Workplace transport safety An employers' guide - ARRI Lighting Rental

Health and Safety
Executive
479 This means they should be strong enough to safely support the weight of
the vehicle, trailer and load as it rests on the surface (through the wheels and any
outriggers or other stabilisers).
480 They should also be able to withstand the corrosive effect of any spilled loads,
fuel, oil and other pollutants without being made significantly weaker.
481 If a vehicle parks up or tries any other operation (for example, tipping) on an
area that cannot support it, it may overbalance if the ground underneath gives way.
482 Cement concrete surfaces are normally better than asphalt or bituminous
surfaces where goods vehicles stand to load or unload, because they are often
better at supporting heavy loads over a small area.
483 Also, asphalt or bitumen used as a binder in surface coatings is not usually
resistant to spilled or leaked oil, petrol or some other chemicals.
484 If you use bituminous surfaces, you are likely to need padding (sometimes
known as ‘load-spreading plates’) under semi-trailer landing legs because these
surfaces are less able to support heavy loads over a small area.
485 However, this sort of padding is not always effective. This is because for the
plates to be strong enough to be useful, they often need to be very heavy.
486 Drivers should be aware that a prepared surface can look much the same from
above, no matter how well it is constructed. A surface may look strong enough but
may not be suitably hardstanding.
487 Drivers should check with informed site workers if they are in doubt. It is
important that site workers are able to accurately tell them where it is safe for them
to park up.
Lighting
488 By law, every workplace must have suitable and sufficient lighting.
489 All roads, manoeuvring areas and yards should be adequately lit. Areas near
junctions, buildings, plant, pedestrian routes and areas, and places where vehicles
or mobile plant regularly move, all need particular attention.
490 You can find more advice about indoor lighting in the Code for Lighting 16
published by the Society of Light and Lighting and the Chartered Institute of
Building Services Engineers. Our publication Lighting at work HSG38 17 also
provides information and guidance for lighting workplaces.
491 Where lights are placed can be very important.
492 Tall vehicles can block light, even when it comes from windows or lamps that
are placed high on posts, or on walls, ceilings, canopies and so on. Lights should be
placed over the space between vehicle bays, rather than over the centre of the bay
where they will be blocked by a tall vehicle.
493 If drivers have to reverse towards strong lights, you should make sure that the
lights are not placed or angled so that they dazzle the driver either directly or in their
mirrors.
494 Places where work is carried out around moving vehicles should be very well lit
(for example, with floodlights) where work happens during the hours of darkness.
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