Safety Tips for Transportation Companies

20 June 2019

We at My Elearn Safety are always looking to share valuable information with our followers. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has a publication on Workplace Transport Safety Management.

Workplace Transport Safety Management

What is a Risk Assessment?

A risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to people as a result of a work activity. It allows you to take precautions to prevent harm occurring. What’s involved in conducting a risk assessment? There are five key steps to a risk assessment:

1. Look at the hazards
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
3. Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate or whether more should be done
4. Record your findings
5. Review your assessment on a regular basis at predetermined intervals as part of the safety management procedures

What should the Workplace Transport Safety Management System include?

Vehicle safety in the workplace must be competently managed. The size and form of the management system will vary depending on the size of the operation – however it should address the following:

1. Definition of the policy and rules for the management of vehicles at the workplace and identification of responsible person for managing vehicle safety.
2. How to carry out and record risk assessments – this means writing down the most significant hazards, identifying who is at risk and listing the safety precautions which should be in place.
3. Determine the training needs of workforce and the preventative maintenance program required for ensuring ongoing workplace vehicle safety. Any changes to vehicles, workplace or personnel which might have implications for the safety of the system must be allowed for.
4. Employees who may be affected must be kept fully informed of the system and of any changes to it.
5. Details of how acceptable standards for workplace vehicle safety are achieved and should also be included in the site specific Safety Statement.

What areas need to be considered?

The Workplace Layout of the place of work;

• Are vehicles and pedestrians kept safely apart?
• Are there suitable walkways for pedestrians?
• Are there suitable parking areas for all parking needs?
• Do the vehicle routes avoid sharp or blind bends?
• Is there scope for introducing a one-way system on vehicle routes within the workplace to reduce the risk of collisions?
• Are the lighting arrangements adequate both inside and outside?
• Where loading bays are longer than the width of five vehicles are appropriate numbers of exits or safe refuge points in place?

Suitability of traffic routes;

• Are they wide enough?
• Are they well constructed and maintained?
• Are they free from obstructions and other hazards?

Suitability / provision of safety features;

• Are roadways marked where necessary e.g. to indicate the right of way at road junctions?
• Is there a need for direction signs, speed limit signs, and, where applicable, signs such as ‘Give Way’, ‘No Entry’ etc.?
• Is there a need for features such as fixed mirrors to provide greater vision at blind bends, road humps to reduce vehicle-speeds, or barriers to keep vehicles and pedestrians apart?
• Is there adequate warning at the interface of the site with public areas?

The publication goes on to include:

• Vehicles
• Employee Selection, Training & Supervision
• Loading & Unloading Operations
• Legislation

….. Continue reading publication here.

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