ALEM highlights guidance on vehicle restraint

ALEM represents the interests of UK manufacturers and suppliers of loading bay equipment including dock levellers, scissor lifts, tail lifts and dock shelters. In this role, the Association is a member of the British Materials Handling Association which itself is the UK national member of FEM – the European Federation of Materials Handling and Storage Equipment.

FEM recently published a document (EN 11.005) outlining guidance for the use of vehicle restraint systems to prevent ‘vehicle creep’ and unintended ‘driveaways’ during the loading and unloading of lorries, trucks and trailers. The document defines safety, performance and operating recommendations to provide a uniform means of comparison, improve user confidence and define safety aspects of various different vehicle restraining devices. Importantly, the guidance states that health and safety requirements will define which vehicle restraint device should be selected depending on the risk assessment and/or local conditions.

The guidance document looks at the importance of a number of operational factors, facilities and products used within a modern loading bay.  These include loading docks, dock levellers, platforms, traffic lights, transport vehicles and materials handling equipment. Another important consideration of the document is focused upon the safety of personnel working in the vicinity of any moving parts. Within this scope, recommendations are made regarding the reliance upon interlocks with dock levellers and/or door controls plus the importance of feedback from loading bay operators and transport vehicle drivers.

Particular attention is also given within the guidance document to the calculation of horizontal forces and how these affect activities within a loading area. Factors explored include vehicle heights and weights, wind loads, braking loads of loading equipment, driveway slopes and the coefficient of friction between dry tarmac and vehicle tyre rubber.

“This latest guidance document from FEM is both comprehensive and highly useful to our members and, ultimately, their customers,” says Andy Georgiou, president of ALEM. “Safety has always been paramount in the hectic environment of a modern loading bay and the unintended movement of a vehicle during loading and unloading operations can be catastrophic. The views of ALEM members contributed to the drafting of this European initiative and it’s just the latest step in our Association’s ongoing campaign to drive up standards throughout the UK’s logistics industry.”

The FEM guidance document can be downloaded free of charge from the ALEM website, www.alem.org.uk, at the information tab. A copy can also be requested by email to [email protected]