Bad weather during an outdoor equipment collection
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Bad weather can change the conditions on which an outdoor collection was planned. Agree who will reassess the work, who can postpone it and how buyers, drivers and site staff will hear the decision. Do this before the first vehicle sets off.
A weather forecast helps preparation, but it does not approve a lift or vehicle movement. The competent people responsible for the work need to assess the actual conditions and applicable equipment limits.
Prepare a contingency sheet
Keep the sheet with the collection booking.
| Item | Information to agree |
|---|---|
| Operation | Affected asset, route, loading area and contractor |
| Conditions to monitor | Relevant wind, rain, ice, visibility, ground or other site conditions |
| Technical decision owner | Person competent to reassess the proposed operation |
| Site decision owner | Person controlling access, staff and other activity |
| Review points | Before travel, before starting and when conditions change |
| Communication list | Buyer, driver, contractor, organiser and affected site contacts |
| Delay response | Holding arrangement, revised booking and protection of remaining assets |
The conditions listed are prompts. The contractor must identify what matters for the actual work. Do not insert a universal wind speed, rainfall amount or temperature threshold.
For lifting operations in Great Britain, HSE planning guidance identifies the environment and equipment stability among the relevant considerations. Manufacturer limitations and the particular operation need to inform the plan.
Test the plan against a realistic disruption
Imagine a fictional site where a machine is booked for an afternoon collection and heavy rain has affected the loading area. The question is not simply whether the lorry can reach the gate.
The responsible people need to consider whether the agreed loading arrangement remains suitable, whether visibility and pedestrian separation remain adequate, and whether the receiving site can still accept the movement. If conditions differ materially, the operation needs reassessment.
Record the decision and the person making it. Do not let the existence of a booked crane or a waiting buyer turn a provisional plan into permission to proceed.
Agree what happens while work is paused
Keep equipment and people in the agreed safe locations. Avoid moving an asset into an exposed staging area merely to show progress when the collection cannot proceed.
Ask the responsible contractor about protection appropriate to the equipment and conditions. Do not improvise sheeting or work at height around a vehicle. The loading responsibility guide helps identify who controls each stage.
Tell the organiser which lots and appointments are affected. Use the slot planner to make a realistic revised sequence rather than moving every delayed booking into the same next window.
Keep commercial decisions separate from safety decisions
The applicable booking terms determine waiting charges, cancellation arrangements and rescheduling costs. Record what the quote says and ask the contracting parties to resolve any uncertainty.
Those costs do not establish whether work can safely continue. A competent reassessment may require a different method, vehicle, route or date.
Use the movement enquiry pack to update changed site information before the next attempt. If the original proposal relied on dry, firm access, the contractor needs to know that the assumption has changed.
Share the decision and revised readiness information with UK Auction Group. A clear weather plan lets the sale team communicate a specific change instead of leaving collectors to discover the problem at the gate.
Sources
This guide gives general information. Equipment-specific, legal, tax and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser or competent specialist. The guides do not promise sale prices, fees or results.