How to conduct logistics-specific risk assessments

The bottom line: To run a safe and legal logistics business, you must identify every potential hazard your drivers face—specifically during manual handling, loading, and roadside stops—and put clear, documented controls in place to minimise those risks. This isn't just about paperwork; it's about making sure everyone gets home safely at the end of every shift.

The Five Steps of Risk Assessment

In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends a straightforward five-step approach to assessing risk. You don't need a degree in health and safety, but you do need to be thorough and realistic.

1. Identify the hazards: Walk through a typical day. What could cause harm? Think about heavy boxes, slippery tail lifts, or oncoming traffic during a delivery.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how: Is it the driver? A member of the public? A warehouse worker? Consider specific injuries like back strains or being struck by a vehicle.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions: Look at what you are already doing. Is it enough? If not, what else can you do? (e.g., providing a pallet truck to avoid heavy lifting).
4. Record your findings: If you have five or more employees, you are legally required to write this down. Even if you are a solo operator, keeping a record is best practice for insurance and peace of mind.
5. Review and update: Logistics is fast-paced. Review your assessments whenever you get a new vehicle, start a new route, or if a 'near-miss' occurs.

Focus Area 1: Manual Handling

Manual handling injuries are the most common issue in logistics. Risk assessments should look at the weight of items, how often they are moved, and the environment (like narrow stairs or uneven paths).

• Control measures: Provide trolleys or sack trucks, train drivers on proper lifting techniques, and where possible, break down large loads into smaller, manageable units.

Focus Area 2: Vehicle Loading and Unloading

The space around a vehicle is a high-risk zone. Hazards include falling from the vehicle bed, loads shifting and falling onto the driver, or being hit by other moving vehicles in a depot.

• Control measures: Ensure drivers wear high-visibility clothing and steel-toe-cap boots. Use anti-slip surfaces on tail lifts and ensure loads are balanced and secured before the journey begins.

Focus Area 3: Roadside Activities

Delivering on a busy UK high street or a narrow country lane presents unique dangers. Drivers are often at risk from passing traffic when exiting the cab or operating at the rear of the vehicle.

• Control measures: Instruct drivers to park in designated bays where possible and to always exit the cab on the 'kerbside' rather than into traffic. If working at the roadside is unavoidable, ensure the vehicle's beacons or hazard lights are functional and used.

Top Tip: Involve your drivers in the process. They are the ones on the front line and will often spot hazards or practical solutions that you might miss from behind a desk.