I was wondering if any of you could give some information on working on flatbed trucks with a hiab. The problem seems to be that a safety officer has indicated that a safety line should be stretched across the truck to allow a safety harness to be attached whilst working on the flatbed. His concern would appear to be the risk of falling of the truck.

The task being done is the loading of scaffolding tubes from the ground onto the back of the flatbed. After the tubes have been lifted up onto the truck the worker has to guide it down onto the flatbed and secure it then release the lifting tackle.

Any suggestions to how the risk of falling can be reduced or eliminated.

Paterson

Always a difficult one try using longer slings that when the load is on the flatbed you then swing and lower the hook to your slinger to release the slings.

This way negates the need to go on the flatbed.

Regarding the guiding into place use tag lines.

Hope this helps.

Regards Alex

This is an issue that all of us who operate flatbed lorries with hiab's would love to know the answer to.

A safety line would not work for example:
A line stretched down the length of the lorry bed would have to be extremely tight and the harness attached to driver and line so short that the driver did not hit the ground before the effects of line and harness took effect. This would have the effect of making any movements by the driver whilst on the lorry bed very difficult.

There is currently no effective system involving lines and harnesses that can be safely employed on a flatbed.

It is better to look at minimising the requirements to access the lorry bed and where access is necessary ensure that safe access via steps or ladder is available.

Surely scaffold poles could be slid onto a frame over the tail board of the lorry thereby removing the need to handle the poles whilst on the lorry bed, then access would only be needed to secure the pole once placed on the lorry.

Geoff