Vehicle inspection pit regulations in the UK: What you need to know

A vehicle inspection pit is a high-stakes installation. Not only in terms of financial investment, but the potential risks and consequence of getting it wrong.

That’s why inspection pits are so heavily regulated, with strict requirements for compliance across their manufacture, installation, and proper daily use.

So for workshops looking to install a new pit, you need to know the regulations that surround it — so you can ask the right questions, and choose a reputable supplier for your vehicle inspection pit.

Here are the UK regulations you need to know:

1.           Construction Products Regulation (CPR)

Since 2013, prefabricated vehicle inspection pits have been classified as load-bearing structures, bringing them inside the scope of CPR (Construction Products Regulation).

This means that manufacturers selling prefabricated pits need to:

• Comply with strict fabrication standards (including structural calculations)
• Conform to BS EN 1090 — the technical standard for steel structures
• Supply vehicle pits with CE markings (or UKCA markings).

They also need to issue a Declaration of Performance (DoP). This is a standardised document provided by the manufacturer that states how a product performs in terms of different characteristics: such as structural strength, resistance to fire, or resistance to water.

2.           The Building Regulations 2010

As an extensive installation that involves groundworks and structural changes, a vehicle inspection pit comes under the UK’s Building Regulations 2010.

While almost all of these regulations apply to inspection pits (including fire safety, electrical safety, and drainage), there are 4 areas of the regulations which are especially relevant to vehicle inspection pits:

• Approved Document A — the structural work of steel, the thickness of walls, and the load placed on walls
• Approved Document C — site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture
• Approved Document F — ventilation systems and monitoring of air quality
• Approved Document K — protection from falling, and compliant staircases and escape ladders.

3.           UKEX and ATEX

With an enclosed underground space working directly beneath fuel-based vehicles, vehicle inspection pits are governed by UKEX (United Kingdom) or ATEX (European Union) regulations.

These regulations are designed for the control of potentially explosive atmospheres, such as the build-up of fuel vapours that can occur in a vehicle pit without the right safeguards.

As well as being required to install a pit with suitable ventilation systems to reduce or remove the risk of fumes building up, you’re also required to use products and equipment that are rated for potential explosive atmospheres.

This applies to the lighting systems you install in your pit, as well as the fans that drive your ventilation systems, and should be marked with a hexagonal UKCA Ex marking.

4.           PUWER

Like any piece of equipment or installation in your workshop, a vehicle inspection needs to comply with the HSE’s Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

That means your inspection pits are required to be:

• Suitable, safe, and safely maintained for the intended use
• Correctly installed and inspected
• Used only by people who have had the right training, information, and instruction
• Used with the right safety measures, such as non-slip flooring, visible markings, and handrails.

While PUWER applies to every inspection pit, you might also in some cases need to comply with LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) — for example, if you’re using an inspection pit with a pit jack or jacking beams.

5.           Work at Height Regulations 2005

Falls from height are one of the most common incidents that lead to injury in any workplace: and an inspection pit is particularly at risk.

Under the HSE’s Work at Height Regulations, you’re required to:

• Properly plan and supervise any work at height
• Make sure it’s carried out by competent people with the right instruction and training
• Carry out a risk assessment of the work at height
• Prevent potential falls by using the right type of equipment.

For a vehicle inspection pit, that means:

• Adding handrails for inspection pits to support workers as they enter
• Using high-visibility markings around the edges of the pit
• Using clear signage to warn people of the recessed area.

Need a supplier that’s focused on compliance?

Our Tecnik Inspection Pits are DVSA-compliant and UKCA (CE) marked, and built in accordance with BS EN 1090 with processes that are annually audited to Factory Production Control (FPC) standards.

Compliance and regulation are built into everything we do, with over 200 DVSA-approved pits manufactured over the last 15 years.

So if you’re looking for a vehicle pit that gives you peace of mind and confidence (as well as proving your due diligence and creating a safe working environment), start a chat with one of our installation experts — and we’ll talk you through our processes and the steps we take to stay compliant.