Sharper scissors slash risk
December 1st 2008 Laweco UK's Jon Tridgell says recent loading bay work for Wincanton illustrates that best
technology and practise deliver both a safer environment and increased productivity
The search for ever higher speed and
productivity means every phase in
the supply chain is under scrutiny,
not least the loading bay.
Companies installing loading bay
equipment have to meet the challenge of
operational changes such as multi-client
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, has recently
been involved in several installations for
Wincanton clients that presented both
engineering and operational challenges.
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 surface-mounted
lifts in a building in which excavations to
the floor were impossible also had to satisfy
a plethora of safety regulations.
Additionally required was considerable
operational flexibility, as well as the facility
for straightforward and inexpensive
possible future relocation.
While fulfilling client needs and
expectations is the key objective, in
specifying a loading bay lift, the safety of
workers, goods and equipment is paramount.
Laweco's view is that compliance with Work
at Height and related regulations is merely
the 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
per cent of fatalities and that amongst
injuries caused by falls from height, some
68 per cent 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
to load and offload heavy goods. While this
involves new risks, with sensible safety
planning this substantially cuts 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
along with 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. However, many accidents in the
workplace are the result of human error,
making it is impossible to overstate the
case for adequate training.
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 new
Corporate Manslaughter act comes into
force in 2009).
But, by employing best technology and
practise, a safe working environment and a
good safety record both enhances
productivity and reduces costs – forming
the key building blocks of a company's
reputation. Laweco, and its clients, believe
that greater safety and the avoidance of
accidents need never come at the expense
of speed and efficiency. More articles from Laweco UK Limited: | 
