An Edinburgh demolition firm has been suspended from operating heavy goods vehicles after a wheel came off one of its lorries.
The Chamic Demolition Services HGV ended up perched on a flyover above the A90.
When a Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) examiner arrived on the scene, where the A904 meets the A90 south of the Forth Road Bridge he found the outer nearside rear wheel entirely missing and the inner nearside rear wheel jammed underneath the lorry.
Before pulling over and parking on the flyover, driver Alan Robertson thought he had a puncture. Mr Robertson had been on his way from his home in Dunfermline to the Avondale tip on the M9.
The Traffic Commissioner for Scotland published its findings following an inquiry into the incident, which happened on August 1 last year.
Deputy traffic commissioner James Astle ruled the company’s conduct had been “seriously remiss”.
He issued an order preventing Chamic Demolition Services from using any HGV vehicle under its licence until the company appoints a new transport manager.
Mr Robertson’s licence to drive HGVs was suspended for 60 days from March 29.
Mr Astle said Chamic’s transport manager John Kennie “failed to ensure the necessary systems for maintenance of vehicles” had been place and also “failed even to be aware of the extent to which there was such failure”.
During investigations into the incident, a VOSA examiner reported concerns over the company’s procedures for keeping its vehicles roadworthy.
The examiner also questioned whether Mr Robertson carried out a visual check of the vehicle before using it on the day, to identify any defects, such as loose wheel nuts.
The examiner found all 10 of the wheel nuts were missing after the incident. In evidence during a conduct hearing, Mr Robertson said he had carried out a first use check on the vehicle, including the tyres and wheel nuts.
However, Mr Astle said he considered it more likely than not that the wheel nuts were loose at the beginning of the journey.
The deputy commissioner also heard the company was unable to produce evidence to prove the vehicle had been given routine safety inspections, as required and had no formal driver defect reporting system in place, where employees are required to inspect vehicles for defects.
Company director Michael Hunter told the inquiry he could not believe the vehicle had missed any inspections and explained improvements that had been made or were due to be introduced by the business, including on the issue of wheel security.
The business also admitted the incident had been a “massive wake-up call”.
According to the deputy commissioner, Mr Hunter showed a “willingness to comply with the requirements of the operator licensing regime” but noted this had not been matched by a satisfactory regime or personnel.
As a result, Mr Kennie had not demonstrated professional competence and had lost his repute.