HAZARDOUS AREAS


weight and height, alongside the classification of the materials in transportation, providing solutions that support hazardous goods as part of the standard ‘truck routing’ capability. In addition to effective planning software, mobile ePOD and navigation solutions can also be incorporated, with the aim to provide drivers with electronic forms detailing the contents of each load, alongside navigation instructions that avoid restricted areas. Utilising valuable planning software and navigation solutions undeniably simplifies moving dangerous loads from A to B, creating a smoother experience for drivers from the outset, avoiding inevitable delays and potentially large fines that could affect business operations. Fleet and compliance


management can, together, ensure that delivery capacity can be successfully controlled, and logistics providers can utilise their pool of drivers to the optimum level, without overworking staff, exceeding drivers’ hours and facing unnecessary additional costs. Drivers’ hours compliance, vehicle safety checks, CPC verification and DVLA license information can be stored within a single compliance management platform, and operators can download digital tachograph data for analysis and reporting, whilst the vehicle is in operation to practice proactive driver compliance management. Using automated downloads of


tachograph data via telematics devices will improve driver compliance and guarantee time savings, as the data can be downloaded whilst the vehicle is en route and any issues can be dealt with in a timely fashion. A mobile app can be programmed to prompt drivers and ensure that the correct safety checks are being followed before the journey begins, detailing the processes and an audit trail of location, duration and the time the checks were conducted. Any issues regarding the vehicle can be flagged instantly, assuring operators that safety is not compromised due to roadworthiness. Giving drivers the option to use a handheld device also means that they can swiftly


access dangerous goods notes (DGN) if they are required to display proof that the protocols and procedures have been met at any point on their journey, without the nuisance of paperwork.


EfficiEnt OpEratiOns and rEal-timE data


Implementing advanced routing software for transporting hazardous materials ultimately increases the overall efficiency of operations. Delivery capacity can be increased with fewer drivers, helping to mitigate the well-publicised HGV driver shortage that is continuing to challenge businesses across the UK. Software that uses data in real-


time is able to accurately predict the duration of each journey and the directional flow of traffic, which is far more effective than using the average for each road. It also helps drivers to navigate efficiently and reduces overall stress, which plays a vital part in retaining drivers – another crucial element for companies to consider if they are to withstand the growing pressures of driver shortages. With the correct model in place,


organisations will be able to manage real-time challenges and adapt to changes as they happen, without getting caught in delays as a result of poor planning and a lack of data. The transportation of hazardous materials is a sensitive and potentially dangerous task, so it is critical for logistics providers to consider how advanced software could be implemented to assist their drivers and ensure that they feel safe on each and every journey.


cOnclusiOn


The compliance and restrictions associated with handling and delivering hazardous materials requires the support of advanced routing and scheduling to ensure that drivers only take appropriate routes, for the safety and efficiency of all. In turn, logistics providers can rest assured that the only hazard they will come up against when it comes to route planning is the load they are transporting.


descartes www.descartes.com


S


safeTy sTarTup receives funding To speed growTh


afety technology startup Tended has secured £2.4m in investment to further propel its growth, bringing the company’s total funding to £4.4m. The funding was led by existing investor Blackfinch Ventures, with participation from early-stage European venture capital firm Basinghall Partners,


UKRI, and a number of industry-specific angel investors. Founded in 2017 by Leo Scott Smith, Tended creates


wearable safety solutions that are used across industries, including construction, manufacturing, utilities, and logistics to improve employee safety and site efficiency. The start-up already counts industry leaders, such as Siemens, Rolls- Royce, Network Rail, Unilever and Babcock, as its customers, helping them to improve their occupational safety. The investment comes as Tended bolsters its offering


with a new safety culture solution. It combines their wearable technology with behavioural psychology to transform safety across working environments. This new product uncovers in-depth insights into an


organisation’s safety culture and offers valuable recommendations and resources to drive positive behavioural changes. The wearables act as reinforcement, helping to promote safer behaviours by alerting employees before entering a hazardous area or unsafe zone. By addressing the underlying influences of human behaviour and making safety culture improvements, Tended aims to prevent 95 per cent of workplace accidents. The seven-figure investment will help support


growth and facilitate further research and development of their safety culture solution. Tended’s CEO and founder, Leo Scott Smith,


comments: “Every company has its own unique set of safety challenges. Interventions such as training and processes only go so far to improve safety. We’re helping companies uncover and understand the underlying influences of unsafe actions and provide the resources to help them change those behaviours. “We aim to help companies achieve sustainable change


to promote a safer workplace and positive employee experience. The team has been working hard on product development and thanks to investors like Basinghall, we’re one step closer to making sure loved ones return home from dangerous working environments at the end of the day.” Tended www.tended.co.uk


indusTrial compliance | winTer 2021 37


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