APM Terminals unveils truck safety procedures

Terminals has unveiled new Truck Safety programme featuring what the company described as “carefully researched and tested standard operating procedures for outside truck drivers delivering or picking up containers”

The company in a statement explained that the initiative would be put into effect by the end of 2016 throughout its global terminal network.

The statement issued by APM Terminals Director, External Communications, Thomas Boyed, quoted Vice President for Health, Safety, Security & Environment, Kevin Furniss as saying: “Our goal is to ensure we have safe operations.  The basic concept here is to eliminate the risk of accident or injury to the thousands of truck drivers who enter our facilities daily by strictly enforcing a “Stay in the Cab” mandate for external truckers, with clearly identified Designated Safe Zones in non-operational areas specified for those occasions when leaving the truck is necessary.”

According to the statement, a  pilot programme at APM Terminals facilities in Rotterdam, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Callao (Peru), and Apapa (Nigeria), including 100 hours of safety observations and 160 identified risk situations was performed and the data analyzed to review existing procedures and risks”.

It added: “Reasons for drivers leaving their truck cabs, and thus increasing the risk of accidents with container handling equipment or other trucks, included document handling, looking for containers, asking for directions, inspecting chassis, guiding equipment operators, and securing loads while in the yard”.