Plant&Equipment

Expert opinion
This article was outlined by Ms Carol Grainger,
HSE Workplace Transport Programme Manager
You could consider the following
possible solutions:
Reduce the need for people to go on the load
area and catwalk and ensure correct ordering
of the load, so that the position of orders on
the load bed matches the order of delivery and
reduces the need for drivers to climb on the
load
Analyse tasks to reduce slips and trips risk.
Pushing or pulling loads or manual handling
can make things worse; you should aim to
reduce such activities and minimise the number
of times that drivers have to get in and out of
the cab and on and off the back of the vehicle
Consider the job design and how ‘task and
finish’ can apply pressure to get the job done
quickly. It is important in managing loading and
unloading activities that people have the time
to do the job safely
Provide driver training to avoid slips and trips
and include aspects such as safe access and
avoiding jumping from the vehicle
Provide drivers with systems to document and
report defects with safety equipment, such as
steps or catwalks, to management.
Involve drivers in the selection of new vehicles
and other safety equipment such as footwear
Feed what you learn from risk assessment and
accident investigations into the specification of
future vehicles.
Communicate with sites where your drivers
are making deliveries to make sure the
arrangements are in place to enable safe
loading/unloading
Think in terms of hierarchy of controls. Plan work
to avoid work at height where you can, if you can’t
make sure you use work equipment to prevent falls
– vehicle based systems are best. If the risk of a
fall can’t be eliminated, use equipment to minimise
the distance and consequences of a fall and always
consider measures that protect everyone at risk,
for example, platforms and guardrails, rather than
measures that only protect the individual.
It is also vital that there is better co-operation
between all the parties involved in delivering and
collecting goods i.e. the supplier who sends the
goods, the company carrying the goods, and the
recipient of the goods. Although the safety of
employees is primarily the responsibility of their
employer, if a delivery accident occurs, all parties
in the chain may be asked to show how they took
reasonable steps to co-operate to achieve safety.
The three key rules to effective co-operation
are; send out safety information on deliveries
and collections to other parties in the delivery
chain; request safety information on deliveries
and collections from other parties in the delivery
chain; and agree a safe delivery plan. Safety
arrangements should be assessed before orders are
taken or placed, and incorporated into order taking
documents, and the driver should receive adequate
safety information for each delivery or collection
beforehand.
HSE’s current ‘Falls from Vehicles’ campaign
has a wealth of information, including work
sheets, case studies and checklists, for
vehicle buyers, fleet and depot managers, and
workers themselves. For more information,
please visit the interactive website at http://
www.hse.gov.uk/fallsfromvehicles/index.htm
February 2008
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