Posted By AJM I would like opinion on this scenario and my thoughts please. We have contract companies that come on site to be loaded with our equipment which is then loaded and strapped up. I have heard a couple of drivers apparently climb up to assist with the strapping at times which in my view is too high can be 10 feet. It has been requested that an aircraft type ladder be made available to assist. On investigation most of the drivers have the straps over the load before it is lifted to their lorry or can even throw them over if the load is on the lorry. Now this throws a couple of issues up to me. Firstly my understanding of the work at height regs is if there is no need to go to work at the height then don't, so why order the ladders as it would be creating work at height even if safer than the method already adopted by some. I am fully against adopting systems for poor methods and poor safety attitudes. So everyone should do it the safe way which is obviously to put straps over before the load is put on the lorry. In my opinion informing the contract companies that there is a safe method which they must adopt. But the second poser to this is what percentage of responsibility do both the contract company and us share. In my opinion we both have responsibility the contract lorry company to give save practices assisted by us and then us to make sure they are adopted. All sounds so easy doesn't it lol Any opinion will be helpful

Posted By Salus If anyone comes onto your site to carry out work for your company you have a duty of care to ensure the work is carried out safely and you must do all that is reasonably practicable. The contractors (they also have a duty of care) should be supplying you with a safe system of work for their employees and if the hazards can affect your employees them as well. If you can get the drivers to throw the securing straps over the vehicle instead of accessing to tie up then write this up as a procedure ,involve the drivers and your supervisor/s, get all to agree and use it as your and the other contractors RA. Hope this is of some help.

Posted By AJM Yes I am adopting all that has been mentioned I just wanted to know opinion. Also it can be done at ground level before loading so that has to be the safest method just the easy job of getting them to stick to it now lol. Alan