Mobile Work Platform Plus - BRANSTRANS PTY LTD

We are a regionally-based, award winning, family, long distance, heavy haulier company carrying general and over-dimensional freight to rural, regional and remote Australia. The loads our trucks carry can be odd shapes and awkward to work with and secure.

We partnered with Kennedy Trailers in Bairnsdale and discussed what we wanted to see if they would work with us to build what would suit our application. They were can-do people and the partnership has worked well.

What was the issue/s at the workplace?

We had the opportunity to spec up 2 new dolly and float combinations for a customer’s specific freight to mine sites throughout Australia. We wanted to design trailers that would minimise tare weight and maximise payload. At the same time we wanted to make securing of the loads easier for the drivers and the workspace safe to access, while being as safe as possible to tow as the loads we carry are often over-dimensional with a high centre of gravity.

What did you do to control it/resolve it?

Safety initiatives used:
1. Fitted EBS to the floats.
2. Sourced certified lifting hooks to travel with trailers.
3. Slide out steps fitted to trailer floor.
4. Hand rails from floor entry up to and along trailer gooseneck built to the mining industry standards of a Mobile Work Platform.

Who did you talk to about the issue/s or who helped you resolve it?

1. Operations staff and drivers to determine what might work
2. Mining, customer contacts and WorkSafe representatives over time to determine what is safe / acceptable
3. A number of trailer manufacturers but Kennedy Trailers looked at what ‘could’ be done rather than what 'hadn’t' been done.

What was the outcome? How is the workplace better now?

1. EBS compensates for movement outside of tolerance.
2. Hooks - confidence any crane on site has the correct hooks to manage reels, and fit lifting lugs on dollies to crane them onto the trailer for transport home.
3. Steps - allow access to trailer floor with grip stripping on trailer floor.
4. Hand rails – safe access (stairs built into goose neck also double as tool / equipment storage lockers) so gear can be stowed and still allow one had grip on stair rail. Flooring on stairs is chequer-plate for grip.

*Disclaimer:
The publishing of entries on the WorkSafe Awards website and or/the granting of an award does not constitute any endorsement by WorkSafe Victoria of a product, method or service, or the occupational health and safety performance of the workplace. Monthly Champions must undergo expert review to progress through to the stringent validation and judging process and can only progress to the next stage of entry once WorkSafe are satisfied that the entry/entrant has met the relevant award category criteria and terms and condition of entry.

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