Many people are injured as a result of falling from a vehicle. According to HSE statistics, about 2000 workers are seriously injured eachyear as a result of falling from a vehicle, with a handful of people suffering fatal injuries. Most of the instances (about 90%) involve falls from below head height and the HSE have estimated that the economic and human cost of these incidents is in the order of £36.7 million. There are two important messages:
- falls
from vehicles can cause serious injuries
- simple,
cost effective solutions are available to prevent these injuries
In common with most work activities, there is no specific law dealing with falls from vehicles. However, as well as the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 (HASAW), there are two sets of regulations that are applicable to falls from vehicles:
- Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1999 and
- Work at Heights Regulations 2005
- all
work at height is avoided where reasonably practicable to do so
- all
work at height is properly planned and organised
- workers
involved in work at height are competent
- the
risks arising from work at height have been properly assessed
- appropriate
work equipment has been selected and is used as appropriate
- equipment
is properly inspected, serviced and maintained
Hazards
Employers should consider their
operations and determine where there are risks of falls (from height) from
vehicles. These may include:- accessing
and egressing the driver’s cab
- loading
and unloading vehicles
- working
on tail lifts
- working
on trailers or vehicle platforms
- sheeting
and unsheeting of loads
- working
on top of tankers (dipping operations, etc.)
Control measures are the things that we do to avoid or control hazards so that harm is not caused.
General issues and general
control measures
Several simple steps can be taken
to help to reduce the number of workplace accidents involving falls from
vehicles and many of these are both cheap and easy to implement. These include:- restrict
access to vehicle areas to authorised persons
- avoid
the need to work at height when it is reasonably practicable to do so (by
way of example, many tankers are now fitted with bottom loading systems,
removing the need for the driver, or other person, to access the top of
the tanker)
- provide
a safe means of access to, and egress from, work areas (including
vehicles)
- avoid
the need for working at different heights (consideration may be given to a
well constructed loading bay or platform, etc.)
- maintain
good standards of housekeeping (in the vehicles and in the surrounding
areas, such as loading bays, etc.)
- make
appropriate arrangements for poor weather (poor lighting, rain, snow, ice,
high winds, etc.)
- ensure
that lighting in the general work area is suitable and adequate for the
tasks to be done and consider the need for suitable emergency lighting
- ensure
that workers wear appropriate footwear for the job
- carry
out routine checks (such as visual inspections and tests) on equipment and
workplaces
- Ensure
that vehicles can be moved unexpectedly during loading, unloading,
sheeting or unsheeting operations, measures may include:
- Immobilising vehicles
- Removing keys from vehicles
- Requiring drivers to leave the cab of the vehicle during
operations
- Chocking the vehicle wheels
- etc
Many people are injured when they fall as a result of the load shifting underfoot when walking on the load or otherwise on the vehicle. It is therefore recommended that measures to avoid the need to walk on the vehicle or on the load are introduced where it is reasonably practicable to do so. Where it remains necessary, typical measures to control the risk of falling include:
- walking
while facing the direction of travel
- keeping
feet well apart and free to move
- consideration
of the stability and grip of the surface being walked on and consideration
of how this may change in different parts of the load or different parts
of the vehicle
- avoid
reliance on the support offered by ropes, sheets and by the load (these
may move, rip or tear)
- consideration
should be given to the use of suitable fall arrest or work restraint
systems
Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling. There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts. These include:
- ensure
that workers are aware of the hazards associated with general access to
and egress from the cab and the types of injuries that they sustain and
the potential effects of these injuries on the workers (generally
drivers).
- Instruct
drivers to:
- use the steps provided
- use the grab handles to assist access/egress and not the
steering wheel
- when leaving the vehicle, visually check the ground for
obstructions
- when leaving the vehicle, use the steps and grab the handle
provided and exit the cab backwards
Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling. There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts. These include:
- ensure
that workers are aware of the hazards associated with working on and from
tail lifts
- ensure
that the tail lift is suitable for the vehicle and for the loads to be
handled
- ensure
that the tail lift is serviced and maintained in accordance with the
manufacturers’ recommendations
- ensure
that statutory examination is carried out (as required under the Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998)
- where
appropriate, provide edge protection to the tail lift
Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading
vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and
can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling. There are a range of measures that may be
used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts. These include:
- avoid
the need to work on vehicle platforms and trailers where it is reasonably
practicable to do so
- ensure
that workers are aware of the hazards associated with working on vehicle
platforms and on trailers
- providing
suitable hand holds and steps to allow easy access to, and egress from,
the platform or trailer
- providing
trip guards along the platform or trailer edge
- ensure
that the platform or trailer is kept clear of trip hazards, such as
rubbish, ropes, chains, packaging materials, dunnage, etc.
- ensure
that the floor of the platform or trailer is secure and in good condition,
without tripping hazards
- ensure
that the operator wears appropriate footwear and other personal protective
equipment
- ensure
that lighting is adequate, including in potentially shaded areas
- prohibiting
the practices of jumping down from a vehicle or load or of jumping between
vehicles
There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the
risks associated with sheeting operations.
Some of the methods (which may be used singly or in combination) are
outlined below:
- ensure
that workers are aware of the hazards associated with sheeting and
unsheeting operations, especially in poor weather
- consider
whether the load needs to be sheeted (avoid the hazardous operation)
- create
a documented safe system of work for sheeting and unsheeting operations
and train workers in this system
- arrange
for automatic sheeting systems to be fitted to vehicles
- consider
safe means of access, such as:
- use of work platforms
- use of suitable fixed gantries
- provide
and use suitable fall arrest or work restraint systems
- where
reasonably practicable, avoid climbing upon the load
- where
reasonably practicable, avoid the use of ladders and consider safer and
more robust access systems
Consideration should be given to loads or conditions that have special factors associated with them that may increase the level of risk. Such factors may include:
- bad
weather
- loads
that have leaked
- unstable
loads or loads that have slipped or moved in transit
- loads
or goods known to be slippery (such as oil, silicone based materials,
waxes, etc.)
- loads
involving the transport of live animals (faeces, urine, etc.)
- refrigerated
transport
- etc.
In some cases, the amount that needs to be done to control the risks of injury and death from falls from vehicles can be costly, such as building new loading bays or replacing tankers with new, bottom loading systems. However, in most cases the costs are low, as what is often needed is more attention to the tasks undertaken and greater enforcement of the control measures that the company believes are already in place. Training is an important part of the process as this will raise the awareness to dangers in the tasks undertaken and the consequences on the well being of those involved if things go wrong. Regular active monitoring is important to ensure that the workplace environment is right and that the appropriate workplace practices are being adhered to.
