Fundamental safety practices exercised in the logistics industry
Safety is important in any industry, and it holds a particular weight in the world of logistics.
From the storage of goods and products to their transportation, safety is paramount at each step of the process. In today’s blog, we’re going to take a look at just some of the fundamental safety practices that are observed and exercised within the logistics industry.
1. Safe loading practices
Practices exist to ensure that freight goods are loaded safely. From proper advice for employees on how to lift items to providing equipment that prevents individuals from having to handle excessively heavy or awkward items, these practices are the guidelines that must be followed. If any company doesn’t and an employee suffers an injury – or worse – as a result, there can be severe consequences for breaching workplace health and safety regulations.
2. Speed management
Just like any vehicle on the road, freight truck drivers have to abide by the law and never exceed the speed limits outlined. This is for their safety, the safety of others and to make sure companies don’t get into trouble for this. One way in which speed management is being upheld is through the use of speed limiters. They’re a device that will restrict a vehicle to a certain high speed. In Queensland and NSW, most speed limiters are set to a maximum of 100km/hr.
3. Dealing with driver fatigue
Driver fatigue is a huge issue in logistics, especially when it comes to road freight. As we all know, driver fatigue severely impairs on a person’s reflexes and can lead to fatal accidents. Depending on the length of the freight route, drivers are allocated a certain amount of hours for sleeping, with truck cabs equipped with an environment fit for rest.
4. Vehicle compliance
Finally, the vehicles themselves have to comply with a number of high standards, the chief one being safety. An unsafe vehicle is a vehicle any reputable logistics company will never touch. Vehicles go through inspections to ensure they’re still compliant. If not, they cannot be used until all known issues are resolved, giving companies even more incentive to keep to standards.