LAUNCHED AT Logistics UK’s Transport Manager conference in Yeovil on 17 September, the guide was produced with the DVSA and the Health and Safety Executive. It is free to download for members and non-members alike.

The guidance addresses the specific risks of drinks distribution. Loads frequently mix products of different shapes and weights, while multidrop routes create “diminishing loads” whose weight distribution shifts after each delivery. Many pub and retail drops take place at the kerbside with limited handling facilities, and gas cylinders and beer-line cleaning products can bring dangerous goods rules into play.

The document sets out the responsibilities of each party in the chain, from the consignor loading the vehicle and the operator responsible for vehicle and driver, through to the driver and the consignee handling unloading. Operators referred to court face unlimited fines, and liability extends beyond the driver to everyone involved in loading and moving goods.

“Responsibility cannot and must not simply be passed down to the driver,” said Ben Fletcher, chief executive of Logistics UK. “Moving brewing and drinks products safely is a shared responsibility from the moment goods are packed and loaded onto a vehicle to when the final delivery is made.”

He added that while the core principle was simple – loads must be positioned safely and stay put throughout the journey – stakeholders needed sector-specific knowledge and practical systems to achieve it.