Bringing a safety strategy into the loading bay

The loading bay is fraught with hazards for forklift truck
operators. Implementing a robust safety strategy using
simple but effective protective equipment can make all
the difference, says Mark James

The loading and unloading area is
a focal point for many
businesses; as such, it brings
together a high concentration of
hazards. It’s no wonder that, according
to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE),
15% of all workplace-related accidents
occur while loading or unloading, and
it’s often the forklift truck operator who
bears the brunt.

The frustrating thing is that the majority
of these accidents were preventable. All
these companies lacked was a sound
safety strategy, backed up with equipment
and processes designed to protect the
workforce. Yet too many in the industry
prefer to cross their fingers and hope that
nothing will happen in their yard, rather
than spending the time or money on
getting it right.

Without a robust safety strategy, any
loading area is an accident waiting to
happen – and as soon as something
occurs, the company faces a huge burden
in terms of downtime, repairs and
possible legislative fines. Doing nothing is
a false economy. Nonetheless, it requires
only the use of some simple, low-cost and
highly effective safety aids to ensure that
you are loading and unloading with
confidence.

Equipment to minimise risk
Falls present a major hazard, as there is
huge scope for operators of forklifts to fall
where there exists a height variation
and/or a horizontal gap during loading
and unloading. Obviously, it is imperative
that this difference is bridged, and there
are various devices such as dock levelers,
scissor lift tables or yardramps that can be
used to give the forklift smooth and
uninterrupted access to trailers. Essential
accessories – for example gates and
handrails – provide further support.

Movement of vehicles is another area
that must be carefully controlled to avoid
trapping or crushing operators, or prevent
forklifts falling off the back of trailers
because the driver moves off before loading
has finished. A range of preventative
options is available, from wheel chocks to
air locks to complex key removal protocols.

Of course, none of these products on their
own can fully account for the possibility of
human error, so good visual and audible
communication systems are a must to let
drivers know when it is safe to back up to
a loading dock and, perhaps more
importantly, when it is safe to drive away.

Another hazard – and possibly one of
the most dangerous – is when a vehicle
trailer, without its cab, tips forward. This
can happen if the standard landing legs
fail and when the vehicle has been loaded
incorrectly, or when empty it becomes
unbalanced. Fortunately, the use of a
trailer safety support provides immediate
and effective prevention of this type of
accident. Weather can also have an
adverse effect on safety, from slippage
caused by water ingress to health effects
suffered by employees from extreme
operating temperatures. The strategic use
of dock seals and shelters can help
warehouse managers to meet many of
their ‘duty of care’ requirements by
protecting operators from the worst the
elements can throw at them.

Nonetheless, there is no better
prevention than putting a robust system
in place that integrates many or all of the
above possibilities. Investment throughout
the loading and unloading area – down to
the installation of traffic lights and alarm
sirens – can engender an effective and safe
operating environment. Don’t forget the
importance of ensuring that equipment is
compliant with appropriate safety
standards. There can be just as great a
danger in sourcing non-compliant
equipment as buying nothing at all. Since
market surveillance simply isn’t in place
currently to prevent potentially unsafe
equipment entering the UK market, it’s
vital that purchasers use only reputable
suppliers.

Yet by taking a proactive, practical
attitude towards safety – using careful
research and common sense – companies
will find that it is not difficult to make
their loading areas safe. The result is not
only an environment in which forklifts
can operate with confidence, but a costeffective
means of improving efficiency
that will add real value to your logistics
operation.

Mark James is health & safety manager
at Thorworld Industries