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Doobrifurkin  
#1 Posted : 15 February 2021 16:22:29(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Doobrifurkin

Hello,

I'd like to ask my colleagues for some advice with regards a safety system deployed onto a fleet of trailers we have to prevent falls from the trailer. The system involves the use of a harness worn by the driver which is clipped to a safety line at either side of the trailer. Our own drivers are going through a work at height and safety system training along with the awareness of a work instruction on how to use it developed from the risk assessment.

My question is, as we are asking the 3rd party haulage company to undertake this specialist work activity using the system we have installed, I'd like to include them within the whole programme; whereby my line manager believes we can get away with not doing what my plan is. What can you advise meas to the best way forward to justify my plan to my MD.

Thanks in advance.

Roundtuit  
#2 Posted : 15 February 2021 18:05:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Safety line along both sides of a trailer - how are the goods loaded with this in place?

What happens to the trailer when one or both lines get damaged?

How do they safely connect / disconnect from two sides (the line will be too long until fully coupled)?

How do they escape the harness if they do "fall"?

What if the 3rd party considers your "solution" unworkable (they are not your employees)?

Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 15 February 2021 18:05:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Safety line along both sides of a trailer - how are the goods loaded with this in place?

What happens to the trailer when one or both lines get damaged?

How do they safely connect / disconnect from two sides (the line will be too long until fully coupled)?

How do they escape the harness if they do "fall"?

What if the 3rd party considers your "solution" unworkable (they are not your employees)?

Acorns  
#4 Posted : 16 February 2021 08:22:46(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Acorns

Do the 3PL have their own system in place already which equals or exceeds your spec?   Regardless of how specialist your products are, surely part of the 3PL contract would be that they can SAFELY fulfil their contract which would include how they manage their drivers on their vehicles!.   If they are not using your trailers, why do your training?

Edited by user 16 February 2021 08:23:38(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Doobrifurkin  
#5 Posted : 16 February 2021 08:47:55(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Doobrifurkin

Hello,

To answer a few questions raised, please find my reply's below.

The safety line is installed within the ceiling of the trailer, so loaidng isn't compremised. If a safety line is damaged or broekn, the trailer isn't used for that activity until repaired. They connect and disconnect by pulling down the safety line using a tag line to then hook to their harness. They escape from the harness by themselves if able to do so or via a representative of the customer they are deliveroing to as part of the agreed work activity. The 3rd party haulier like the system.

The 3rd party hauliers use our trailers ONLY. They supply the driver and the tractor unbit to pull the trailer.

Thanks again for your responses

Roundtuit  
#6 Posted : 16 February 2021 09:15:05(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Reading the reply I am envisaging some form of inertia reel device running along a wire suspended in the ceiling of the trailer.

I am presuming this is a "standard" curtain sided trailer in which case what is it the driver has to do that necessitates them being on the load/deck of the trailer they could not achieve from ground level?

Roundtuit  
#7 Posted : 16 February 2021 09:15:05(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Reading the reply I am envisaging some form of inertia reel device running along a wire suspended in the ceiling of the trailer.

I am presuming this is a "standard" curtain sided trailer in which case what is it the driver has to do that necessitates them being on the load/deck of the trailer they could not achieve from ground level?

Doobrifurkin  
#8 Posted : 16 February 2021 14:37:45(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Doobrifurkin

Yes, that's correct Roundtuit.

We load the foam blocks via a clamp attachment fork trucks; however, at customer sites where they don't have mechanical handling equipment, the foam blocks are puched off from the trailer, with the drivers doing the pushing and manouvering. Our drivers have been trained in work at height and MH, so the question is what about the 3rd party contractors. What should we be doing?

HSSnail  
#9 Posted : 16 February 2021 14:58:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Over the years I have seen many attempts at fitting a fall restraint system on the back of a wagon fail for may reasons, and the best case scenario is to avoid working off the trailer back – but it sound as if you are confident that you have established that is not practice and have a safe working system in place for your staff – congratulations on that.

So if that is the case to address the question in place. The Contractors are working off Your wagons in a hazardous way you have created and agreed with your customers (i.e working on the back of the wagon) so yes you must train them in the safe system.

The key for me to always look at the control you have over the contractor, in this case you are telling them exactly how the load must be delivered.

thanks 1 user thanked HSSnail for this useful post.
chris42 on 16/02/2021(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#10 Posted : 16 February 2021 16:05:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

I think your Risk Assessment could be broadend as there are several options which do not require the driver being on the back of the trailer necessitating PPE:

1) You refuse to trade with customers without suitable off-loading - Eliminate the source of the risk.

2) You acquire specialist vehicles to suit this pool of customers and their lack of handling equipment e.g. moffett (the one with an FLT hanging off the back) - Engineer the risk.

3) You make the customer responsible for off-loading their purchase at their site, driver to open/close curtains only - they create the risk let them manage it - Manage the risk.

Roundtuit  
#11 Posted : 16 February 2021 16:05:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

I think your Risk Assessment could be broadend as there are several options which do not require the driver being on the back of the trailer necessitating PPE:

1) You refuse to trade with customers without suitable off-loading - Eliminate the source of the risk.

2) You acquire specialist vehicles to suit this pool of customers and their lack of handling equipment e.g. moffett (the one with an FLT hanging off the back) - Engineer the risk.

3) You make the customer responsible for off-loading their purchase at their site, driver to open/close curtains only - they create the risk let them manage it - Manage the risk.

MrBrightside  
#12 Posted : 17 February 2021 09:11:36(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
MrBrightside

This would depend on the level of the relationship in terms of how they are defined as a 3rd party. Is it a case that the 3rd party supply the Drivers to you (operating under your O licence) in which case I would treat them the same as Agency workers and inlcude them in all training programs.

If the 3rd Party is operating under their own O licence and you just supply the trailers, it would be their responsibility to ensure that risk assessments, training etc are all in place. 

This is how I would view it (could be wrong!) 

Doobrifurkin  
#13 Posted : 22 February 2021 10:39:36(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Doobrifurkin

Hello Roundtuit,

I'm intrigued with option 3 and ask how would we transfer the risk to the customer? Most are likely to refuse and as such we could stop dealing with them. However, in these uncertain times we'd like to retain our customer base. Have you had any experience of transfering the risk to another in a similar situation to what my issue is? 

As with the Opeating licence, our Transport Manager is looking into that so we may have a known way forward for that element of the solution.

Thanks for al your help.

W.

Acorns  
#14 Posted : 22 February 2021 22:51:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Acorns

Let's re-cap.  3rd party driver and unit moving your trailer and the goods which are foam blocks.  Driver expects to handball the load off if required.  Your trailers are fitted with bespoke fall arrest kit.  Is it specialist or would familiarisation be suitable? what does the contract with 3pl say, if anything?   IMHO, the 3pl would have risk assesed what their drivers are going to do.  They could decide they will not go on the load bed, but sounds like they haven't gone that far yet.  If 3pl lets drivers on the loadbed, then surely it's now up to 3pl to have the drivers trained, either by them or A.N.Other (you).   ​​​​​​​isn't this a decision made between 3pl and your contract holder, as long as the drivers get the right training?  The persuasion to the MD is that the small cost and little time taken to train will be insignificant compared to the cost & lost time if there is an incident and HSE shut you down for investigations.  that the 3pl has a suitable operator licence to move your goods around, I don't see how that has anything to do with nothing who or how their drivers are being trained how to un/load

Edited by user 22 February 2021 22:57:20(UTC)  | Reason: Typo

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