Guidance notes for companies and individuals

involved in the delivery and unloading

of timber staircases, doors, doorsets and architrave.

Head Office & Door Division

Stairways Midlands Ltd

Southam Drive

Kineton Road Industrial Estate

Southam, Warwickshire

CV47 0FA

Issue 3

June 2016

Accounts & Staircase Division

Stairways Midlands Ltd

Bescot Crescent

Walsall

West Midlands

WS1 4ND

MDF Profiles

Stairways Midlands Ltd

Unit 6 Buttington Cross

Enterprise Park

Welshpool, Powys

SY21 8SL

Safe Delivery Safe Delivery Safe Delivery Safe Delivery

& Unloading Of& Unloading Of& Unloading Of& Unloading Of Timber Timber Timber Timber

Staircases Staircases Staircases Staircases, D, D, D, Doorsoorsoorsoors, Doorsets, Doorsets, Doorsets, Doorsets

& Architrave.& Architrave.& Architrave.& Architrave.

Guidance Notes For Safe Delivery And Unloading

of Timber Staircases, Doors, Doorsets & Architrave

1. Introduction

This document offers practical safety advice to all those persons involved in the loading, delivery and unloading

of timber products manufactured by Stairways Group. The document highlights the planning that should take

place to ensure the safe loading, delivery and the site unloading precautions necessary. It will be important for the

customer to inform the supplier of any goods receiving procedures prior to the delivery being made, and that such

information is passed to the haulier by the supplier.

2. Hazards

The following hazards have been identified as the possible cause of accidents;

• risk of load falling from vehicle;

• risk of person falling from vehicle (including falls when climbing on and off );

• risk of person being struck by a load during mechanical handling;

• risk of being struck by vehicle movement (often during reversing);

• risk of being injured during mechanical handling operations.

Everyone involved in the loading, delivery and unloading of vehicles must take precautions to reduce the risk of

accidents happening. This requires the co-operation of this company, the haulier and the customer’s site

personnel. In particular unloading should never take place unless all the risks have been assessed, which requires

proper planning, communication and co-operation between the supplier, haulier and customer.

3. Loading

The loading of the vehicle is of paramount importance as this not only affects the safety of the load during transit

but also the circumstances of its unloading. It is essential that the vehicle planned to transport a load should be

suitable for the job and designed to ensure that the load can be transported safely given the nature of normal road

conditions. The type of vehicle used may also be affected by site access restrictions.

Vehicles must be loaded in such a way that they can be safely unloaded at a customer’s premises, as well as

meeting any requirements for safe transport on the public highway. Information provided by the customer at the

time of call-off should be used to assist in planning of the loading arrangements.

Packaging and banding needs to be of sufficient quality and specification so that the product is capable of safe

transportation.

Instructions relating to specific loading/positioning of goods on the vehicle cannot be accommodated in these

guidance notes as each load is determined according to a number of key factors;

• Weight and distribution of load

• Type of product and product mix of load

• Multiple drop loads.

• Dimensions of the load.

3.1 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The wearing of correct PPE by all Drivers (both Stairways and haulage contractors) should be mandatory in the

following circumstances;

Page 1 of 6.

• a hard hat should be worn where there is a risk of items falling on the Driver, of him being struck, or of

the Driver striking his head against some object. The hard hat will be mandatory on construction sites;

• ear and/or eye protection should be worn in designated areas;

• a high-visibility jacket or tabard should be worn at all times when outside the vehicle cab;

• safety gloves should be worn when handling securing straps, ropes or chain slings;

• safety footwear should be worn in designated areas or when taking part in loading/unloading operations.

Many of the precautions required for safe operation during the loading phase are identical to those which need

to be adopted during the delivery and unloading activities.

3.2 Staircases

First fix and second fix items are to be stored and readied for despatch as per Process Map 4 and associated

documents.

