Good advice for employees from the Health & Safety Executive:
Every year, moving skips cause death and serious injury. You, your workmates and bystanders are at risk.
Dangers include:
Being struck by vehicles
Falling and slipping
Failures of lifting equipment
Striking overhead cables/obstructions
Vehicle overturns
Runaway vehicles
This brief guide provides a checklist of some important things you can do to protect yourself and others.
It is not a full list. You may need to make other checks depending on what vehicle you drive and the places you work in.
If in doubt you may need to refer to the skip loader manual or you may need to ask for extra advice.
SAFE VEHICLE
Before you start work
Each day check your vehicle and lifting equipment and report any faults.
Check the following are working properly and are not damaged:
Brakes
Tyres
Lights and flashing beacons
Steering
Seatbelts
Wheel chocks (if needed)
Lifting equipment – controls, hooks, chains, hoses etc
Vision aids – mirrors and/or TV cameras
Before setting off
Check your in-cab information about any special precautions for the drop/pick up. Sites should tell the skip company about these beforehand, and agree precautions.
Prevent contact with overhead obstructions. Know your clearance height. Ensure lifting arms are fully lowered.
Ensure any load/skip is secure and chains are correctly stowed.
Check you have your safety gear, especially high visibility clothing and boots.
SAFE WORKER
Entering the site
Know exactly where to go and what needs to be done (you may need to talk to someone on site)
Obey all rules – signs, one-way systems etc.
Beware of pedestrians at all times.
Wear your safety gear. High visibility clothing is essential. You are likely to need your safety boots and may need other gear.
SAFE WORKING
Reversing
Minimise reversing – both the amount you do and the distances you travel.
Make sure your reversing area is clear.
Use your reversing aids – cameras, mirrors, alarms.
Look out for banksmen. They are at great risk from your reversing vehicle.
Some sites have made arrangements to eliminate the need for banksmen because of the risks these face. Make sure you know these arrangements.
Where banksmen are used, you must be clear about what their signals mean and obey them.
If you can’t see your banksman at any time when moving – STOP!
Exit your cab properly
Jumping out causes broken legs and twisted ankles: it could also put you into the path of another vehicle
Boots with good support help prevent twisted ankles.
Keep close to your vehicle
Don’t risk being run over by other vehicles. (Note: At some sites you may be instructed to keep away from the entire area during the loading of your container.)
Ensure no pedestrians are nearby during reversing and loading/unloading.
DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP
Good ground – avoid sloping, uneven or soft ground.
Apply the handbrake
Use chocks where necessary on slopes
Use stabilisers – keep braked rear wheels on the ground when on slopes.
Avoid trapping between the skip and vehicles/walls. Keep a good clear space all around.
Sheet/unsheet safely – do it from ground level wherever possible. Use autosheeters or gantries/harnesses where provided. Avoid climbing on the vehicle.
Check before moving the skip:
o Hooks, chain lugs, bars etc to be fully engaged;
o Chains should not be twisted of knotted. They should not snag during load movement;
o Skip floors/panels/hinges/chain lugs, tipping bar etc to be in good condition;
o Doors (where fitted) to be in good condition with proper locks;
o The load is not overweight.
DOORS CAN SPRING OPEN!
Stand outside the door arc and load discharge path when opening to avoid being struck by ‘pressurised’ door or contents.
REMEMBER…
Monitor the work area at all times!
Skip movements can kill!
If the drop/pick-up seems unsafe, don’t do it!
Protect yourself, your workmates and the public.
