Safety Notice Potential Crushing Hazard Associated with Lorry Loaders’ Tilting Stabilisers

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Picture obtained from HSE website

Safety notice – Health and Safety Executive

Introduction

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety notice regarding a potential crushing hazard associated with lorry loaders’ tilting stabilisers. This notice aims to raise awareness among lorry loader operators, owners, hirers, service and repairers, installers, manufacturers, Appointed Persons, and sites receiving lorry loaders. The warning comes after three fatal incidents were reported in Great Britain since 2019, where operators were crushed against the vehicle’s bodywork by the retracting leg of a powered tilting stabiliser.

The Problem

Tilting stabilisers, also known as swing-up or rotating stabilisers, pose a risk of serious injury or death when being retracted. If a stabiliser is retracted towards the vehicle while not in a vertical position, operators or others in the danger zone can be crushed against the bodywork. Some lorry loaders have stabilisers on opposite sides of the vehicle that tilt upwards in different directions, further complicating the situation.

Action Required

The HSE advises sharing this Safety Notice with all personnel involved in lorry loader operations, including manufacturers, fleet owners, hirers, machine operators, service and repair technicians, installers, Appointed Persons, and relevant personnel at sites using lorry loaders. Owners of affected lorry loaders should seek safety improvements from manufacturers to eliminate or reduce the crushing risk. This may include installing software modifications, interlocks, or using only remote controls. Discussions with manufacturers should be documented.

Risk Assessment and Control

Those involved in lorry loader operations should include the crushing hazard from tilting stabilisers in their risk assessments and incorporate appropriate control measures in all lorry loader procedural documentation, such as lift plans. Owners should ensure that residual risk warning decals are present and visible to operators in and near the crushing danger zone(s). In cases where remote control is the primary mode of use, base control levers should be stored for emergency use, with clear labeling indicating their storage location.

Safe Operation Guidelines

To ensure safe operation, operators should be competent, familiar with the functions of the stabiliser, and trained in correct use. Key safety points include:

• Increased risk of crushing on the side where the tilting stabiliser rotates towards the operator or levers at the crane base.
• Tilting stabiliser legs should be pinned or locked in the vertical position before deploying or retracting the horizontal stabiliser beam.
• Operators must observe all movements of the stabilisers during deployment and stowage.
• The tilt-up function should be separate from the retraction of the stabiliser beam, and operators should not use both functions simultaneously.
• Operators must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for deploying and stowing tilting stabilisers, as there can be variations between different systems.
• Operators and others must avoid positioning themselves in danger zones where crushing risks exist.
• Remote controls should be used where available, and operators should stand in a safe position outside the danger zone to observe the operation.
• Loader cranes with remote-control capabilities should have emergency fixed levers available as a backup.

Training and Guidance

Those involved in publishing training and guidance materials should update their publications to incorporate information on the additional hazards associated with powered tilting stabilisers. Training provision should include coverage of this Safety Notice, regardless of stabiliser type, as operators may move between vehicles. Familiarisation training should also include coverage of this Safety Notice during new vehicle handover or when operators switch to a different vehicle.

Conclusion

The HSE’s safety notice highlights the potential crushing hazard associated with lorry loaders’ tilting stabilisers and urges stakeholders to take immediate action. By implementing the recommended control measures and ensuring proper training, the risk of serious injury or death can be significantly reduced. This Safety Notice serves as a crucial reminder for all personnel involved in lorry loader operations to prioritize safety and maintain a vigilant approach to avoid potential accidents and fatalities.

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