BEST-PRACTICE HELP AND ADVICE
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Along with the arrival of the new EU Machinery Directive, the British Standards Institute has also been working on a revised version of its current 'BS7121-4 Code of practice for safe use of cranes: Part 4— Lorry loaders'.
Johnson says: "The last revision was made in 1997 and we have since had LOLER, PUWER and other legislation — i.e. EN12999 — which means it needed bringing up to date."
Following recent industry consultation, the revised B57171 Part 4 is due to appear before the second quarter of 2010, however, it could appear sooner. Johnson explains: "If you imagine that the EN12999 is focused predominantly on the people who make and install lorry-loaders, BS7121 Part 4 relates to the safe use of lorry loaders by operators.
"The revised version has been drafted, has been out for public comment and is now back with BSI pending publication, and is due for release fairly soon."
And, in parallel with that process, ALLMI, the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), the HSE and a number of other bodies have all co-operated together in the last year to produce a best-practice guide, which, Johnson says, will provide a "user-friendly interface" with the forthcoming revised BSI standard.
"In a British Standard, you can't give specific advice, but in a best practice guide, you can," says Johnson, who uses the analogy of a best-practice guide providing a practical easy-to-read 'Daily Mail-style' interpretation to the BSI's Financial Times.
He adds: "It's been produced in partnership with several groups, including the CPA and ALLMI, but the intention is to release the guide to coincide with the arrival of the new BSI 7121 part 4."
There's another good reason for lorry-loader users to get hold of the industrygroup's best-practice guide when it's published — it will be free of charge via the websites of the above-mentioned trade bodies.
The BSI charges for its publications through its htlp://shop.bsigroup.com/ertl website. The BSI 7121 Part 4 document listed (described as 'currentwork in hand) costs £124, while the draft consultation document costs £36.
The complete BSI 7121 'all parts' costs £186, but BSI members get a 50% discount.