Commercial tyre pressure: building a safe fleet checking process

Identify the actual installation

Keep an asset-specific record of tyre type, dimensions, axle position and single or twin arrangement. Include relevant operating loads and any changed specification. A number used on one trailer is not automatically correct for another with a different tyre or application.

Resolve discrepancies between the asset record and fitted tyres before turning a setting into a fleet-wide instruction. The person doing the check should know which approved source applies.

Use appropriate pressure data

Michelin provides commercial pressure information to support specification-based assessment. Use the relevant vehicle and tyre manufacturer information with competent advice where necessary. A pressure recommendation based on guessed tyre or load information is not a reliable setting.

Keep the units and conditions with the value. A record should show which axle and loading situation it describes, so a later colleague does not mistake a single example for every vehicle in the fleet.

Separate observation from inflation work

A driver can report a warning, visible deflation or a concern through the operator’s system without attempting to restore pressure. The next action depends on assessment of the tyre and assembly, particularly where it has run deflated or sustained damage.

HSE explains commercial tyre inflation hazards and precautions. Trained competent personnel and suitable restraint arrangements are part of the safe process. Do not improvise high-pressure inflation in an uncontrolled yard area.

Record a consistent set of information

Asset and wheel position:
Approved pressure source and setting:
Units and measurement conditions:
Actual reading / reported warning:
Previous loss or recent tyre work:
Assessment and action by competent person:
Outstanding investigation or follow-up:

Integrate these details into the operator’s existing maintenance process. They support a history; they are not a replacement for the full required checks or a technical work instruction.

Investigate repeat loss

Compare the same wheel’s records across checks. Repeated low readings should trigger investigation of the assembly and its history, rather than becoming an accepted weekly task. Report whether the tyre has been run substantially deflated; that history affects the assessment.

Do not ask a driver to keep adding air while the cause remains unresolved. A valve, tyre or wheel problem needs the appropriate competent attention, and visible recovery of shape is not evidence of internal fitness.

Make ownership and handover clear

Identify who maintains the approved settings, who performs checks and who handles a reported loss. If a vehicle or trailer changes operator or shift, pass on outstanding concerns alongside the current tyre information.

For a Fix My Tyre replacement enquiry, supply the asset details, full tyre specification and relevant pressure-loss history. We confirm the replacement requirement and safe working arrangements before agreeing attendance. This article does not advertise a general inflation or diagnostic service.

Common questions