovered

Site damage to tyres and lights

Other vehicles

Walkaround checks by vehicle type

HGV walkaround checks Van walkaround checks PCV walkaround checks Coach walkaround checks Minibus walkaround checks Trailer walkaround checks

FAQ

Tipper walkaround checks, answered

Keep reading

Walkaround checksThe DVSA daily walkaround check app for every vehicle type.Defect managementTurn a failed check item into a tracked, signed-off repair.The complete guideWhat a DVSA walkaround check is and the duties behind it.

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