From Imran Khan to £700,000 fines – how the law has transformed the way we work at height & why cutting corners makes injuries inevitable.
Cages, or to give them their official name, non-integrated platforms, were often used with forklifts to allow workers to stand on the forklift and perform simple tasks. But after a spate of accidents and injury compensation claims, it was clear that they posed a considerable safety hazard, and the HSE released guidance prohibiting the use of forklift cages where more suitable equipment is available.
Now, purpose-built Mobile Elevating Working Platforms (MEWPs) make the cage a relic of the past. Businesses have warmed to the idea that forklift trucks are intended for lifting materials, not people, whilst MEWPs are obviously designed specifically for aerial access.
MEWP Safety
Access equipment, while considered far safer than cages due to their fully integrated controls, can still be dangerous. That became clear to a crowd in 2013, when Imran Khan, the former cricketer and one of Pakistan’s most popular politicians, was taken to hospital after falling around 15ft from a platform lift as it carried him on to a stage for an election rally.
Khan had to have stitches but escaped serious injury. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case in these types of accidents. In March 2017, a home appliance manufacturer was fined £700,000 after a self-employed contractor fell from a MEWP and later died from his injuries.
Two years prior, the contractor had been working at a height of nearly five metres installing fire detection equipment. At the same time, maintenance workers started an overhead conveyor unaware that the contractor was working nearby. The movement caused the MEWP to tip over and the 66-year-old man fell to the factory floor. He later died from his injuries.
A HSE investigation found there was no effective control or supervision in place to prevent the conflicting work tasks from being undertaken at the same time. It is simple miscommunication like this that can result in the tragic incident of a worker’s death, along with a crippling fine.
But you don’t need to have an accident to be fined. The HSE can investigate a business where it suspects workers are at risk of harm, without there having already been such an incident.
Prevention is Primary
An Essex construction company found this out to their cost, being fined for putting workers at risk after neglecting to check and maintain a potentially dangerous piece of lifting equipment. Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard that a forklift truck in heavy use went more than 12 months without any kind of thorough examination, despite it being a legal requirement to do so at least once a year.
The truck, used to move heavy steel fabrications, was kept in continuous use and showing obvious signs of disrepair. An investigation by the HSE found that when the truck was eventually examined, only six items out of 24 that formed the basis of the report were marked “satisfactory”. The remaining 18 items were classed as “repair needed”. Amazingly, defects included worn out tyres, flashing beacons and lamps not working and a loose counter-weight. Charges were made of breaches of the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The result was a fine of £3,000 plus £3,238 in costs.
HSE inspector, Keith Waller, explained: “All machinery must be maintained regularly to ensure it is safe to work with and be near. It is not enough to rely on reactive maintenance and only fix things when they go wrong; companies should be looking for signs of wear and tear before any deterioration leads to an incident. HSE will not hesitate to prosecute when companies neglect their equipment and put workers and others at risk.”
Even without an accident then, forklift users should ensure their equipment is well maintained. That’s even more important for access platforms, where inspections should be carried out at least twice a year.
If you’re unsure about the safety of your forklift of aerial access equipment, please get in touch. We offer free no-obligation advice regarding LOLER and PUWER safety regulations to any business operating lifting or access equipment.
Some businesses believe their products are destined to be damaged during the materials handling process. Whether its paper, cardboard or even flat-pack furniture – delivering goods in anything less than pristine condition can increase the risk of disappointed customers.
“When we buy anything, we are much less likely to choose to buy a product in a box that appears damaged,” says Windsor Branch Manager, David Fletcher. “People associate a damaged box with a something that hasn’t been handled appropriately, and come to the conclusion that the product is more likely to be damaged too.”
The truth of the matter is, boxes can be very easily damaged by all sorts of factors in a warehouse environment, and it doesn’t mean the product is any less usable. “Overhanging loads inevitably come into contact with the forklift’s load guard, and as a result the cardboard box is damaged,” adds David. “In an ideal word, products should leave the distribution centre with no evidence of being handled by a forklift truck.”
