One of the biggest risks is the lorry driving away from the bay before loading is complete. This can lead to potentially fatal falls from the loading bay.

There are two main systems for reducing the risk of drive-aways: procedural, where there is a traffic light system or keys are taken from the driver while loading takes place; or engineered, where the trailer is immobilised by means of a susie lock fitted to the air brake coupling or wheel chocks are applied until loading has been completed. In terms of safety, the procedural approach is unsatisfactory as signals can be misinterpreted – especially for left-hand drive vehicles where it becomes unclear which lights are for which dock – and drivers often keep spare keys in the cab. Engineered solutions eliminate the risk associated with drive-aways and will not allow corners to be cut with regards to loading bay safety.

Cost of an accident

In the UK, the recent change to the sentencing guidelines for health and safety and corporate manslaughter offences (https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/HS-offences-definitive-guideline-FINAL-web.pdf) will act as an extra incentive for employers to improve safety. The new guidelines have significantly increased the recommended penalties, especially for larger companies, with fines up to £10m, and potentially unlimited fines for special cases. The guidelines also state that having effective health and safety procedures in place and a good health and safety record will lead to a reduction in any fine.

It is also worth noting that fines from prosecution are not the only cost incurred by a company for having an accident. The company will also have to consider the loss of assets and staff resulting from the accident, the damage to morale among other workers and the possibility of gaining a bad reputation among prospective staff and customers. In contrast, being known as a safe workplace will increase morale, make recruitment easier and encourage custom.

Integration of systems 

There is a lot of potential for safety systems to provide return on investment in other ways. For example, Castell’s Dock Monitor is a data-gathering and analysis device that takes information from the loading bay safety system to give real-time monitoring of each bay. This information is useful beyond just the safety aspect, as it can be used to monitor and improve loading efficiency. The concept could be brought into other areas of safety so that systems are not simply stand-alone policies to prevent accidents, but tools that give real return on investment through the useful services they provide. 

Conclusion

Although awareness of safety in warehouses is rising, and therefore standards are increasing, there are still important improvements to be made. A key change in safety culture is realising that safety is not just a drain on resources but an asset that can deliver a return on investment. This is achieved not only by minimising the risk of an accident, which can be costly in terms of both lives and material assets, but also providing the opportunity for integration with existing systems to deliver useful information that goes beyond the scope of safety per se.

In order to maintain and improve safety levels in the warehousing industry, it is vital to continuously review risk assessments to keep pace with changes in the landscape caused by advances in technology. A thorough risk assessment examining all possible dangers should be carried out before any safety procedures are implemented. The assessment should determine how best to minimise the risks to workers, the public and assets; be reviewed regularly; and always when a significant change in practice occurs.