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07/10/2010
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Failure to implement planned service and maintenance of ageing load handling equipment is not only a false economy, but could also have serious and expensive consequences for both machinery owners and operators.
 So says John Meale, managing director of loading/unloading equipment specialist Thorworld Industries, who suggests that around 25% of factory and warehouse accidents occur in and around the loading bay.
"High levels of personnel and mechanical traffic, often combined with a low appreciation of the risks involved, mean that loading bays can, potentially, be extremely hazardous places in which to work," he says.
His concern is that, in the current economic climate, some firms will cut back on health and safety planning and implementation. "This is a short-sighted approach, as it could lead to potential equipment failure, together with a possible increase in personal injuries at work," says Meale.
He also reminds plant operators that there are statutory obligations for loading bays and load handling equipment – including industrial doors, mobile yard ramps, dock levellers, lifting platforms and scissor lifts – which require Thorough Examination inspections, as well as regular service and maintenance programmes.
He cites the Health & Safety at Work Act, the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and the Machinery Directive.
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There are also additional recommendations from the FEM [Federation Europeene de la Manutention], under their Periodic Inspection of Lifting Tables and Dock Levellers guidelines," he says.
"If you fail to meet the appropriate regulations and do not service and maintain your load handling equipment properly, it can result in a fine and, if an employee is injured in an accident due to equipment not being maintained properly, it might also mean you could be faced with an expensive personal injury claim, as well as possibly invalidating any manufacturer warranties," warns Meale.
"Badly maintained equipment can also lead to expensive downtime with vital work and productivity being badly disrupted," he says, recommending plant operators to look at his own company's pre-planned service and maintenance services.
"All our service and installation staff are suitably qualified; most are members of the Construction Skill Certification Scheme (CSCS), holders of the Client/Contractor National Safety Group Safety Passport (CCNSG) and are highly experienced."
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Author
Brian Tinham
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