A new one with health and safety for me

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

On a construction site a couple of years back and got hit with the “You can’t stand on the trailer” cr[zb]p.

So… get hold of ONE end of strap/shackle/chain/whatever and walk to front of trailer. Climb up onto the working deck on the back of the unit and proceed to fold the strap/shackle etc from over the headboard.

H&S bods went spare until I pointed out that I 1)wasn’t one the trailer, and 2) this was a working area specifically designed for drivers to access the fixtures on the back of the wagon and if, for example, there was a problem with one of the suzi’s then …
End of disussion and exit H&S bods spluttering and cursing…

:smiley: :smiley:

22

m.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14555863 … ous_burns/
Talking of health and safety…

23

Rowley010:
Just tipping at wickes. I jump up onto my trailer to tidy my straps away and I get shouting DRIVER GET DOWN NOW. so in no rush I slowly climb down and they tell me I can’t go on. I say can I go on once you’ve finished tipping? They say no. So I say so let me get this straight, I can’t go on my own trailer anywhere on this site? They say no. I say but my boss who is paying me has told drivers to make sure straps are always tidied away neatly ready for someone else to use. They say well you’ll have to do it out in the road. I say on, so where am I more likely to get injured? Here in the yard where every other company lets me do it, or out on the main road, on double yellows? What a joke!

Yes I’ve had this myself in the past, undone all the ratchets for them to tip then when it came to tidy away the internal straps he saw his arse about being on the trailer bed and making good for my next tip, so I got down and closed the curtains and he said that’s great thank you and park outside to carry on stowing away, I just climbed up the back of the trailer and cracked on and said its nigh on impossible for me to fall through a set of closed curtains ha ha, ■■■■■■■■ didn’t have a reply for that.

24

Play them at their own game.
Ask too see the risk assessment thats been done for being on the trailer etc. I bet it’s scored very high, either amber or red. C × L must be reduced as much as practically possible so they have reduced the score too green by stopping all access.
Explain to them that access is needed to work on the trailer. Rather than do it outside the gate you would rather do it here in an area of relative safety where you are not loan working that if an accident happened you would be found quicker than outside etc. They also have a duty of responsibility.
Explain the job, I will close the curtains, then climb the trailer via back door using 3 points of contact, stow away straps and exit trailer the same way as entry. Consequences and likelyhood would then score green on any RA.
It’s all ■■■■■■■■ yes but showing them we’re not complete numpties and that we do know what we’re doing helps.
It’s worked a few times.

25

Thing is, don’t the following work at height?

  • Carpet filters at the top of stairs
  • Wagon examiners and shunters on the railway
  • Platform staff at stations
  • Stage crew at festivals (the stage is raised up)
    -Poll dancers ( :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: )

All these people work at some height and don’t use any fall restraints.

So why the fuss in builders yards?

Surely a sign saying "You are advised not to get up in the trailer. Should you do so, you accept responsibility for any injuries caused’ sorts it??

26

I was doing a Palletforce job on the agency a few months ago, and was delivering to a TP subsidiary who told me I couldnt go on the bed of a rigid to secure a pallet truck as their rules forbid me.

When I pointed out to them that the Road Traffic act forbid me to travel out of their gate with an unsecure load and that it was an act of Parliament which was the rules I run to, I then also gave them the opportunity to stop me from doing my job if they thought they could do so. All hell broke loose and I got called allsorts from their yard muppets but in fairness the Palletforce company concerned backed me.

Ken.

27

I did have a forkie park up and remove his keys whilst tipping me. Apparently I was nearer than two metres from his forklift. The reason for this? I was holding the internal straps out of his way so he could do his job easier and without damaging them. With me being a complete arse hole, I photographed my undamaged straps, informed him that any damage would be billed to his company and left him to it.

28

When I was a sparky, I used to maintain housing stick for one of the big Cambridge HAs. We regularly used to get called to their offices in an emergency to change a tube in one of their light fittings - I used to stand on my tool box, reach up and change it. Job done, about 30 seconds. Until one day the mtce mgr saw this, then demanded Working at Height risk assessments, barriers around the working area, second man to protect me while I was working at the vast height of about 25cm etc. Next time they phoned it in as an emergency we told them it would be a minimum if 24 hours to get all this in place, and that due to the risk assessment it would have to be carried out outside working hours, at premium rates, and they would have to supply somebody to open up for us. Funnily enough, his boss got involved and all this bollox was quietly dropped.

Since driving, I have been to several sites delivering steel. At one of them, again in Cambridge, was told to ensure that the side straps were fitted. The slingers got on, attached their harness to the side straps, and cracked on. The daft thing was they could climb down from the trailer and walk around with the harnesses still attached, as the tails were that long. I asked one if them what the point was, to be told that it let’s the h&s man tick a box on his form, and that was all that was needed!

