Or. Admin. R. 257-050-0200 - Mandatory Equipment and Safety Standards for Tow Trucks
(1) All equipment used by a listed tow
company must meet the equipment manufacturer's recommendations/load limit.
Equipment shall not exceed manufacturer's safety specifications.
(2) All equipment used in conjunction with
the tow truck winching system must be used in such a way as to not exceed the
equipment safe working load.
(3)
All winching equipment, booms, snatch blocks, rigging, must have permanently
affixed durable factory identification which states the safe working load. If
this identification has been removed or is no longer readable, it is deemed
out-of-service and may no longer be used. Equipment may be re-inspected by a
recognized recertification company. If the equipment is acceptable, it may be
identified with a safe working load limit and a recertification company
identifier. It will be deemed acceptable if the operator maintains a copy of
the certification of winching equipment.
(4) All tow vehicles operated by a listed tow
business must be equipped with the following minimum equipment: At least two
(2) upper work lights (near light bar) and 2 lower work lights (36" or lower),
mounted behind the cab of each tow vehicle which are controlled by a separate
dedicated on/off switch at each level. This lighting must be capable of
illuminating the work area;
(5) A
cellular phone, an FCC licensed two-way radio or a similar means of maintaining
constant contact, where conditions permit, with each tow truck operated by the
business. Citizen band radios do not meet this requirement.
(6) Rope as required for each class of tow
vehicle. Rope lengths shall be measured from the point of attachment on each
drum. Ropes shall meet the following requirements:
(a) Each rope shall be capable of being fully
extended from and fully wound onto its drum; this includes a properly
functioning free spool mechanism on each winch.
(b) No less than five wraps of wire rope or
eight wraps of synthetic rope must remain on the drum when the rope is fully
extended.
(7) Wire ropes
shall be free from the following defects or conditions:
(a) There must be no more than six randomly
distributed broken wires in one rope lay, or more than three broken wires in
one strand in one rope lay;
(b) Any
evidence of heat damage from any cause;
(c) No end attachments that are cracked,
deformed, worn or loosened.
(d)
Synthetic rope must be free of the following defects:
(e) No evidence of heat damage;
(f) No evidence of abrasion damage;
(g) There must be no cut strands;
(h) No end attachments that are cracked,
deformed, worn or loosened;
(i) No
evidence of excessive damage.
(8) LED, strobe or rotator lights. These
lights must meet the following requirements:
(a) At least one set of portable lights for
the unit being towed. The portable light set must include taillights, brake
lights and directional signal lights.
(b) Be red or amber in color;
(c) Be capable of being visible from 360
degrees;
(d) May only be used at
the scene when necessary to warn approaching traffic.
(9) A broom and a shovel. The tow truck
driver shall clean all debris associated with said incident scene. Tow truck
driver is also responsible for cleanup of injurious substances as required by
ORS 822.225.
(10) A wheel lift, car carrier, or other
comparable device incorporating a material designed to protect
vehicles.
(11) A wheel lift, car
carrier, or other comparable device that can tow motorcycles.
(12) At least one 40 BC rated fire
extinguisher.
(13) At least one
snatch block, or equivalent block, in good working condition for each working
line.
(14) At least one commercial
grade manufactured dolly on all class A recovery vehicles up to 26,000 GVWR and
on a class B Tow truck if it is being used to cover a class A zone.
(15) At least one set of portable lights for
the unit being towed. The portable light set must include taillights, brake
lights and directional signal lights.
(16) At least two warning signs notifying
approaching traffic of an incident which comply with ORS
822.220. Warning signs must
conform to the Oregon Department of Transportation's publication "Oregon
Temporary Traffic Control Handbook" (OTTCH) as adopted by OAR
734-020-0005.
(17) Failure to meet
these minimum equipment requirements for each tow vehicle may be cause for
suspension or revocation of certification and removal from the non-preference
tow list.
(18) Class A tow vehicle
shall be capable of towing and recovery operations for passenger cars, pickup
trucks, small trailers or equivalent vehicles. Class A tow trucks must meet the
requirements of subsection (1) through (17) of this section, and must be
equipped with or meet all of the following additional requirements:
(a) Have at least a 14,500 pound
manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating;
(b) Have dual tires on the rear
axle;
(c) Have a boom with at least
an eight-ton hydraulic boom rating with dual or single winches to control a
minimum of one service drum;
(d) Be
equipped with either an 8000-pound winch with a minimum of one hundred (100)
feet of 3/8-inch continuous length wire rope or equivalent rated synthetic
rope, or with an 10,000-pound winch with a minimum of one hundred (100) feet of
7/16-inch continuous length wire rope or equivalent rated synthetic
rope;
(e) A wheel lift system with
at least a fully extended working load rating of 3,500 pounds.
