ROUND-UP The Offensive Weapons Bill received Royal Assent in May and is expected to come into force in the autumn. Its aim is to tackle the rising number of assaults in the UK in which knives or corrosive substances are used, and the new law will bring several changes for high street and online retailers. The list of banned knives and similar weapons has been expanded, and it will be illegal to supply these to anybody – of any age. Online sellers will no longer be able to deliver knives to a private residential address; there must be a physical transfer of the goods to a business address, where the age and identity of the purchaser can be checked. Exemption from this can be gained if the online retailer has an agreement with a ‘trusted’ courier. The courier will take on liability for the supply to people over 18 and must have rigorous procedures and training in place to ensure age checks are made on the doorstep. Statutory guidance, which has yet to be published, will outline the measures required to claim ‘trusted’ status. The bill also bans the sale of certain corrosive substances to those under 18. A list of substances and concentration levels will help retailers identify what can be supplied safely and legally. Some businesses currently selling these products may have no experience of checking the age of buyers – but your local Trading Standards will be happy to offer advice on compliance. Officers have worked with retailers for years and developed the Challenge 25 scheme. Under this, sales staff should challenge anyone who appears to be younger than 25 to prove their age by producing a photo driving licence, passport or PASS-approved age-verification card. PASS is a national scheme that validates the cards so you can rely on their authenticity. It is not sufficient to simply ask a person their age. All staff must be trained in age-verification procedures and this knowledge should be refreshed regularly, with records of the training kept. Many retailers also keep a refusals book, which can demonstrate that checks are being carried out. Posters for Challenge 25 are available online. Retailers can also take advantage of the Primary Authority scheme, under which a business and Trading Standards service develop a statutory partnership. ‘Assured’ advice on how to comply with specified regulations can then be provided and other local authority services must abide by this advice – which is useful for regional and national businesses. Under the new offensive weapons act, knives and corrosive substances will be added to the specified regulations, and Trading Standards officers will have statutory powers to investigate offences. Credit: Brandon Cook, Trading Standards officer iStock.com / Jedraszak ROUND-UP If you use a goods vehicle in your business, you must be aware of its maximum weight capacity and how to load it safely – otherwise you could face a hefty fine. More importantly, you put the lives of road users at risk because an overloaded vehicle: n Takes longer to stop. Its steering may also be affected and the vehicle can be less stable n Puts more strain on vehicle parts, such as tyres and brakes. Tyres can overheat and wear quickly, potentially causing blowouts n Invalidates your insurance because overloading is illegal n Causes excessive wear and damage to roads n Increases fuel consumption n Creates unfair competition with other operators, as more goods are moved per journey. The Road Traffic Act 1988 requires ‘vehicle users’ (drivers and operators) to ensure their vehicles are not overloaded, so know where your nearest weighbridge is located. Check the weights of your vehicle, unloaded (with a full tank of fuel) and loaded. If possible, weigh it to establish individual axle weights and the gross vehicle weight (GVW). This – and the gross train weight (GTW) – includes the weight of the vehicle, load, trailer (for GTW), driver and passengers. Also allow for the weight of any pallets or packing cases. To prevent overloading: n Redistribute your load appropriately after drop-offs to avoid overloading axles n Recheck the GVW before setting out. You are allowed to drive to the nearest weighbridge to check your load and then to a place to take some off if the vehicle is too heavy n Do not go by declared weights, invoices or delivery notes given to you by customers n Use your lift/tag axle correctly, otherwise the axle or gross weights could be exceeded. This van was overloaded by more than 2,000kg. At court, the driver was ordered to pay more than £1,000 in fines and costs, and now has a criminal conviction. Credit: Garry Brown and Carrie Morris, Trading Standards officers New act tightens rules on weapon sales Loads of trouble For further information please contact your local Trading Standards Service SUMMER 2019 ROUND-UP