When it comes to health and safety, a lot of guidance and rules are common sense. However, that doesn’t stop people falling foul of those rules and, in the vehicle workshop environment, potentially putting themselves in danger. One area that can help decrease risk and increase safety levels is putting more faith in technology, a place that more and more transport operators find themselves in.
At a base level, as Patrick Tandy, managing director, Freeway Fleet Systems, recognises, digital systems replacing paper in workshops has been transformative; job cards and inspection sheets will soon be a thing of the past. “With workers using mobile devices, the largest operators can eliminate an enormous amount of paper,” he reasons.
“However, the most significant benefit of digitisation lies in the value of the data collected and the instant visibility that digital systems provide – both of which have a role to play in safety.”
Mobile apps, such as Freeway’s WebApps, provide supervisors with real-time insight into the activities of each individual user and can also be a valuable safety aid. “On the workshop floor, apps can be easily configured to ensure safety. For example, they can prevent engineers from continuing a job until they have confirmed on-screen that they have the correct safety equipment and attire,” explains Tandy.
“In the workshop, manageable assets via apps include everything from lifts to power tools to fire doors. Equipment failures can lead to serious injury or death, so proper maintenance is crucial. Additionally, apps can give workers access to user guides to ensure the safe operation of equipment and can also enforce mandatory safety checks before equipment is used.”
Tandy cites Warrington Buses as a transport company that has put safety at the top of its agenda. “Currently, worker safety forms are generated using its compliance system (Issosmart). However, the company has embarked on a major workshop digitisation programme and sees it as only a matter of time before everything runs entirely on their app,” he reveals.
“With apps continuously collecting data on every workshop activity, data analysis is becoming essential in providing management with insights into operational performance. And with safety always a priority, data analytics can prove invaluable in highlighting areas of non-compliance and pinpointing areas of concern. It provides those in charge of health and safety with a level of insight they simply did not have before.”
CHECK YOURSELF
Another company that has embraced the digital age – and app technology – is CheckedSafe, which is putting innovations to good use to help all areas covered in transport operations, including health and safety.
“Our digital cloud solutions package allows companies to monitor vehicle compliance across every vehicle in the UK and keep people safe – even while they are abroad,” says Gary Hawthorne, founder and director of CheckedSafe.
“We developed the system so that it can be rolled out across not just fleet/plant but anything that needs a check that the system can be tailored to suit. That means health and safety in the workplace has benefited.”
As an ex-transport operator, Hawthorne fully understands the issues at hand and, as an accredited auditor, he also knows the challenges companies face daily. As a result, CheckedSafe has been able to develop products from an expert knowledge base.
“After designing ideas on paper, the tech wizards we have digitise those concepts,” explains Hawthorne. “This ‘old school’ format allows us to really thrash out the ideas on paper first before committing to the tech stage.”
One satisfied customer is Rick Appleby, heavy plant mechanic at AE Yates, who says CheckedSafe has been “a revelation” for the business. “We had piles of paperwork and notes everywhere, and we couldn’t keep track of all the checks in the workshop,” he explains.
“We saw what CheckedSafe had to offer, sat down with Gary and, within a few days, the revolution began. We can now check on everything in our depot with the app/store data relating to equipment on the system and even push out guide notes on kit via the app – the reporting tools are good as you can produce a detailed report with photos of a health and safety audit for any HSE officer to check, if required."
A LIFT FOR H&S
As one of the most important pieces of equipment in a workshop, vehicle lifts have stringent health and safety requirements to ensure the smooth running of a service and maintenance operation. There is nowhere to hide either when it comes to the quality of a lift; under Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER 1998), all lifting equipment must be suitable for its intended use and must be properly maintained to ensure it is safe to use.
For Maha UK, safety of the lifts installed – and the individuals working on the vehicle – are top priorities. “Workshop health and safety is absolutely critical; that is precisely why our lifts are designed efficiently and manufactured using robust materials. It is why we provide comprehensive instructions and operator training together with a range of maintenance packages,” explains Neil Ebbs, Maha UK managing director.
“A well-maintained lift is not just about longevity; it’s about protecting professionals and their livelihoods in the workshop every single day.”
Getting the health and safety message through, around the use of lifts, begins at the time of installation because paying close attention to detail can help prevent potential hazards. Operators should be competent and confident in using the equipment, so reading and understanding the operator instructions in advance must be a priority.
An invaluable guide is set to arrive soon when the ’Guide to Axle Stands’ is published, which includes some excellent advice from the IRTE, HSE, RHA and Logistics UK.
Beyond instruction, Maha’s operator manuals relating to the latest technologies onboard the lifts are essential reading, with daily checks that need to be adhered to and reminders to make the requisite safety checks before use. That means cables must not have any visible damage, while buttons must be smooth-running, clean and show no signs of damage. Activated buttons must return to their initial position immediately after being released.
Meanwhile, the emergency stop that shuts down the drives of the lifting system in order to bring the system to a safe state should be tested by triggering a lifting movement by pressing a button after switching on the control unit. The test must be repeated for all operating points with emergency stop. A system with a defective emergency stop must not be put into operation.
AI ON THE BALL
With one eye on the future of technology and its impact on the workshop environment, Tandy is aiming to stay one step ahead.
“Artificial intelligence is driving a shift towards predictive and preventative maintenance, ensuring that vehicles and equipment are better maintained and less likely to suffer catastrophic failures,” he reasons.
“Workers are often at the greatest risk when under pressure – and unexpected events such as breakdowns can increase risk. Anything that reduces these incidents must be seen as a positive step for safety.”
Beyond AI is AR (augmented reality), something else that has already been deployed extensively in construction to train staff and conduct remote site investigations. “Safety officers using VR headsets can effectively be on-site, looking at and interacting with a team in real time – all from the other side of the globe. It’s like having a full-time supervisor present 24/7,” says Tandy.
Tandy sees the role of robotics continuing to help reduce risk in the workshop and elsewhere in the transport world. “It is only a matter of time before AI-trained robots take on the most hazardous jobs,” he predicts.
“In some sectors, this will be easier due to the high degree of standardisation in vehicle types and makes. Warrington Buses is a good example here, as it has nearly completed a full transition to a single make of electric bus – it has 105 of them in total, all housed at a new purpose-built depot. It’s the sort of environment that will be welcomed by an approaching army of robots.”
