Vehicle Support Stands: The Most Misunderstood Safety Equipment
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
Why these essential workshop supports fall outside the Driven Machinery Regulations - and why that doesn’t reduce an employer’s responsibility.
Vehicle support stands—commonly and incorrectly referred to as “trestles”—are found in virtually every heavy engineering workshop, mine, transport depot and maintenance facility across South Africa. Despite their widespread use and the critical safety role they perform, they remain one of the most misunderstood pieces of equipment in industry.
One of the most common questions received by inspectors, safety practitioners and lifting professionals is whether vehicle support stands fall under the Driven Machinery Regulations (DMR) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The answer often surprises many people.
Are Vehicle Support Stands Lifting Equipment? The simple answer is no.
A vehicle support stand is not a lifting machine, nor is it classified as lifting tackle. Its purpose is not to lift a load but rather to safely support a load once it has already been lifted by another device such as a hydraulic jack. This distinction is extremely important. Because the stand performs a supporting function rather than a lifting function, it does not fall within the scope of the inspection and testing requirements prescribed under Driven Machinery Regulation 18 for lifting machines or lifting tackle. This has unfortunately resulted in significant confusion throughout industry, with many organisations either overlooking the equipment completely or applying inspection requirements that were never intended for these products.
Does That Mean There Are No Legal Requirements?
Absolutely not. Although vehicle support stands are not covered under the Driven Machinery Regulations, employers still have a legal obligation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure that all equipment used in the workplace is maintained in a safe condition.
Section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act places a clear duty on employers to provide and maintain plant, machinery and systems of work that are safe and without risk to employees. This obligation extends to any equipment used during maintenance activities—including vehicle support stands.
In practical terms, if a support stand fails due to poor maintenance, corrosion, damage or lack of inspection, an employer cannot simply argue that the equipment was not specifically mentioned within the Driven Machinery Regulations. The responsibility to maintain safe equipment remains.
Why Inspection Is Critical
Unlike many other workshop tools, vehicle support stands are routinely required to support extremely heavy loads while personnel work beneath them. Should a support stand fail, the consequences can be catastrophic.For this reason, many mines, engineering companies and industrial facilities have developed internal inspection programmes to ensure that support stands remain fit for purpose throughout their service life.
Typical inspections should include:
Visual examination for distortion, cracks and deformation.
Inspection for corrosion and excessive wear.
Examination of weld integrity.
Verification of locking mechanisms and engagement systems.
Inspection of load-bearing surfaces.
Confirmation of identification markings and rated capacity.
Functional assessment of adjustment mechanisms.
Where damage or defects are identified, the equipment should immediately be removed from service until repaired or replaced.
Is Load Testing Required?
Unlike lifting machines, there is currently no legislation prescribing mandatory periodic proof load testing intervals for vehicle support stands. However, many organisations include proof loading within their internal inspection programmes as an additional verification of structural integrity.
Where proof load testing is undertaken, it should always form part of a structured inspection programme supported by documented procedures and competent personnel. Following proof loading, many organisations also conduct non-destructive examination (NDE), such as Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) or Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI), to detect any cracking that may have developed during testing. A practical best practice is to perform the proof load before the crack inspection, allowing any newly developed defects to be identified during the subsequent NDE examination.
What Standards Apply?
Another area that frequently causes confusion is the applicable South African standards. Vehicle support stands are not governed by the lifting equipment standards commonly used by Lifting Machinery Inspectors.
Instead, they fall within the scope of SANS 1614, which deals specifically with vehicle support stands. They should not be confused with scaffold trestles or other structural support equipment that falls under different standards. Because there is currently no legislated inspection standard prescribing inspection frequencies, proof loads or discard criteria, organisations are encouraged to develop documented inspection procedures based on applicable standards, manufacturer’s recommendations, risk assessments and recognised engineering practice.
Who Is Competent to Inspect Them?
Perhaps the greatest misconception is that every inspection must automatically be performed by a registered Lifting Machinery Inspector (LMI).
Competence is not determined by a job title alone.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act consistently refers to the requirement for a competent person, meaning an individual who possesses the necessary knowledge, training, experience and understanding of the specific equipment being inspected.
While many LMIs certainly possess this competence, registration as an LMI does not automatically qualify an individual to inspect every type of equipment. Likewise, competent engineers, technicians or specialists with appropriate knowledge of vehicle support stands may be equally capable of performing these inspections where authorised by their employer. The emphasis should always remain on demonstrated competence rather than professional designation.
Establishing an Effective Inspection Programme
Every organisation should develop an inspection programme appropriate to its operational risk. This programme should clearly define:
Inspection frequencies.
Inspection checklists.
Acceptance and discard criteria.
Proof load testing requirements where applicable.
Non-destructive examination requirements.
Repair and replacement procedures.
Record keeping and traceability.
Inspection frequencies should also reflect the working environment. Equipment subjected to harsh operating conditions, impact loading, corrosion or frequent use may require significantly shorter inspection intervals than equipment used only occasionally.
Conclusion
Vehicle support stands may not fall under the Driven Machinery Regulations, but they remain safety-critical equipment that protects personnel working beneath suspended loads. The absence of prescriptive legislation should never be interpreted as the absence of responsibility.
By implementing risk-based inspection programmes, appointing genuinely competent inspectors and following recognised engineering practice, organisations can significantly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failures while demonstrating compliance with their broader obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Ultimately, the objective is not simply regulatory compliance—it is ensuring that every technician, artisan and maintenance professional returns home safely at the end of each working day.
LEEASA,
+27 (0) 84 740 7875,
Comments