Achieving safety and efficiency in the loading bay
October 1st 2008

Greater safety and the avoidance of accidents in the loading bay need not come at the expense of speed and efficiency, explains Jon Tridgell of LAWECO Over recent decades the logistics function has become a fundamental element in the business structure and planning of every large organisation. The ways in which goods are moved about between suppliers and customers are continually refined and updated to ensure this area of business makes its contribution to a healthy balance sheet. The search for ever higher speed and productivity has meant that every phase in the supply chain has come under scrutiny, not least the once humble loading bay.

Companies installing loading bay equipment have to meet the challenge of operational changes such as multiclient warehousing, changing shift patterns, faster turnaround times and the increasing use, for example, of 'high cube' double decked trailers. In addition they are expected to offer greater levels of functionality and meet the demands of rigorous health and safety legislation.

Scissor-lift specialist LAWECO is at the forefront of loading bay innovation and has recently been involved in several installations that presented both engineering and operational challenges.

Needing to accommodate double decked trailers serving a specialist flammable goods store, the company installed a 5000kg scissor lift loading platform and ancillary equipment that, besides meeting ATEX Zone 2 standards, had to provide an ergonomic and safe working environment for staff. Similarly, the installation of innovative, surface-mounted lifts in a building in which excavations to the floor were impossible also had to satisfy a myriad of safety regulations. The client needed considerable operational flexibility as well as the facility for straightforward and inexpensive possible future relocation. Meeting or exceeding all these criteria with imaginative design and effective engineering sealed LAWECO's reputation for problem solving.

While fulfilling client needs and expectations is clearly the key objective, in specifying a loading bay lift, the safety of workers, goods and equipment is paramount.

LAWECO takes a holistic view and sees compliance with 'Work at Height' and related regulations as a minimum starting point.

Figures from the HSE for 2006/7 for injuries at work show that falling from height, being struck by a moving vehicle or a moving or falling object accounted for 48% of fatalities and that amongst injuries caused by falls from height, some 68% involved falls from less than two metres.

Not surprisingly therefore, the company recommends that all platform working areas are fitted with full safety rails and gates to prevent falls by personnel as well as reducing the risk of injury from - and of damage to - falling goods.

A full cage at floor level, manufactured in perforated steel for enhanced visibility, protects staff and avoids the possibility of errant trucks crashing into raised lifts.

The very nature of hydraulically operated loading platforms enables the use of powered mechanical handling equipment enabling the loading and offloading of heavy goods. While this involves new risks, with sensible safety planning this can substantially cut the risk of manual handling accident and injury and offers increased flexibility and a more worker-friendly workplace. By fitting clear safety markings and operating instructions and with the addition of warning lights, alarms, safety switches and even CCTV monitoring, the loading bay can, even as one of the busiest areas of any warehouse, be one of the safest.

As ever though, many accidents in the workplace are the result of human error and it is impossible to overstate the case for adequate training.

It is clear that greater safety and the avoidance of accidents need not come at the expense of speed and efficiency. Besides the personal cost, accidents can have a very detrimental effect on businesses through lost output, damage to goods and machinery, increases in insurance costs and the possible financial implications of prosecution. The innovative use of the best technology, a safe working environment and a good safety record can both enhance productivity and reduce costs and remain key building blocks of a company's reputation.

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