Van sliding doors

If you feel you would not be able to suitably assess prescribed areas then refuse to test.

If there is no prescribed area then you can go ahead and test with no option to fail it as it isn’t a passenger door therefore only needs to be able to be secured in the closed position.

If (I know) there are other doors that permit entry to the load area, is it not possible to open the loading door from the inside?

It does, yes. That’s why my first line addressed suitably assessing the prescribed areas. Obviously I haven’t seen the van, but if the door doesn’t open what else can’t be assessed other than proscribed area?

Could you open it from inside ? If so treat it like a rear passenger one like you would a 5 door passenger vehicle 

It’s not a passenger door and should never be treated as one

And a passenger door that doesn’t open from the outside is a Major defect.

Not in my version of the manual it’s not.

Driver and passenger doors must open from the outside using the relevant control.

Driver and front passenger doors must also open from the inside using the relevant control.

Load space doors must be able to be secured in the closed position.

Defect Category
(a) A door will not open using the relevant control or close properly - Major
(b) A door likely to open inadvertently or not remain closed:
(i) in the case of a sliding door - Major
(ii) in the case of a turning door - Dangerous

The problem is not how a load space door behaves though. If it won't open, and we don't know if the one in question will open or not, it is only about whether or not you can make a FULL inspection. If not - refuse to test. This is a simple one with no 'grey areas'.

If you are a tester or not as the case maybe, get another tester to go through the MTS rfr's with you and when checking doors you'll see that the MANUAL is OVERRIDEN and the passengers doors are a MINOR when they won't open.

Testers are lead to believe that the testers manual is the definitive guide to testing but actually its not. Only the reasons for rejection and minors from MTS can make decisions on the outcome of a test, the manual is not inline and up to date with MTS. 

Comes under catch for front passenger ,drivers and other passengers doors