BUSINESS HELPDESK
Your guide to keeping products safe and avoiding road traffic incidents and injuries HELP DESK
SECURE THAT LOAD!
FOLLOWING RECENT CHANGES to the on-road enforcement approached used by the Driver & Vehicle standards Agency (DVSA) and the police, the Builders Merchants Federation has published the BMF Business Guide to Load Security. Launched at a dedicated BMF Health & Safety Forum in May, attended by over 70 delegates, the new Business Guide is now available free of charge to all BMF members.
The 16-page document provides illustrated advice, information and recommended best practice for the security of loads carried and operated by builders’ merchants’ delivery vehicles, which includes the need to plan for diminishing loads during multi-drop deliveries. Anything transported on or in a road-going vehicle or trailer must be secured so that it does not slide, tip, or bounce off the vehicle, or move around so that it affects vehicle handling. While the driver is ultimately responsible for safety of the load, the content will help inform business owners, directors and operations managers of their legal obligations as well as advising drivers, yard and warehousing teams of the best practice for different types of loads.
Every delivery load is different, both in terms of the product type, weight and size of the load, and due to the effect of different weather conditions. If a driver is pulled over by the DVSA, the examiner will check the following, and the driver must be confident that they can satisfy each of the questions. • Can any part of the load slide, topple or bounce in any direction? • Is the load causing the vehicle
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to be unstable, or could it affect handling? • Can any part of the load fall off during transit? • Is the load security equipment in poor condition, and/or not appropriate for the load? • Does any part of the load, or the way in which it is secured, present, or be likely to present, an immediate danger to road users during transit?
Several fatal incidents have occurred where items such as poles, pipes or boards have slid off the headboard and struck oncoming vehicles. It is worth remembering that additional forces are caused by braking. Even a standard laptop can take on the equivalent weight of one tonne in a sudden deceleration from 30mph.
As stated before, the final responsibility for a load lies with the driver, who should be certain of its security before driving out of the yard. If they are in any doubt about the safety of a load, they should always stop and ask a suitable colleague for a second opinion and reload if necessary. This could not only prevent the loss of a load or damage to products, more importantly, it may prevent an accident, injury or even death.
The BMF Business Guide to Load Security illustrates the different types of equipment that can be used to secure loads, and the correct use of this equipment in different circumstances. The Guide also provides a comprehensive list of Do’s and Don’ts and things to consider
when securing the most common products and types of packaging transported by builders’ merchants.
With drivers in mind once again, the BMF Transport Working Group has also produced a 29-page template Commercial Drivers Handbook. This has been created for merchant members to use as part of their contract of employment for drivers, providing guidance on every aspect of the driver’s role. It should be carried in the vehicle when they are working for their employer.
• BMF members can request a free copy of both the Business Guide to Load Security and the Commercial Drivers Handbook by emailing Richard.
Ellithorne@bmf.org.uk.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net June 2023
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