National Lorry Week - Vehicle Access

National Lorry Week Blog Header

If you didn't already know from the 26th - 31st October it is National Lorry Week which celebrates the role that this sector plays. Without the lorry, it would make everyday life more difficult as the majority of our food and drinks come from the lorry. You can find out more information about National Lorry Week by visiting their website.

As part of national lorry week, we will be taking a look at safety when accessing vehicles. When it comes to the dangers that lorry drivers face, handling goods and falls from vehicles are among the most common injuries.

Handling Injuries & Statistics

Lifting, Carrying and Handling injuries In 2013/14 accounted for the loss of 909,000 working days with each injury averaging 6.6 days. A total of 17,085 workers suffered an injury due to handling in which their recovery took over seven days. When handling goods please take into account safety procedures. Safety Information on Handling can be found Here on the HSE Website.

Falls From Vehicles Statistics

Unfortunately, we are not the specialists in handling and can't help a great deal on this subject but we are the specialists when it comes to working at height. Falls from vehicles are among the most common accidents involving transportation and we can help you avoid becoming one of the 2,000 people each year that get seriously injured by falling from vehicles. The economic and human cost of falls from height was over £36 million in 2004/05. Falls from height took 19 lives in the year 2013/14 and it's important to do all you can to keep yourself safe. 

Lorry Week Infographic

Preventing Falls From Vehicles

  • When getting on and off your vehicle don’t jump down from the lorry, it makes you more likely to fall.
  • If you have steps, ladders or handholds on your vehicle ensure that you carry out pre-checks and they are in good condition.
  • Keep the load area tidy, if there are loose ropes or parts of packaging ensure that they are picked up so nobody can fall over them. Also, ensure that you check the work area surface for spills which could contaminate vehicle surfaces and steps increase the risk of a fall.
  • Before stepping off your vehicle check the surface to ensure you are not stepping down onto a pothole or an un-even surface.
  • If you don’t have a vehicle with an access system fitted (which is the first choice in the hierarchy of controls which can be found Here) an on-site system should be used. 

Vehicle Access Systems

Ladders or steps are an ideal and easy access solution to aid you getting in and out of your vehicle safely. If you need to access the trailer to load goods or if you need a solution to access the bed of a vehicle we have a wide range of Vehicle Access Equipment available.    

Loadstep Vehicle Access Ladder

The Loadstep Vehicle Access ladder allows you to easily access the bed of any goods vehicle. It’s easy to lock on for secure storage on a vehicle and the handrail folds away for easy storage, it also comes with a storing bracket and padlocks for when it’s not in use. It is an industrial-strength ladder made to the same specification as Class 1 kitemarked ladders whilst still being lightweight. It can be used all around a vehicle, accommodating a variety of ground and load levels safely. 

Mobile Double Decker Trailer Access Platform

The Mobile Double Decker Trailer Access Platform is designed to be used on loading bays and has two 100mm rear wheels and two retractable front castors which are lifted from the floor using a braking retractor handle which allows the large steel feet to impact with the floor and give maximum stability for the operator. The large top platform makes loading and unloading both comfortable and safe. The platform can be easily tailored to suit specific height requirements on sight. The Mobile Trailer Access Platform is tested to a working load of 300kh, has a strong welded construction, is easy to move and is available in punched metal or anti-slip PVC tread. 

Further Help

If you require any further help or information don’t hesitate to contact our expert team by calling 01204 590 232 or drop us an E-mail.