The Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) – the UK's premier health and safety research and incident investigations establishment – has published two straightforward, jargon-free guides aimed at professional drivers and operators in the transport and logistics sector.
These guides offer simple, straightforward advice on safe loading and transport in general haulage. They explain why loads can move during transit, and what you can do to stop it happening. They also set out what your legal responsibilities are as a driver or an operator, and outline what you can do to make sure you're complying with them.
Load Safe, Road Safe – A Professional Driver's Guide to Safe Loading (£15) and Transport and Transport Safety – An Operator's Guide to Safe Loading and Transport (£30) can be purchased from the Health & Safety Laboratory's website.
Strapping down your load?
To complement their series of load security guides, HSL will soon be launching a new smart phone application to help drivers calculate the right number of straps to secure their load.
Based on the equation given in British Standard BS EN 12195-1:2010, the app not only calculates how many straps you need, but offers helpful hints and tips about other ways you can improve your load security.
The app has been developed for Android and IOS devices, and will be launched in early December. Email productsupport@hsl.gsi.gov.uk to register your interest.