• all Staircase trunks must be stacked with strings sitting alternately inside each other, so that the stack is

level and stable;

• any loose components i.e. newels & 2nd

fix item must placed on top of the stair trunks to form a level

surface to strap to;

• if a pallet is used Check any pallets used for protruding nails;

• use a Minimum of 2 bands per stack and 3 if it’s a long or high stack;

• use two banding clips per band;

• all banded edges must be protected from damage and crushing.

3.3 Doors, Frames, Doorsets and Architrave Doors, frames, doorsets and architrave should be stored and readied for despatch as per Process Map 4 and

associated documents:

• all pallets must have at least 3 strapping bands on them, 5 bands if it’s a large, long or high stack;

• use 2 banding clips per band;

• all banded edges must be protected from damage and crushing;

• do not band over frame fixing clips as they cut the banding;

• check pallets for protruding nails and put cardboard protection on pallet;

• all glazed doors to be bagged and have cardboard protection when stacked;

• fully finished doors to be bagged with packing/spacing strips between doors;

• clips, ironmongery, hinge covers and screws to be banded to pallets and marked up;

• doors despatched by courier must be protected with corner boards, top of stack must be protected with

hardboard/cardboard and the whole stack shrink wrapped;

• wherever practicable same height packs should be loaded facing each other;

• packs can be loaded on top of each other provided bottom pack is level and stable;

• architrave packs to be supported in 3 places to prevent bending or cracking;

• packs to have at least 3 bands with 2 banding clips per band;

• all banded edges must be protected from damage and crushing.

Page 2 of 6

4. Transportation

It is the Driver’s responsibility to ensure that the load is secure and safe for transportation on the public highway

before the vehicle leaves Stairways’ premises.

4.1 Staircases

4.2 Doors, Frames, Doorsets and Architrave

The Driver should be made aware of any site access restrictions prior to leaving Stairways’ premises. The Driver

will be made aware of any site goods receiving procedures and will be issued with the appropriate paperwork. The

Driver will be made aware of the Stairways goods delivery/receiving procedure and will be issued with the

Stairways paperwork. The paperwork for staircases will include the Stairways Job Sheet which indicates manual

handling requirements. The paperwork for doors and doorsets indicates manual handling requirements.

Page 3 of 6.

5. Delivery

5.1 Planning For Safe Delivery

‘Safe delivery’ means proper control of the risks to the health and safety of persons whose safety might be put

at risk by the delivery process, and is the joint responsibility of the supplier, haulier and customer. Deliveries

should be properly planned, with the supplier and customer agreeing in advance the delivery management

arrangements.

When a customer places an order the following delivery information should be agreed;

• delivery address;

• any limitations on delivery times;

• site access;

• transport restrictions;

• route to unloading facilities;

• site specific hazards and risks such as speed limits, reversing constraints, danger areas;

• instructions to be followed by the Driver upon arrival at the delivery point;

• roles and responsibilities of Driver in respect of the delivery process; e.g. unsheeting, loads, checking

and unloading;

• if unloading is part of the Driver’s responsibility (domestic customers and moffett use only), the

arrangements for safe delivery could include;

o arrangements for safe lifting/unloading of material;

o any manual handling requirements;

o arrangements for safe access to vehicle/load;

o setting up an exclusion zone around the vehicle prior to and during unloading.

• if unloading is not part of the Driver’s responsibility; the details of a safe refuge or safe location from

which to view the unloading operation.

If multiple deliveries are to be made to a site then the above information needs only be issued once, unless there

are amendments that have been made to the safe delivery information.

5.2 Implementing Safe Delivery Delivery covers the period from arrival at the delivery address to the pre-arranged point at which the material is

to become the customer’s responsibility. If the customer is responsible for unloading the vehicle then the

transfer of safety responsibility for the load will become the customers before removal of the load from the

vehicle. If the Driver is responsible for unloading the vehicle then the transfer of safety responsibility for the

load will become the customers once the load has been removed from the vehicle.

