Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Operational
SIM 05/2008/06
This SIM updates and replaces SIM 05/2004/56 and offers inspectors guidance on the issues to consider for the safe handling of sawn timber packs and board materials on the docks. It has been developed in consultation with the ports industry.
1 This SIM contains practical guidance on the safe handling of sawn timber packs and board materials on the docks. It takes account of consultation with the docks industry and companies who regularly handle timber. It is aimed at all docks premises where timber packs and board are unloaded from ships. Guidance on the safe stacking and storage of timber and board material on the docks is covered by HSE information sheet: Woodworking Sheet No. 2 (Revised) - Safe stacking of sawn timber and board materials.
2 Timber cargo may be packaged or loose. Packages may vary in length and size. Packs do not always contain uniform lengths. The generic term used is 'sets of timber', which includes pallet wood, plywood sets, etc. There are also specific terms, used in the docks, for packaged timber:
3 The main hazards involved in unloading of timber and board from ships are:
4 Risk assessments made under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 should be carried out to assess the hazards and risks of unloading timber cargoes. They should cover risks to employees and others who may be affected by the work activity, including contracted stevedores and the ship's crew. The appropriate control measures need then to be put in place. The following issues should be considered.
5 Most accidents and near misses which occur could be avoided if the risks from the work are considered and plans for the unloading operation are made at an early stage, ideally the first time that a new cargo is consigned to a port. The shipping operator and the port handling company should agree on the equipment and systems that will be used to ensure the load is delivered safely. Both parties should keep each other informed of any significant changes that may introduce new risks.
6 It may be necessary for a written record of a plan to be made for each ship visit. The plan needs to be given to the workers involved, preferably in written form to the supervisor. The plan should enable activities to be co-ordinated and it should clarify the interface between ship and shore based personnel (the ship's crew may be involved in unloading.) The plan should take into account the list of the ship and outside influences, such as movement caused by the passage of other vessels.
7 The way in which deck cargo is stowed and secured greatly affects the loading and discharging method and the safety of operatives, especially when deck cargoes of timber tend to be very high and extend across the full width of the deck.
8 The load should be inspected from a safe vantage position. The ship's passage to the port should be discussed with the ship's master (or appropriate ship's officer) before unloading begins to determine if the cargo moved in transit. If the load has moved or become unstable in some way, for example overhanging the hatch lids, it will need careful consideration of how it can be unloaded safely.
9 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. Look for hazards such as:
10 Access to the ship should generally be provided by the ship's accommodation ladder, or by the ship's gangway in accordance with the Docks Regulations 1988 and the Merchant Shipping (Means of Access) Regulations 1988. These should be properly rigged, netted and secured and deployed at a safe angle.
11 Properly maintained safe means of access to cargo should be provided. A pre-use visual check is advisable. Portable ladders should be used only where no more secure means of access is reasonably practicable. Effective measures should be taken to ensure that the ladder is adequately secured to prevent it from slipping.
12 Whenever possible unloading of the cargo should start from the inside packs, leaving the outside packs as a barrier, to minimise the risk of a fall from the side of the ship. The list of the ship should be considered. The cargo/slings must be assessed for the suitability of the removal of the outside packs at the end, that is:
13 At no time should the load pass over the heads of anyone. The ship should be unloaded tier for tier, where circumstances allow, to minimise the risk of falling a distance greater than one pack high.
14 Care should be taken when walking across the top of the stow so as to avoid slips, trips and falls. Particular care should be taken not to step into any gaps, including those created by truck bundles.
15 Cargoes arriving during the winter months or from Baltic ports may be covered in ice. Slips risks may be reduced by wearing appropriate footwear, for example with studs or chains or spiked crampons. The choice of footwear should consider individual circumstances and potential damage caused to the cargo. Care should also be taken when walking on wrapped timber, particularly when wet, as this type of stow can be very slippery.
16 Cranes are commonly used to unload timber. The following points should be considered within the risk assessment:
17 All persons involved in the unloading operation should know who is in charge. This is particularly important where contracted labour is working alongside employees. Supervisors should be experienced in handling timber and clearly understand their management role.
18 Clear lines of communication should be established between all those involved in the operation. Communication from the banksman to the crane operator should be clear, agreed and understood. An agreed system should be followed for hand signals, see Safety Signs and Signals - Guidance on the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.
19 Guidance on crane signals can be found in BS 7121 - Code of Practice for Safe Use of Cranes. The designated banksman should not be engaged in any other role in the lifting operation. The signaller should stand in a secure position, where he can see the load and be clearly seen by the crane operator.
20 In situations where the signaller cannot be seen, radio communications of two banksman should be used. It is good practice to ensure that only the designated banksman gives signals to the crane operator and the crane operator must be aware of who that individual is. The exception to this rule is the emergency stop signal which any operative may give to override the previous signal.
21 When using forklift 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 (that is, match to the spread of the pack) and the ground on which the truck is being used. When lifting forklift trucks into the hold of a ship, the slings/hooks should be attached to properly designed and tested lifting points on the truck. Forklift truck drivers must be trained and competent.
22 Timber packs with uneven ends may sometimes become entangled with neighbouring packs during transit. To disentangle the ends operators sometimes use the tips of the forks, where a forklift truck is working in the hold, to lift one end of a pack and 'bounce' it until it is freed, a practice known as 'gapping'. Use of the fork tips to lift loads should be prevented as it places excessive forces on the forks and can lead to cracks and subsequent failure of the forks.
23 Where timber cargoes are not pre-slung, operators use the tips of the forks to raise the end of the timber packs just high enough to allow a sling to be placed underneath. Alternative ways of slinging timber packs should be sought, for example where dunnage has been used it should be possible to slide the fork arms beneath the timber packs.
24 When working on deck any gaps in the cargo should be covered. The covering needs to be strong enough to take account of the weight of whatever is placed on it or moved across it. The covering should not move about if someone walks on it. Never allow forks to protrude over the side of the ship. When lifting the outside package, apply the handbrake and ensure wheels are chocked, prior to lifting.
25 When working below deck ensure the headguard is adequate and securely fixed. Ensure the cargo is removed equally across the hold. Excess exhaust fumes should be reported to the supervisor.
26 The legislation which applies is listed below. Please note, merchant-shipping legislation is enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
27 The likelihood of a serious or fatal accident during timber handling should be remote if the training, supervision and safe systems of work (SOW) are adequate. Significant shortcomings in the systems of work and training when assessed against the criteria in this SIM will quickly increase the risk gap. Where inspectors find that load / discharge operations are not being conducted in accordance with a written SOW, where staff are untrained or where the basic principles of safe slinging and lifting are not being followed a prohibition notice should be considered.
28 For further information on the issues raised in this SIM contact the STSU Transportation Section.
29 Inspectors are asked to:
30 Cancel and destroy SIM 05/2004/56.