Logistics UK has published a substantially updated best-practice guide aimed at operators, drivers and vehicle loaders in the brewing and drinks sector. Developed with the DVSA, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and industry businesses, the 59-page document covers everything from kegs and mixed pallets to multidrop deliveries and dangerous goods.
The industry presents some unusual load-security challenges. Vehicles may carry a mixture of kegs, casks, bottles and packaged goods of different sizes and weights, while many deliveries involve multiple drops to pubs, restaurants and retailers. That means the load can change significantly during the working day.
Multidrop deliveries can create new risks
The guidance highlights the particular problem of a “diminishing load” – a vehicle whose load becomes progressively smaller as consignments are unloaded at different locations. Removing heavy products from the rear of a rigid vehicle, for example, can increase the proportion of weight carried by the front axle. Changes in load configuration can also affect braking and steering, while restraint systems may need to be repositioned after every delivery.
Logistics UK therefore recommends planning loads not only for the start of a journey but also for the order in which individual consignments will be unloaded.
The guide covers the use of ratchet straps, load nets, locator boards, dunnage, pallets and specialist containment systems. It also explains when vehicle bodies certified to the EN12642-XL standard may form part of the load-security system. Gas cylinders and chemicals used for cleaning beer lines can meanwhile bring dangerous-goods requirements into the operation.
Responsibility does not stop with the driver
One of the central messages is that responsibility for securing a load should not simply be transferred to the person behind the wheel. The guidance distinguishes between the responsibilities of the consignor, operator, driver and consignee. Operators are expected to have suitable systems covering areas such as driver training, risk assessments and regular checks of load-security equipment.
At the roadside, DVSA examiners assess whether any part of a load could slide, topple or bounce, make the vehicle unstable, affect its handling or pose a danger to other road users. Where an insecure load is found, a prohibition can be issued until the problem is rectified. Depending on the circumstances, further action can include a fixed penalty or prosecution. DVSA may also follow up with the operator to examine training records, risk assessments and maintenance arrangements. Serious shortcomings can ultimately be referred to the Traffic Commissioner, who has powers to suspend, curtail or revoke an operator’s licence.
“Responsibility cannot and must not simply be passed down to the driver,” said Logistics UK chief executive Ben Fletcher, adding that safe transport is a shared responsibility from loading through to final delivery.
