A-Plant has introduced a brand new fleet of high specification Welfare Vehicles designed for use by workers in a variety of locations and applications, however remote.
Fully mobile and equipped with heating and hot water, toilet and washing facilities, charging sockets and a cooking and eating area, the 8-seater Welfare Vehicles provide warm and comfortable rest areas for transient workers. They are ideal for road or rail maintenance contracts, as well as for work being carried out at airports or other locations where amenities may not be close by or easily accessible.
To ensure the Welfare Vehicles are of premium quality, A-Plant selected a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI chassis, the first Mercedes-Benz vans ever to be commissioned by A-Plant. The initial order consisted of 10 vehicles, but due to customer demand, a further 20 have been ordered.
In addition, it has purchased another six Sprinter 313 CDIs, three panel vans and three chassis cabs with dropside bodies which will be assigned to A-Plant’s Eve Trakway division which supplies temporary roadways, walkways and other access systems. The majority of the vehicles are to be allocated to Lux Traffic Control & Management division, the UK’s leader for portable traffic signals.
The A-Plant Welfare Vehicles are available for both spot hires and longer-term rentals. A-Plant’s District Sales Director Jason McNally said, “We’ve worked with vehicle manufacturers, vehicle bodybuilders and, most importantly, our customers to deliver a solution which is the best in the market. The end result is a Welfare Vehicle which combines reliability and comfort, and is a really well-equipped mobile staff room for workers. These vehicles are ideal for use in situations where crews need to get on site fast without worrying about lengthy welfare mobilisation times. Demand was so high for the initial vehicles and we already have confirmed orders for the new vehicles.”
Safety was the first priority for A-Plant when specifying its Welfare Vehicles. The Sprinter comes as standard with a comprehensive armoury of active and passive safety systems, and the medium-length, high-roofed 313 CDI are additionally fitted with high-visibility reflective strips and roof-mounted beacons front and rear, reversing cameras, and battery guards to insure against any power loss; extra batteries have also been installed to run the ancillaries.
Interior fixtures include three seats upfront and five in the crew area, a table, an optional fridge, a galley with microwave oven and water heated by an on-board boiler, a section for drying wet clothing and an electric flush toilet, as well as an independent heating system. Safety and welfare equipment includes a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher and anti-slip flooring.
Weight limits mean most 3.5-tonne Welfare Vehicles can only travel with four personnel in the rear section, in addition to the three in front. However, the front axle on each Sprinter was upgraded at the Mercedes-Benz factory,allowing the A-Plant vehicles to carry five at the back, so eight in total.
