A fatal accident almost 10 years ago at familyowned Warburtons
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in which an employee was run over by a reversing artic led the UK's largest independent baker to overhaul its handling operations.
Although Warburtons considered its risk assessment to be adequate, it introduced safety precautions relating to the handling of its products and is now confident that reversing accidents have been almost eradicated.
The accident resulted in raised dispatch floors being introduced at all the company's sites and depots. These allow loaves to go directly into any of its 1,000 vehicles with minimal handling. Cameras and monitors were fitted to the compa ny's vehicles, as were reversing fights and alarms. Some vehicles were also fitted with side access doors. A trial of the enhancements at one of its sites proved successful and they were then rolled out throughout the business, Kerry Ross, health and safety director, says: "It made managers a lot more confident of our dispatch areas.
"We do an individual risk assessment on every customer and the driver is involved too. Reversing accidents have been more or less eliminated."