Workplace transport in ports and docks

Every year accidents involving transport result in people being killed or seriously injured. People fall off vehicles, or are struck or crushed by them. Many different people drive in docks – this includes drivers from a number of different employers and members of the public. Not all of these drivers will be familiar with the dock environment.

Typical workplace transport hazards in ports

Which laws apply?

Further information

DfT/DVLA - At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive[36]

Port Skills and Safety[37] website for guidance on:

Link URLs in this page

  1. Ports and dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/index.htm
  2. Overview - Ports industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/hse.htm
  3. Key industry stakeholdershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/stakeholders.htm
  4. Enforcing authoritieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/enforcing.htm
  5. Overview - Legal requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/legal-requirements.htm
  6. Dangerous goods - (DGHAR) https://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/dangerous-goods.htm
  7. Fishing vesselshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/fishing-vessels.htm
  8. FAQs on ports and dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/faqs.htm
  9. Overview - Freight container safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/containers.htm
  10. Freight container regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/regulations.htm
  11. Container design and manufacture approvalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-approval.htm
  12. Container examination schemeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-examination.htm
  13. RAIB - accident reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/raib.htm
  14. Overview - Topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/topics.htm
  15. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/transport.htm
  16. Lifting operationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/lifting-operations.htm
  17. Working at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/falls.htm
  18. Dusty cargoeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/dusty-cargoes.htm
  19. Musculoskeletal disordershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/msd.htm
  20. Whole-body vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/vibration.htm
  21. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/slips-and-trips.htm
  22. Confined spaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/confined-spaces.htm
  23. Overview - Access to vesselshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/access-to-vessels.htm
  24. Linkspans and walkwayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/linkspans-walkways.htm
  25. Standards at quayside ladders https://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/quayladder.htm
  26. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/resources.htm
  27. Publications and guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/publications.htm
  28. Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/case-studies.htm
  29. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/statistics.htm
  30. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/links.htm
  31. Loading and unloading of vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/loading.htm
  32. Trailer coupling and uncoupling in the dock and on the shiphttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/coupling.htm
  33. Reversing vehicles throughout the dock including adjacent to open quay edgeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/reversing.htm
  34. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3004/contents/made
  35. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/contents/made
  36. DfT/DVLA - At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drivehttps://www.gov.uk/transport/driving-and-medical-conditions
  37. Port Skills and Safetyhttps://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/
  38. SIP001 - Guidance on Workplace Transport (Port & Terminal Planning) http://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/resources/sip-001-guidance-workplace-transport-port-and-terminal-planning
  39. SIP010 - Guidance on Workplace Transport (Ro-Ro and Sto-Ro Operations)http://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/resources/sip-010-guidance-ro-ro-sto-ro
  40. SIP012 - Guidance on Ro-Ro Passenger and Cruise Operations http://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/resources/sip-012-guidance-ro-ro-passenger-and-cruise-operations
  41. Safety in dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l148.htm
  42. Workplace transport safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  43. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  44. Load safety (this link directs to the National Archive)https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200519162103/https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/loadsafety/index.htm
  45. Guidance on work-related road safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
  46. Road traffic legislation to roads in dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/sims/cactus/5_08_03.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

DGHAR
Duties under the Dangerous Goods in Harbour Areas Regulations 2016
RAIB
Rail Accident Investigation Branch

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Updated 2022-06-28