Solving the issue of lost loads on the road network can be achieved by challenging existing methodology to allow the implementation of new digital and innovative approaches to help reduce the number of tools and products being transported to work sites.
This is according to the Supply Chain Safety Leadership Group (SCSLG) that has launched a new common intent for lost loads, recognising the risk as a key area for focus and improvement on the strategic network.
It says lost loads continue to be a significant health and safety hazard within the highways (and every) industry involving transportation, loading and unloading of materials, tools and equipment. Across suppliers and maintainers to Highways England, there have been numerous incidents in recent years, involving lost loads on the strategic road network, putting the travelling public and workforce at risk of significant injury.
The most significant lost load incidents in the UK have tragically resulted in fatalities and life changing injuries to road users and pedestrians. Routinely, the root cause of these incidents includes poor planning, unsuitable vehicle selection, lack of operator training, poor industry norms, a lack of appreciation of the risks and responsibilities involved and regarding load security, says the SCSLG.
The SCSLG vision as Highways England suppliers is to eliminate the risk of lost loads on the Highways England network through challenging of industry norms and pioneering a new approach in the way transportation of loads is designed, planned and carried out as part of construction and operation activities.
The new common intent is based on the principals of prevention and a hierarchy of control to eliminate, minimise and or mitigate the risk of lost loads. The approach will enable a step change in lost load risk, whilst ensuring any solutions defined do not introduce other uncontrolled hazards and risks to the industry.
Lost loads are currently classified as Road Traffic Accidents and involve members of the public carrying loads as well as the highways sector, which means they are not only difficult to monitor but also manage. But data collected in 2013 revealed that in this year, there were 22,000 incidents caused by loads falling from vehicles alone.
The SCSLG is working on new approaches that could be implemented to help reduce and ultimately eliminate lost loads from the network as well as manage the processes behind them more effectively. “Lost loads remain a risk on the strategic network but the SCSLG is committed to implementing change to reduce the risk in the future and we need better data to enable us to train operatives in the sector. We also need to find better ways of assessing the extent of the problem and how we manage the fact that a high percentage of lost loads are involving members of the public and training them accordingly alongside extensive training of highway industry vehicle drivers. It is important we find innovative ways to inform the driver if the load is secured in line with the safe working load of the vehicle which alerts the driver if the load moves in transit, for example. It may also be we use digital aids to plan loading of vehicles, this involves animated videos of how we load and secure general items,” says Chris English, SCSLG lead for lost loads and Head of HSES-Highways at Balfour Beatty Highways. “Challenging existing methodology, will include reviewing how works are designed and completed, for example consideration of prefabrication over traditional build to reduce the number of products and tools needed to be transported to the work area,” he adds.
The SCSLG is now committed to five key principles to achieve its vision on lost loads:
We will capture and analyse Highways load and transportation data including the need to transport loads, their types along with common vehicles and applicable competency provisions to ensure elimination controls are reflective of real-life risk and enable focused embedment from the outset.
We will always seek to eliminate the need to transport loads through using innovative solutions including digital enhancements, challenging existing construction/maintenance methodology to enable smarter ways of working.
Where we can’t eliminate the hazard, we will seek to isolate it through the introduction of transportation, loading and unloading solutions that eliminate the risk of lost loads through their enclosed nature, with competent operators.
Where we can’t isolate the hazard, we will provide robust engineering and minimum competency controls to prevent Lost loads.
In the event that a greater level of control cannot be achieved, the measures to be put in place to provide protection (e.g. engineering controls, trained operators, supervisors, vehicle specification) will be signed off by a Senior (off-site) Representative for the Principal Contractor/Maintainer each and every time this is required.
The Common Intent document can be found be found on the Highways Safety Hub here.