Safety is paramount

As the first step towards fulfilling customer orders, loading bays can be extremely busy places. But with goods, vehicles and people all converging, safety has to be paramount. Good working practises, well designed space and properly maintained equipment are the key to accident-free operations, says Tony Saunders of loading bay specialists, sara LBS.

Successful companies have busy loading bays, so personnel have to be constantly alert and the equipment must operate perfectly. It follows that appropriate equipment must be provided and fitted with interlocks, light curtains, pressure pads and other safety features. Further, regular servicing and rapid repairs are essential.

Perhaps less obviously, loading bays have to be well designed if they are to be safe whilst also meeting the current and future needs of the operation. Also, regular training in appropriate working practises must be carried out.

At sara LBS we understand that a complete service is essential for the end user to have real peace of mind when it comes to safety and reliability. This is why we employ expert engineers who are able to work with architects and contractors to design solutions which are integrated with the rest of the building. We then supply and install our solutions and have a nationwide fleet of maintenance and repair engineers on hand for immediate after sales support.

To ensure that equipment such as loading bay doors and scissors lifts are always running perfectly, a contact for regular maintenance with the manufacturer or an approved service company is the best solution. Ideally, the service engineers will be qualified to attend to all the equipment in the loading bay – regardless of manufacturer. They will also know about relevant regulations and guidelines and may offer suggestions on best working practises, new equipment, etc.

Loading bay equipment tends to be robustly built so has a long working life and provides an excellent return on investment.  However, much added value can be won by taking the expert advice of the manufacturers and service team.

Probably the most obvious safety worry in and around loading bays is vehicle movements. Large lorries often have restricted driver visibility, particularly when reversing, but also physically close to the truck in all directions.

It is an unfortunate truth that the need to unload and/or load efficiently will put both the driver and the ground personnel under pressure. Therefore it is essential that rigorous protocols are defined and maintained in relation to all vehicle movements. This will probably include personnel moving into a defined safety zone while vehicles move, a designated person to check that no one is missing and the use of a banksman to guide the driver.

It is also worth noting that a reversing lorry can do significant harm to a loading bay door, lift or other equipment if it hits it! A damaged door is not only expensive to fix, it could be a security risk, could allow animals or bacteria to entered the workplace, or compromise energy efficiency if heated or chilled air is free to escape.

Further it can also be serious Health and Safety issues for site personnel, if they adopt un-ergonomic lifting and handling practices or are exposing sharp edges, trip hazards etc.

We can conclude by noting that a well-managed loading bay should provide safety for personnel and protection for goods. By working with a company like sara LBS, the end-user has peace of mind that every component has been designed with safety and reliability in mind, and has been installed by experts with a nationwide service and repair team on hand to offer on-going support.

www.saralbs.co.uk