TS 13770

TS 13770 is a rules standard for competent services dealing with containers mounted on vehicles. Its focus is the service structure and technical responsibility associated with closed, open and awninged body/container types fitted to all kinds of vehicles. In general technical terms, these vehicle-mounted containers are part of the bodywork or superstructure and play a direct role in carrying and protecting the load.

How the scope is technically bounded

The standard’s covered area is vehicle-mounted container systems. Closed containers provide stronger protection against weather and external effects, open containers are used where loading flexibility matters, and awninged containers offer a practical intermediate solution with overhead protection. Pressure vessels and tanks are explicitly outside the scope, which matters because they involve different design, safety and service considerations. In other words, this document is aimed at container-style vehicle body equipment, not pressurised equipment installed on vehicles.

What a competent-service standard means in practice

The term “competent service” points to a service arrangement carried out under defined technical capability, organisation and responsibility. In practice, such standards help align activities such as installation, inspection, maintenance, repair and conformity assessment. For vehicle-mounted containers, proper service organisation is important for chassis-body compatibility, load distribution, fastening reliability and fitness for the intended use. TS 13770 should therefore be understood as a rules document for this service field, while it does not extend to a general framework for pressure vessels and tanks outside its scope.