5.3 Site Conditions

The area where material is to be unloaded must be suitable for this to be done safely. It should be checked

before unloading begins to make sure it is safe to proceed. The following hazards should be checked for;

• the suitability of the ground for the vehicle and load stability. Where vehicles can only be parked on a

slope, the parking brakes should be applied and the vehicle left in gear.

• any obstructions in the unloading area (parked vehicles, overhead cables and pipes).

• pedestrians in the unloading area, not involved in the unloading process.

If the Driver is concerned about the suitability of the site for unloading he should raise his/her concerns with the

customer’s staff responsible for making a decision regarding whether the unloading should proceed.

5.4 Unstable Loads

If, on inspection, it is found that the load has moved and become unstable in some way during transport,

unloading should not take place until a safe means of unloading has been determined by staff who are

competent to make such a decision.

The vehicle must not be taken back onto public roads until the load has been made safe.

5.5 Access To Vehicle

If it is concluded that the load is safe to unload, it may be necessary to gain access to the vehicle. Falls from

vehicles in the workplace cause about a third of all workplace transport major injuries and can result in

fatalities. Even falls of less than one metre can prove fatal. The following need careful consideration; Page 4 of 6.

• the need for people to go onto the load carrying platform of vehicles should be minimised;

• only persons who need access to the vehicle for unloading should be allowed onto it;

• wherever possible the physical unloading of the vehicle should take place without anybody being on

the vehicle;

• where people have to climb onto a vehicle or trailer, access should be via a well constructed ladder

fixed to the vehicle, or by steps, or a loading gantry provided by the site;

• no one should ever jump onto or off a vehicle;

• the load carrying platform of the vehicle should always be inspected to ensure that it is safe to walk

on; that there are no holes in it that may lead to tripping, and that it is not slippery due to water, oil or

grease etc.

5.6 Unloading

During unloading;

• ensure the vehicle brakes have been applied before unloading begins;

• keep secondary load restraints in position during unloading;

• keep material under control at all times and do not allow it to roll off the vehicle;

• don’t drag the load off the vehicle or tie the load to an object to drag it off by moving the vehicle.

If the load becomes unstable in some way during unloading, unloading should stop immediately and the

relevant competent person should be informed. Access to the vehicle should be restricted with an exclusion

zone. A decision to re-commence unloading should only be made by staff competent to make such a decision.

Unloading will normally involve lifting and/or manual handling operations. These must be planned and

adequately supervised in accordance with the requirements of the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment

Regulations and/or the Manual Handling Regulations.

Strapping bands should not be removed until the load has been removed from the vehicle and placed in the

correct storage area. The bands should remain in place until such time as the material or part material is

required.

5.6.1 Fork-lift trucks and Side-Loaders When using fork-lift trucks for unloading, it is essential to consider not only the lifting capacity of the truck

but also the size and spread of the forks and the ground on which the truck is being used. Long items such

as straight stair flights, may fall off if not balanced properly on the forks and, in particular, if the forks are

too close together.

Fork-lift truck and side-loader drivers must be trained and competent. As well as being trained in the

operation of trucks/loaders and their attachments, drivers should also be competent to handle routinely

supplied long items.

5.6.2 Manual unloading

Manual Handling operations which involve a risk of workers being injured must be avoided where it is

reasonably practicable. Manual handling should only be carried out if this can be done safely and should not

be seen as an option merely because no other means of unloading is readily available.

Stairways Group recognises that their products can be heavy and bulky and difficult to handle, and they

therefore recommend that customers pay particular attention to their own statutory duties with regard to

manual handling.

More than a third of all over-three-day injuries reported to the Health & Safety Executive are caused by

manual handling; the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force. Over 1 million people

in Great Britain suffer from musculoskeletal disorders caused or made worse by their current or past work.

Manual handling injuries can occur wherever people are at work.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) apply to a wide range of manual handling

activities, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. The Employer’s duty is to avoid manual

handling as far as reasonably practicable if there is a possibility of injury. If this cannot be done then they

must reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable.

