The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has recently launched a new initiative aimed at reducing the number of people injured or killed when working in loading bays.
IOSH's Retail and Distribution Group has teamed up with the Freight Transport Association to produce the ‘Loading Dock Safety Guide’, with the aim of helping employers to understand the risks and possible interventions.
“Accidents, when they occur on loading bays, can have fatal consequences,” said Steve Clark, chair of IOSH’s Retail and Distribution Group.
The Health and Safety Executive reports that 15% of all reported workplace transport injuries happen during unloading and loading. Of these injuries, 37% involve drivers of the vehicle, and 20% are accounted for by workers unloading or loading goods.