Farmers need to ensure that their trailers are safe and properly maintained ahead of the busy summer months.

Transport-related accidents are among the main causes of workplace fatalities in agriculture, according to Health and Safety Executive statistics.

Launched in memory of teenager Harry Christian-Allan – who was killed in an accident in 2014 – the Tilly Your Trailer campaign helps ensure trailers are properly maintained.

See also: Read about the Tilly Your Trailer safety campaign

The initiative involves an annual service by an authorised mechanic as well as a simple daily check each time a trailer 10t or more is used on or off the farm.

The 18-point checklist has won the support of trailer manufacturers, machinery dealers, safety experts and the police – as well as farmers.

Some 70 authorised agricultural depots throughout the country are now annually inspecting trailers to the Tilly Pass standard.

These trailers are certified and display a numbered Tilly (sticker) on their tailgate.

The Tilly is dated and its unique number recorded along with the chassis number on an inspection sheet and a central database, creating a paper trail for every trailer.

During this year, it is expected that between 3,000 and 5,000 trailers will be inspected.

Below is a photo guide showing the Tilly checks that should be made to trailers.

The Tilly Checklist

1 Check trailer lights are functioning correctly

2 Check tyres have legal tread depth, no cuts, bulges or cord/thread showing

3 Check towing eye thickness

4 Check suspended drawbar U-bolts and springs if applicable

5 Check drawbar and chassis for cracks

6 Check axle springs and U-bolts including rocking beams if applicable

7 Check all pins and bushes

8 Check ram seals

9 Check hydraulic pipes, connectors and airlines for cuts, chafing and leaks

10+11 Check brake shoes and spring shoes for adjustment.
Check brake drums for excessive wear, grooves and thickness

12 Check wheel studs and nuts

13 Check structural cracks or holes – raise the tipping bed if applicable

14 Check tailgate secure and not leaking

15 Check hand/park brake and cable

16 Check stand is appropriate and in good order

17 Check wheel bearings for wear – if necessary clean and re-pack

18 Check all grease points are serviceable

Source: tillypass.co.uk