Still dizzy from winning the 2009 Safe Site Award, the team at New Spitalfields Market has been invited to attend the Fork Lift Truck Association’s 2009 Safety conference at Warwick University, to present the changes that it has made to improve safety, together with plans it has for the future.
In 1991 New Spitalfields Market relocated from the City of London to its present site in Leyton, East London. It accommodated the old Spitalfields Market and Stratford Market under one purpose built roof.
It was very soon realised that the increase in fork lift truck (FLT) use at the new site brought with it an increased risk to pedestrian safety. The City of London made the interaction between pedestrian and FLTs one of its primary targets for risk reduction.
Following a rise in fork lift accidents, the management team and staff, using a modern, joined-up approach, rose to the challenge to increase pedestrian safety and reduce accident rates.
Regular health and safety meetings involving all stakeholders are held to target any H&S challenge that the site encounters. These have been the vital key to identifying and planning for change.
The local ‘Road Traffic Management Action Plan’ evolved from an earlier project to deal with vehicle/pedestrian conflict, and implements new control methods over FLT drivers, together with the way all vehicular movements are monitored though out the site. Astonishingly, these ongoing improvements have reduced the site’s forklift accident rate by 77%.
Control methods have been rewarding so far and are aimed to be improved on.
To find out what worked and what is planned for the future, book your place to attend on the 30th of September.
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