Do you use a pallet truck and tail lift for deliveries? Can you help answer these questions?
Do you make deliveries using a pallet truck and tail lift? Our colleagues at Motor Transport would like to find out from drivers if an update to guidance issued last year has changed the way this type of work is done. If you can answer any of the questions below it would be a great help!
Here’s a short summary of the Tail Lift and Pallet Guidance and a link to the full guidance document, which was published in May last year and endorsed by the HSE.
The key point in the guidance is Point 4 which outlines what drivers need to do to ensure a safe delivery at point of delivery.
It states:
4) Ensure that all staff are given appropriate training, instructions, and support so that they are empowered and competent to assess the conditions at the point of collection and delivery. They should also know how to carry out a dynamic risk assessment in unusual or unforeseen circumstances and be confident that they can stop the delivery if they believe it to be unsafe, and will be supported to do so. Operatives should be monitored to ensure they are following the protocols and where they are found not to be, appropriate action should be taken.
The summary also includes a sample checklist for drivers to use at point of collection and delivery.
The driver is required to make a risk assessment using this checklist and if they deem it to be too risky to unload they call the transport office who should then support that decision.
We would like to hear from drivers out there who make these deliveries whether the guidance is being adhered to by operators and pallet networks, in their experience.
Questions for drivers:
- Has anything changed in the way you make pallet deliveries since the guidance came out?
- Have you had any training on the guidance?
- Have you been asked to carry out these point of delivery checks?
- Are you provided with a checklist?
- How comprehensive is the checklist?
- Do you feel you can call in to the transport office and refuse to unload if you believe conditions to be unsafe or is there pressure on you to just get it delivered?
- Do you think there should be a weight limit and if so what would you recommend as a safe weight?
- How useful is a pump truck and tail lift in making deliveries of heavy pallets? Is more equipment needed?
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