HSE launches Moving Goods Safely inititative

A HSE Health and Safety Executive product story

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team May 20, 2005

Moving Goods Safely (MGS) is a London-wide initiative from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2005/06, with a national roll out planned for 2006/07.

Moving Goods Safely (MGS) is a London-wide initiative from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2005/06, with a national roll out planned for 2006/07.

It involves the Health and Safety Executive and the 33 Local Authorities working in partnership to reduce injuries and ill-health arising from the movement of goods.

The project includes co-ordinated inspections of multi-site and peripatetic organisations by mixed Local Authority and HSE delivery teams and focuses on workplace transport, musculoskeletal disorders and slips risks.

The project also encompasses the London elements of HSE's national 'Backs' and 'Slips' campaigns.

Each stage of the supply chain is enforced either by the HSE or by a local authority environmental health team.

Local authorities inspect retail premises, warehouses and wholesale distribution, while the HSE inspects manufacturers, road haulage and home delivery firms.

The Moving Goods Safely project aims to ensure that both the HSE and local authorities take a consistent approach throughout the supply chain, particularly where areas of enforcement meet - for example, at a retail supermarket carrying out home delivery.

Inspectors and local authority officers deal with health and safety risks in a number of ways including: onsite inspections (announced and unannounced); investigation of accidents and complaints; providing guidance and support at visits, by phone or at events; enforcement where necessary; and through awareness-raising events and seminars.

The moving goods safely project board is chaired by Joyce Edmond-Smith, Health and Safety Commissioner, and has members from HSE, the London Local Authorities, The British Retail Consortium and the South East Region TUC.

The key HSE directorate concerned with the project is the Field Operations Directorate (FOD).

FOD is the main 'operational arm' of the HSE and consists of HSE inspectors, some specialists and support staff/departments.

FOD London is working closely with the 33 local authorities in London to develop a partnership model that can be rolled out nationally in 2006/07.