(19) Class B tow vehicles shall be
capable of towing and recovery operations for medium size trucks, trailers,
motor homes with a front engine or equivalent vehicles. Class B tow trucks must
meet the requirements of subsection (1) through (17) of this section, and must
be equipped with or meet all of the following additional requirements:
(a) Have at least a 22,000 pound
manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating or equivalent.
(b) Be equipped with an extendable hydraulic
boom with a minimum 20,000-pound rating having a minimum of dual 10,000 lb
winches and 150 feet of 7/16-inch continuous length wire rope or synthetic
equivalent per winch;
(c) Class B
tow vehicles more than 26,001 pounds GVWR are not required to carry dollies
when used for heavy towing. However, dollies are required when a Class B tow
vehicle is used for Class A Towing;
(d) A wheel lift system with a minimum fully
extended working load rating of 5,000 pounds;
(20) Class C tow vehicles shall be capable of
towing and recovery operations for large trucks, trailers, motor homes or
equivalent vehicles. Class C tow vehicles must meet the requirements of
subsection (1) through (17) of this section, and be equipped with and meet the
following additional requirements:
(a) Have at
least a 33,000 pound manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating or
equivalent.
(b) Be equipped with a
twenty-five-ton minimum rated hydraulic extendable boom with two duel
25,000-pound hydraulic winches;
(c)
Have at least 2 separate, 150 feet continuous lengths of wire rope, with
five-eighths inch diameter or an equivalent rated synthetic rope;
(d) Be equipped with air brakes and an air
system capable of supplying air to the towed unit; Tow vehicle must be capable
of operating the towed vehicles brake system.
(e) Portable dollies are not
required;
(f) Be equipped with
tandem rear axle truck chassis (three axle truck);
(g) Be equipped with rear axles which have
dual tires;
(h) Be equipped with an
under-lift suitable for Class C tow vehicles with a minimum rating of 12,000
pounds, fully extended;
(i) The tow
vehicle must have a minimum wheelbase of 280 inches.
(21) Class D-A tow trucks shall meet the
requirements of subsection (1) through (17) of this section, and be equipped
with and meet the additional the following requirements:
(a) Class D-A tow trucks shall not be
considered a recovery vehicle.
(b)
Have at least a 14,500-pound manufacturer's gross vehicle weight
rating;
(c) Be equipped with dual
tires on the rear axle;
(d) Be
equipped with at least 50 feet of 3/8-inch diameter continuous length wire rope
or an equivalent rated synthetic rope;
(e) The tow vehicle may include a wheel lift,
if chassis GVWR is over 17,500 pounds and the wheel lift system has at least a
fully extended working load rating of 3,000 pounds.
(22) Class D-B tow trucks shall meet the
requirements of subsection (1) through (17) of this section, and in be equipped
with and meet the following additional requirements:
(23) Class D-B tow trucks equipped with a
commercially manufactured side puller system may be considered a recovery
vehicle. Must have an A or B tow vehicle within an adjoining tow zone in order
to use this as a recovery vehicle.
(a) Have at
least a 22,000-pound manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating;
(b) Be equipped with dual tires on the rear
axle;
(c) Be equipped with at least
75 feet of 3/8 inch continuous length diameter wire rope or an equivalent rated
synthetic rope;
(d) Be equipped
with a wheel lift system with a minimum fully extended working load rating of
3000 pounds;
(24) Class
D-C tow trucks shall meet the requirements of subsection (1) through (17) of
this section, and be equipped with and meet the following additional
requirements:
(a) Class D-C tow trucks
equipped with a commercially manufactured side puller system may shall be
considered a recovery vehicle. There must be a Class C tow vehicle in an
adjoining tow zone in order to use this vehicle as a recovery
vehicle.
(b) Have at least a
33,000-pound manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating.
(c) Be equipped with at least 100 feet of
continuous wire rope of 5/8 inch diameter or its synthetic
equivalent.
(d) Be equipped with a
tandem rear axle truck chassis with dual tires.
(e) The tow vehicle may include a wheel
lift;
(f) Be equipped with air
brakes and an air system capable of supplying air to the towed unit. Tow
vehicle must be capable of operating the towed vehicles brake system.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 181.440
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 181.440
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