Page 5 of 6.

The Regulations set out a hierarchy of measures for Employer’s to reduce the risks of manual handling. These are set out in Regulation 4 (1) and as follows:

• avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as reasonably practicable;

• assess any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided;

• reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable.

In addition Employees have duties to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others

who may be affected by their actions. Employees have general health and safety duties to:

• follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety;

• make proper use of equipment provided for their safety;

• co-operate with their employers on health and safety matters;

• inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities;

• take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.

5.6.3 Feedback & Review

It is important to obtain good feedback from Drivers who visit a specific customer site on a regular basis.

6. Legal Requirements

Employers have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably

practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees and others who are not their employees (such as

drivers).

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, where two or more employers share a

workplace, even on a temporary basis, they must co-operate with each other to make sure that they both comply

with their legal duties. These Regulations also require employers to carry out a risk assessment of the hazards

involved and to identify the measures needed to comply with other health and safety legislation.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause

personal injury. The Regulations place duties on employers, the self-employed, and any person that controls the

work of others. The Regulations include requirements to avoid work at height where possible. Where work at

height is carried out, falls should be prevented if possible, or if not, the effect of falls should be minimised.

The Regulations require that: the risks from work at height are assessed; all work at height is properly planned and

organised; those involved in work at height are competent; appropriate work equipment is selected and used and

that equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained. The Regulations also provide a simple

hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling operations

if this is reasonably practicable and in all other cases to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably

practicable.

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations require employers to ensure that all lifting operations,

such as unloading of stairs, are properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out

in a safe manner. Lifting equipment needs to be suitable for the use to which it is being put, properly maintained,

marked with its safe working load, and periodically thoroughly examined and inspected.

Page 6 of 6.

Further Reading:

Workplace transport safety – An employers guide HSG136, HSE Books

Workplace transport safety – An overview INDG199 (rev1), HSE Books

Safety signs and signals – Guidance on the Regulations L64, HSE Books

Safety of loads on vehicles - Code of Practice, DfT 2002

Preventing slips, trips and fall from vehicles: The basics. HSE Information Sheet WPT01. 2007

Safe access to road-going vehicles: Specifying the right equipment. HSE Information sheet WPT02. 2007

Selecting flooring materials to avoid falls from vehicles. HSE Information sheet WPT03. 2007

Selecting the right footwear to avoid falls from vehicles. HSE Information sheet WPT04. 2007

Managing work to avoid falls from vehicles. HSE Information sheet WPT05. 2007

Delivering safely: Co-operating to prevent workplace vehicle accidents. HSE Information sheet WPT06. 2007

Further information on workplace transport safety can also be found on HSE’s website at

http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm

Safe use of work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice

and guidance, L22 HSE Books

Management of heath and safety at work. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Approved

Code of Practice and guidance, L21 HSE Books

Safe use of lifting equipment. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of

Practice and guidance, L113 HSE Books

HSE’s website on musculoskeletal disorders: www.hse.gov.uk/msd

Manual Handling. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended), Guidance on Regulations

L23 (Third Edition) HSE Books 2004

ISBN 0 7176 2823 X

Getting to grips with manual handling: A short guide for employers. Leaflet INDG143(Rev1) HSE Books 2000

ISBN 0 7176 1754 8

Manual handling: Solutions you can handle HSG115 HSE Books 1994

ISBN 0 7176 0693 7

A pain in your workplace? Ergonomic problems and solutions HSG121 HSE Books 1994

ISBN 0 7176 0668 6

The Work at Height Regulations 2005, HSE

Rider-operated lift-trucks: Operator training. Approved Code of Practice and guidance, L117 HSE Books

Safety in working with lift trucks HSG6, HSE Books

Process Map 4. Revision 2. Stairways, Walsall ISO 9001 Quality Manual.

Process Map 4. Stairways, Southam ISO 9001 Quality Manual.