Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

9.3.3 Collisions with moving vehicles
These are best prevented by completely separating 
pedestrians and vehicles, providing well marked, pro-
tected and laid out pedestrian walkways. People should 
cross roads by designated and clearly marked pedes-
trian crossings. Suitable guardrails and barriers should 
be erected at entrances and exits from buildings and 
at ‘blind’ corners at the end of racking in warehouses. 
Particular care must be taken in areas where lorries are 
being loaded or unloaded. It is important that separate 
doorways are provided for pedestrians and vehicles 
and all such doorways should be provided with a vision 
panel and an indication of the safe clearance height, if 
used by vehicles. Finally, the enforcement of a sensible 
speed limit, coupled where practicable, with speed gov-
erning devices, is another effective control measure.
9.3.4
Being struck by moving, falling or 
fl ying objects
These may be prevented by guarding or fencing the mov-
ing part (as discussed in Chapter 9) or by adopting the 
measures outlined for construction work (Chapter 16). 
Both construction workers and members of the public 
need to be protected from the hazards associated with 
falling objects. Both groups should be protected by the 
use of covered walkways or suitable netting to catch fall-
ing debris where this is a signifi cant hazard. Waste mater-
ial should be brought to ground level by the use of chutes 
or hoists. Waste should not be thrown from a height and 
only minimal quantities of building materials should be 
stored on working platforms. Appropriate personal pro-
tective equipment, such as hard hats or safety glasses, 
should be worn at all times when construction operations 
are taking place.
It is often possible to remove high-level storage in 
offi ces and provide driver protection on lift truck cabs 
in warehouses. (See the section on fork lift trucks later 
in this chapter.) Storage racking is particularly vulnerable 
and should be strong and stable enough for the loads it 
has to carry. Damage from vehicles in a warehouse can 
easily weaken the structure and cause collapse. Uprights 
need protection, particularly at corners.
The following action can be taken to keep racking 
serviceable: 
➤
inspect them regularly and encourage workers to 
report any problems
➤
post notices with maximum permissible loads and 
never exceed the loading
➤
use good pallets and safe stacking methods
➤
band, box or wrap articles to prevent items falling
➤
set limits on the height of stacks and regularly 
inspect to make sure that limits are being followed
➤
provide instruction and training for staff and special 
procedures for diffi cult objects.