Health & Safety- ManagersPlan loading and unloading to minimise work at height.
Supervise safe systems and use of access equipment. - Vehicle buyersAvoid the need to work at height by choosing ground based controls.
Insist on slip resistant surfaces. - WorkersDon't jump off vehicles. Always use steps and handholds.
Follow safe systems of work.
Report missing or damaged equipment.
Housekeeping
Set up safe systems for cleaning the vehicle, for example for sweeping the load area after deliveries. Inform drivers and other workers of these systems. Have a system for checking that housekeeping standards are being met and that access equipment is clean and in good repair.
Various contaminants are present in the haulage industry. Diesel spills, at filling stations, depots and around the vehicle fuel tank, can result in slippery surfaces. Many drivers report slipping or falling after getting diesel, oil or grease from the fifth wheel on the soles of their footwear or on the areas of the catwalk where they have to walk. Rainwater, snow and ice are also common problems.
Ways of reducing the risk of falls due to contamination include:
- Provide vehicle washing facilities to remove contaminants, such as diesel and mud, which will increase the likelihood of slip incidents.
- Provide convenient disposal facilities for waste packaging, broken pallets etc.
- Carry out periodic checks to ensure vehicles are kept in a good and clean condition.
- Provide drivers with safety footwear which is slip resistant on the surfaces they will be walking on.
- Provide drivers with cleaning equipment to remove contamination from areas of the vehicle where they have to walk and to clean footwear if necessary.
Information sheets
- Preventing slips, trips and falls from vehicles: The basics
[PDF 68KB]
- Managing work to avoid falls from vehicles
[PDF 68KB]
Case studies
- 3663 First for Foodservice
[PDF 92KB]
