Load Security
Insecure loads are a danger to the public, which is why 5 deaths and 216 major injuries in the ‘freight by road’ industry occurred by falling objects in the 2006/07 work year. 946 others received injuries bad enough to keep them from work for over three days.
Ways of reducing these accidents include;
• Following the Department for Transport Code of Practice
• Think about how the contents of the load can be made safe for unloading, as well as while being transported on the road. Could a load fall around during transit? Could this potentially cause a risk to the driver when they open up for unloading?
• Ensure drivers have a safe area and distance to observe from, not right next to the vehicle where they could be hit by other moving vehicles or falling load
• Never rely on trailer curtain sides to hold a load in place – always use adequate strapping and/or chains
• Make drivers aware they should report near misses as well as damage to equipment
• Gain adequate information from companies you are delivering to or collecting from about facilities on their site and their off-loading arrangements before you visit.
It's strongly recommended to purchase adequate liability insurance to protect yourself and your company should any accidents occur.