29

scaniason:
When I was a sparky, I used to maintain housing stick for one of the big Cambridge HAs. We regularly used to get called to their offices in an emergency to change a tube in one of their light fittings - I used to stand on my tool box, reach up and change it. Job done, about 30 seconds. Until one day the mtce mgr saw this, then demanded Working at Height risk assessments, barriers around the working area, second man to protect me while I was working at the vast height of about 25cm etc. Next time they phoned it in as an emergency we told them it would be a minimum if 24 hours to get all this in place, and that due to the risk assessment it would have to be carried out outside working hours, at premium rates, and they would have to supply somebody to open up for us. Funnily enough, his boss got involved and all this bollox was quietly dropped.

Since driving, I have been to several sites delivering steel. At one of them, again in Cambridge, was told to ensure that the side straps were fitted. The slingers got on, attached their harness to the side straps, and cracked on. The daft thing was they could climb down from the trailer and walk around with the harnesses still attached, as the tails were that long. I asked one if them what the point was, to be told that it let’s the h&s man tick a box on his form, and that was all that was needed!

:laughing:

30

If they are like that then sort the straps etc out right in their gateway and V e r y S l o w l y.

31

cav551:
If they are like that then sort the straps etc out right in their gateway and V e r y S l o w l y.

Yeah good idea! Pull out just so your out of their “jurisdiction” so to speak but make bloody sure that no one else can get out after you…then do the straps up slowly. As slow as possible. Then if they say you need to move as your blocking the gate then say well call the police as I’m no longer on your property. Job done. Why didn’t I think of that yesterday!

32

I have done the things suggested in this thread…I am banned from several places because of it.
No one likes a smart arse :smiley: Since I dont give a monkeys, I dont really care.
They just hate it when you want to see the actual risk assessments, they also hate it when you question anything and the subject of a ban comes up very quickly, they usually talk themselves into a corner though, as many of these people are not that bright :laughing:

It is nice to get a victory, but all I want to do is do my job, it should not come down to the ego battle, it is all so immature and needless.

33

Few years ago I delivered to cash and carry place (can’t remember which). While unloading forkie caught another pallet (he knew because I told him) which was not for them. No problem I thought, sort it later. All done and I asked for a little help manually to reposition and strap, it was crisps or similar.

Impossible to do on my own, not enough hands and asked him to help. He said he wasn’t insured to go onto trailer. Fine I said, then explained - I’m a tramper and have enough food and facilities in my cab for well over a week. Until I can secure this pallet my truck stays exactly where it is!!!

He spoke to his boss… :laughing: his bloody fault. I was away in 10 min.

34

The world really has gone a bit silly!

Because of this, the site operator is accountable for the safety of anyone employed, or visiting their premises. You not being directly employed by them, makes no difference, as you are still technically employed or contracted to work on their premises. They cannot simply allow you to take responsibility for an injury resulting from something you do on their premises, and in case of a reportable accident under RIDDOR Regs, the HSE wouldn’t differentiate between you as a visiting driver, and any other employee.

Some sites will protect themselves by requiring contractors to provide suitable risk assessments & method statements, and ensure all the safeguards identified are in use. Whilst others will turn a blind eye, and hope for the best. Some sites may no even appreciate their responsibilities! If you’re an employee, it’s your employer’s responsibility to provide RAs, for tasks you will perform, and not the operator of the site you’re visiting. Although it is their responsibility to ensure one has been carried out, and complied with.

I’m not claiming to agree with any of the above, or know the best answer. But I do suspect company’s policies will be the result of a significant incident, either at a site they operate, or learned of through their industry’s safety shares / learnings.

A serious injury occurring on a company’s premises can quite easily close a business, if the subsequent inquiry reveals failings contributed to the incident. A recent HSE report quoted examples of the costs to a business, following a worker being injured. For example, a broken leg costs a business an average of £250k, in fines, lost productivity, HSE ‘charges for intervention’, insurance excesses, increased insurance premiums, etc etc.

I wonder if anyone has ever costed the faffing around, in lost productivity etc… :laughing:

35

I was unloading my trailer at a shop with my moffett mounty not wearing my yellow vest but safely strapped in with side guard down, and got told off by the company H & S woman for not wearing it. Needless to say she was not wearing one either and had also put herself in danger by getting in my way. The other irony was that same company found it perfectly acceptable for pallets to be delivered via the front door as the warehouse sections where usually full of crap.

36

098Joe:
I was unloading my trailer at a shop with my moffett mounty not wearing my yellow vest but safely strapped in with side guard down, and got told off by the company H & S woman for not wearing it. Needless to say she was not wearing one either and had also put herself in danger by getting in my way. The other irony was that same company found it perfectly acceptable for pallets to be delivered via the front door as the warehouse sections where usually full of crap.

Yeeeeeeeeah because everyone knows a vest is more visible than a Moffett Mounty :unamused:

I drive a Manitou. My favourite is when I’m asked why I’m not wearing a hard hat, inside the bloody roll cage…

37

We can’t even blame Europe for it because you look at some of the foreign drivers and all they have is flip flops and some don’t even have a high viz and need to borrow one. If health and safety was so strict there then they would be prepared when they are in the uk.

I was in Spain and there was a building site with a crane dangling a skip full of bricks over the public road. No cones out or warnings, nothing.

Yet many people are quick to blame all this H&S on Europe. Or are we just the only country to adhere to the rules? Everyone else just puts their middle finger up to them.