That’s why many businesses have load protection installed on their materials handling equipment. Not only does it prevent the load from getting damaged, but machinery, operators and infrastructure are protected too.
Companies like IKEA and corrugated cardboard manufacturers use these shock absorbers to ensure their products come away from the warehouse unscathed. Ultimately, this reduces the amount of product that is wasted due to damage.
Load protectors come in many forms – foam or flexible fibre bristles protect the load while attached to MHE by magnetism or steel clamps. “There’s a shock absorber to suit ever kind of load protection need,” concludes David Fletcher. “A small investment in load protectors for the forklift trucks on site can yield a big return in reducing wastage due to product damage.”
1. The Right Power
If you are currently using a particular fuel type, changing to an alternative could save you more than you think. Electric forklift trucks are much more environmentally friendly compared to diesel and LPG. As well as being fume free, they are also known for their quiet and manoeuvrable nature. While they are considerably cheaper to power, the forklift battery and charger can bring the initial cost higher than a diesel or LPG powered truck, but this hasn’t stopped many businesses reaping the benefits of electric trucks. They are best-placed in operations that have the time and space to allow for recharging the forklift batteries.
However, when it comes to which forklift truck is more cost efficient, it seems there are pros and cons to all. Which is best suited for your operation ultimately depends on the environment, the usage and any special requirements – contact your local branch for help in finding the right fuel for your fleet.
2. The Right Supply
It’s surprising, but true, that some manufacturers provide an ‘approximate’ supply of goods. For example, the brewing industry doesn’t sell its beer in pints, it sells them in barrels, which could contain more, or less, than the 22 gallons the landlord expects. Matches too come in boxes marked ‘contains between 90-100’ and there’s similar approximate measures in many bulk industries. When something says 90-100, you can be sure that it closer to 90 than 100. A set of weighing scales can provide valuable insight on suppliers of items like paper rolls. If they’re consistently light, as has been known to happen, users are able to re-negotiate their supply on the basis that ‘more or less’ usually means less.
3. The Right Size
It’s usually the case that the bigger the fleet, the bigger the potential saving. In our experience fleet utilisation can often be around 20-30%. That means you’re paying 70% too much! Adding fleet utilisation systems to your fleet allows you to put hard facts in the place of guess work and anecdotal evidence. It may seem obvious, but if you’re lifting heavy stuff, you need bigger, larger capacity trucks to do the job. Conversely, you don’t want a truck that’s too big if you’re not lifting very much. Not having to buy a more expensive, larger capacity truck saves money if you’re not lifting large loads. Let your local Windsor branch know if you think you’ve previously over-invested.
4. The Right Staff
Training may substantially lower operating costs. Although it is a legal requirement for operators to be trained on equipment, making sure they are trained to higher standards can also cut costs. Well trained drivers know the ins and outs of their vehicles and are more aware of obstacles around the site. This tends to mean that they cause fewer accidents because they are more aware and more informed with how to use their vehicle. Studies show that this means that they are in less accidents. If they are indeed having fewer, there are lower costs for the repair of equipment and fewer costs relating to damaged building infrastructure and accidental equipment damage. Ask Windsor about their dual-accredited operator training centre.
5. The Right Parts
Save on every part by shopping around. Knowing which suppliers to choose to supply the right parts is vital when cutting your costs. It may be one supplier can get the parts you need for a much cheaper price than your current supplier as they may have more access to the parts at a cheaper agreed price. Windsor can supply parts for almost all makes and models of forklift trucks, access platforms and warehouse equipment carrying over 90% of line items in stock. Their branches have daily replenishments of stock and their parts prices are highly competitive. Furthermore, if Windsor does not have the part in stock, they can obtain them from their established supply agreements, which mean they can be available within 24 hours.
