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The gas system first jumps to mind.Maybe the handbrake/parking security?I'm stretching here as it seems daft.Are you able to question on what grounds rather than just accept and respond?

The Housing Association has a legal obligation to undertake risk assessments to protect both their employees and residents.  Its just an assessment of what, if any, risks the van could present, who could be affected and what, if any, precautions need to be taken to prevent harm.

They will do in a formal way exactly what you do when you leave the van.  

So the first issue is to identify potential hazards

e.g Bit of wind and the van could suddenly turn and hit someone walking down the side of it and pin them to the wall.

Second, who could be harmed

e.g anyone visiting the property

Third, evaluate the risk and determine the precaution

e.g Always blows a gale down your particular drive, so always ensure that the corner steadies are down

Fourth – record that assessment and specify the action and by whom

e.g. Owner must put corner steadies down

e.g. Gas is a hazard so it should be turned off when the van is parked. No smoking around the van

Ie.g f you are charging the battery or cooling the fridge down then the cable from your house represents a trip hazard and so action should be taken to prevent trips. Personally I run a cable from the garage, under the garage door and under the caravan so that no one can ever walk across the cable. Simple stuff like that.

If the other person who uses the shared drive has some disability, or a potential for the need for ambulance personnel gaining entry to the house and they couldn't with a wheel chair or stretcher because the van was too close to their door, then relocate the van.

Just simple stuff really. As I say, all the things that pass through our minds when parking our vans, and which come automatically to us. That process we go through is a risk assessment but it's just not as formal

Phil

Where are you storing the gas cylindar? Not inside I hope!!! It's all pretty much like keeping a car in the drive, except that you leave the fuel in the tank overnight!!!!! Hope your assessor understands caravans

Phil

Ultimately you will be dealing with the HSE

No...its the Housing Association. HA don't really worry about folks breaking in and being sued etc. That's what the insurance is for.

Phil

Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 07/8/2011

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Ultimately you will be dealing with the HSE

No...its the Housing Association. HA don't really worry about folks breaking in and being sued etc. That's what the insurance is for.

Phil

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Hi rabbin8, If you do as said to secure van, and there have been no objections to your van being parked in the car park, you should be ok, having said that, I am a little pessimistic about the inspection, 1.How long has van been parked there, 2.Have you ever had inspection before, 3. Did you apply for permission from Housing Association to park caravan in car park. Reason maybe some one has complained about your van taking up car parking space, and they are unable to park their car as a result, I have witnessed this myself a few years back, a caravaner I know had to move his van, the reason given to him, was that drivers using the parking bays did not have a unrestricted view or the road because of the caravan, and it was causing a Safety issue. This may not be in your case, maybe wise to look for alternative storage, in case things don’t go in your favour, sorry to put some doubt  in your mind, but I suspect that thought had already crossed your mind. Good Luck hope all goes well for you.  

Quote: Originally posted by jhsw on 07/8/2011

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<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman">Hi rabbin8, If you do as said to secure van, and there have been no objections to your van being parked in the car park, you should be ok, having said that, I am a little pessimistic about the inspection, 1.How long has van been parked there, 2.Have you ever had inspection before, 3. Did you apply for permission from Housing Association to park caravan in car park. Reason maybe some one has complained about your van taking up car parking space, and they are unable to park their car as a result, I have witnessed this myself a few years back, a caravaner I know had to move his van, the reason given to him, was that drivers using the parking bays did not have a unrestricted view or the road because of the caravan, and it was causing a Safety issue. This may not be in your case, maybe wise to look for alternative storage, in case things don’t go in your favour, sorry to put some doubt <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>in your mind, but I suspect that thought had already crossed your mind. Good Luck hope all goes well for you. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>

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More likely they overlooked their legal responsibility....or some new chap pointed out their error. Anyway, risk assessments are not about stopping things taking place, but about how you can make it happen safely

Phil