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SammyK  
#1 Posted : 22 July 2019 11:51:34(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
SammyK

Afternoon All,

I work in a Cargo based warehouse, and was wondering whether you can clarify the following?

APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) often come into our facility to do their checks on veg etc.

Their H&S Advisor recently appeared in our warehouse wanting copies of Risk ASsessments for the storage of containers. They are concerned that one of their inspection tables is situated under neath racking and this will fall on their heads. (this won't happen, FLT don't go enar racking, cargo strapped down etc). I do  not feel that we need to provide them with our Risk Assessments and SSOW for the storage of our containers, and have provided them with our control measures to stop this from happening.

Are you able to please advise? Do I have to provide Risk Assessments to outside companies?

TIA

achrn  
#2 Posted : 22 July 2019 14:29:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
achrn

When our staff are going onto a third-party controlled site I want to be satisfied that there are adequate and appropriate arrangements for their safety while there, and that the place where they are working is safe.  If they identified a particular hazard, I may well request teh relevant risk assessments from the third party (who, of course, have a duty to control those risks, and have a duty to record the findings of a risk assessment in writing, assuming they have a large enough number of employees).

If there are adequate controls regarding the racking, what is the difficulty in showing the paperwork defining them?

I would also be wary of starting a work-to-rule tit-for-tat with the employees of any government agency - it's not likely to end well.

thanks 1 user thanked achrn for this useful post.
SammyK on 22/07/2019(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 22 July 2019 16:30:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

and this inspection table is firmly fixed and immovable from this specific location?

These are government workers inspecting loads passing through your warehouse so a proportionate amount of accommodation should be made to facilitate your business.

Roundtuit  
#4 Posted : 22 July 2019 16:30:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

and this inspection table is firmly fixed and immovable from this specific location?

These are government workers inspecting loads passing through your warehouse so a proportionate amount of accommodation should be made to facilitate your business.

A Kurdziel  
#5 Posted : 23 July 2019 12:14:08(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Hello

In an earlier life I was that Health and Safety adviser asking for your risk assessments!  When APHA staff go into premises they are carrying out a statutory duty: they have no choice in the matter.  Therefore they need reassurance that where they work is safe and protected: I was aware of some places they missed being taken out by FLT’s by inches.  If you have got a risk assessment for running the warehouse, for it to be “suitable and sufficient” it   has to include ALL people who might be affected by your work activities including visitors like APHA inspectors. Furthermore as has been mentioned, under the regulations that set up the plants Inspection regime, the warehouse operator has to set up a suitable facility for inspections. In my day the managers at APHA made it clear if the warehouse operator did not cooperate with inspections, then they would suspend inspections and no fruit, flower, vegetables  etc could imported be through that site.

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