The UK Material Handling Association have recently released their latest Safety Alert which looks at cold staring an LPG truck engine.
This Safety Alert has been issued following some reports of users of LPG powered trucks experiencing issues with the start-up process. David Goss, UKMHA Technical Director, explains, “Investigations into the root cause are ongoing, but instances where a build-up of deposits in the evaporator (pressure regulator), flow regulator and shut-off valve have been identified.
“The concern is that sticking valves could lead to a mixture which is too rich and therefore cannot be ignited. If there are then repeated starting attempts, this can lead to a release of a high unburned concentration of LPG which, in extreme cases, could present a risk of fire. This is because LPG is heavier than air, so it will accumulate in low lying areas where it can easily be ignited by an ignition source, such as sparks, electrical arc or a hot surface.”
He continues, “UKMHA are committed to informing the material handling industry on the latest safety guidance. This particular Safety Alert has been issued to highlight the potential dangers when struggling to cold start an LPG truck engine and how to safely deal with the issue.”
The Safety Alert gives advice for operators on what to do, and what not to do, if experiencing difficulty starting an LPG truck engine. It also offers guidance to service and maintenance engineers in how to safely deal with an LPG truck which has a reported starting issue.
All the Safety Alerts are published on the UKMHA website and have been created by the UKMHA Health & Safety Group to highlight hazards and safe working practices for technicians working on material handling equipment. They are freely available to members and non-members alike.
This latest Safety Alert is available to download now from the UKMHA website: https://ukmha.headwall.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/UKMHA-Safety-Alert-0002-LPG-cold-starting.pdf
UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) has released a new Fact Sheet entitled “Battery Producer Responsibilities”. This guidance is freely available from the UKMHA website and is aimed at anyone introducing industrial trucks to the UK marketplace. It explains that, legally, the battery producer is the organisation who first places the battery on the UK market, therefore, this may be the importer of the truck rather than the manufacturer of the battery.
UKMHA Technical Director, David Goss, explains, “Placing a battery on the UK market has many obligations. Battery producers must be registered and can be responsible for the safe disposal of other producer’s batteries as well as their own. Although there is a thriving scrap market for lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion end of life can be an expensive burden. We have published this Fact Sheet to help manufacturers, importers and distributors understand what the law requires of them.”
Generally, the batteries used in industrial trucks are either classified as ‘industrial’ e.g. traction batteries, or ‘automotive’ e.g. starter batteries for internal combustion engines. UK legislation places slightly different obligations on battery producers for each of these battery types.
The producer is the entity that introduces the battery to the UK market, irrespective of whether it is sold standalone, built into a machine, or supplied as a spare or replacement. Frequently, the producer is a party other than the battery manufacturer even if the battery manufacturer also has a UK presence. As there is no minimum limit on the legal definitions, importation of single battery/truck places all of the obligations of a battery producer on the importer, and, as detailed in the Fact Sheet, these obligations can be onerous.
This new Fact Sheet is the latest addition to UKMHA’s library of information. David Goss says, “As the UK’s largest and most authoritative organisation in the material handling industry, UKMHA regularly receive requests for information and advice. Our Fact Sheets address many of the most frequently asked questions and covers categories such as safe operations, Thorough Examination, operator selection and training, maintenance, and good practice. The Fact Sheets are supported by more detailed information in our Guidance Notes and Technical Bulletins.”
UKMHA will be promoting this Fact Sheet and other recently released resources at IMHX, Stand 5D12. To access this free resource visit: https://ukmha.headwall.tech/advice-centre/best-practice-advice/fact-sheets/
UK Material Handling Association, UKMHA, is launching its latest Guidance Note at IMHX. The new GN70 ‘Working On High Voltage MHE’, promotes safe working practices for the inspection, maintenance and repair of high voltage systems on MHE.
UKMHA Technical Director, David Goss, explains the importance of issuing this new guidance, “Working with high voltage equipment is potentially extremely hazardous if carried out without the correct procedures and training. Safety is at the core of UKMHA and with the continuing trend towards higher voltages, we have published this Guidance Note to highlight the risks associated with working with this type of MHE and detail risk reduction.”
The advancing state-of-the-art in electric trucks increases the voltages that may be encountered when compared with traditional lead acid battery technology of the past. For example, regenerative braking, lithium-ion technology and developments in electric drives all provide opportunities for working at higher voltages.
Technicians working on Materials Handling Equipment (MHE), and those employing and supervising their work activities, need to be aware of the hazards associated with this equipment and the mitigations that need to be implemented. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that work on, or near to, an electrical system be carried out so as not to give rise to danger, and the GN explains the practical steps required to achieve this.
This latest Guidance Note explains employer’s obligations and work procedures. It also details the hazards applicable to high voltage equipment and identifies appropriate PPE and tools to carry out maintenance.
David Goss adds, “GN70 highlights the need for risk assessments, method statements, safe systems of work and training for those working with higher voltages. We have explained what constitutes a safe system of work, which should address topics such as ‘Who is authorised to carry out which activities’, ‘What constitutes a safe working area’ and ‘Is there adequate access control’?”
This document provides advice to ensure the technician’s safety at each work stage, and includes helpful links to legislation, Standards, HSE documents and other relevant UKMHA Guidance Notes.
GN70 is available for free to UKMHA members. It is also available to purchase from the UKMHA web store.
UKMHA Safety Alert: Disconnected hydraulic lines
The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) have published a warning about the risks of oil leaking from hoses during maintenance activities.
The first of a new series of Safety Alerts, which will be published regularly on the UKMHA website, are being created by the UKMHA Health & Safety Group to highlight hazards and safe working practices for technicians working on material handling equipment. They will be freely available to members and non-members alike.
David Goss, Technical Director for UKMHA says, “Safety is at the heart of UKMHA. We believe that information that can help prevent incidents occurring should be available to all. We have created these new documents as one-pagers, making them easy to download, print and share. Being a single sheet also means they can be displayed on Health & Safety or information notice boards within areas of relevant activity, enabling staff to have direct access to vital safety information.”
The first Safety Alert looks at an incident involving a disconnected hydraulic line which lead to an injury being sustained by the forklift engineer following an oil spillage. The document identifies the root cause and contributory factors, and offers guidance on actions that should be taken to prevent similar incidents occurring.
David Goss explains, “This particular incident resulted in the engineer sustaining a fractured wrist and three weeks of lost working time. This was a preventable situation, as are most incidents, which is why we feel it is vital to publish these Safety Alerts with clear instructions on how to avoid a similar situation which could result in an even worse outcome. Each Safety Alert we publish will highlight a different real-life incident and we urge those working in material handling to use and share this free resource to improve safety in their operations.”
This first Safety Alert is available to download now from the UKMHA website, https://ukmha.headwall.tech/advice-centre/best-practice-advice/ukmha-safety-alerts/ with others following later in the year. It will also be available as a hand-out to visitors to the UKMHA stand at IMHX in addition to other new safety documents being launched at the show.
“IMHX is critical to our engagement with everyone involved in the materials handling industry” says David Goss, “We encourage users and providers to attend IMHX and visit us on stand 5D12, where they can find out more about the work of UKMHA and take advantage of exclusive in show deals on Safe User Group Membership and Safety Convention tickets.”
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