Preventative maintenance strategies

To mitigate the risk of fleet leaks, local authorities should adopt a preventative maintenance approach that reduces the likelihood of leaks occurring, shortens the time between a leak starting and being detected, and minimises the chance of pollutants reaching gullies, drains and watercourses. A strong programme combines scheduled inspections, competent operators, good containment, and clear reporting and follow-up.

Why preventative maintenance matters for fleet leaks

Even small, recurring leaks from hydraulic systems, fuel lines, coolant circuits and lubricating systems can create slip hazards, damage hardstanding, and increase the risk of pollution incidents via highway drainage. A risk-based maintenance plan, backed by training and audit, helps protect the environment and supports responsible highway asset management.

Core preventative maintenance strategies

Regular inspections

Schedule routine checks for leaks and address any issues identified promptly. Build inspections into daily walkarounds and planned servicing, focusing on common leak points such as hoses, fittings, seals, sumps, filters, fuel caps, drain plugs, and hydraulic couplings.

• Daily operator walkaround: check for drips, wet patches, sheen, odours, and staining under parked vehicles.
• Weekly yard checks: identify “repeat offender” parking bays and investigate root causes.
• Service inspections: include pressure checks, hose condition, clamp integrity and evidence of weeping at joints.
• Post-repair verification: confirm the leak is resolved and re-check after return to duty.

Training for operators

Ensure personnel are trained to identify potential leak sources and report them immediately. Training should cover what “early leak signs” look like, how to isolate a vehicle, and how to prevent migration into drains.

• Recognise early indicators: fresh drips, damp fittings, rainbow sheen, and unusual fluid consumption.
• Immediate actions: park in a designated containment area, deploy drip trays where appropriate, and notify maintenance.
• Spill response basics: safe containment and clean-up methods, plus escalation triggers for larger incidents.

Upgrading equipment

Invest in modern fleet vehicles and ancillary equipment designed with improved leak prevention and monitoring. Upgrades can reduce downtime, improve reliability, and lower pollution risk.

• Specify improved hose routing and protection, higher-grade seals, and protected couplings in procurement.
• Consider condition monitoring (where suitable) to flag abnormal fluid loss or pressure deviations earlier.
• Standardise parts where possible to reduce incorrect-fit failures and speed up repairs.

Practical controls that strengthen prevention

Secondary containment and controlled parking

Where vehicles are stored, serviced or refuelled, introduce proportionate secondary containment so any drips are captured before reaching surface water drainage. Secondary containment is widely recognised as a “second line of defence” for spill control and environmental protection.

• Designate a “leak quarantine” bay for suspect vehicles.
• Use appropriate containment (for example, drip trays) in maintenance areas and known problem bays.
• Keep gullies protected during higher-risk activities (maintenance, refuelling, loading/unloading).

Drain and gully protection readiness

Preventative maintenance should be paired with drainage protection readiness, because the goal is not only fewer leaks, but also fewer opportunities for pollutants to enter the highway drainage system. For more comprehensive guidance on protecting gullies and drains from pollution incidents, refer to the UK Roads Liaison Group’s highway drainage-related guidance (see references).

Documentation, trending and follow-up

Capture leak events and near-misses as data. Trend analysis helps identify repeated failure modes (for example, a particular hose type, vehicle model, route, or duty cycle) and supports targeted engineering fixes.

• Log every leak: vehicle ID, fluid type, location, estimated volume, cause, corrective action, and verification check.
• Identify patterns: repeat locations, repeat components, and seasonal effects.
• Close the loop: confirm corrective actions and update maintenance intervals if needed.

Recommended internal resources

Use the following Serpro guidance pages to support your procedures, training and response planning:

• Best practice guidelines
• Containment strategies
• Emergency response guidelines
• Disposal info
• Environmental protection

References

1. UK Roads Liaison Group / associated sector guidance: Well-managed highway infrastructure (code of practice)
2. Highway drainage asset management guidance (sector document): Guidance on the management of highway drainage assets
3. HSE spill control (technical guidance): Emergency response / spill control
4. HSE secondary containment (technical guidance): Secondary containment – general principles
5. GOV.UK oil storage guidance (includes containment expectations): Storing oil at a home or business
6. NetRegs / Guidance for Pollution Prevention (incident response planning): GPP 21: Pollution incident response planning