The merchant sector’s top safety issues: Simple solutions for employers

Tasks such as manual handling and working at height are key to day-to-day operations at your builders merchant – but they're also among the leading causes of workplace accidents and injuries.

These core safety issues continue to put employers and their teams at risk. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), "slips, trips, and falls account for 32% of non-fatal workplace accidents." Other leading causes include manual handling (17%), being struck by a moving object (11%), and falls from height (8%).

The positive news is that safe practices can prevent on-the-job accidents and boost productivity and profits across your sites. Building a safety-first culture requires a strong awareness of everyday workplace hazards and commitment at every organisational level.

Manual handling

Manual handling covers everything from lifting and supporting a load through to pushing, pulling, and carrying. Too often, team members lift heavy, awkward, or unwieldy objects – such as bags of sand or concrete – for the sake of speed and convenience. But over-reaching to store or move items or straining to lift bulky objects can lead to serious musculoskeletal issues.

• Train staff on safe manual handling practices and equipment use.
• Check whether manual handling activities can be minimised or eliminated.
• Identify your site's higher-risk or complex manual handling tasks.
• Complete manual handling assessments of these activities and ensure workers follow the recommended control measures.
• Follow the TILE technique, considering the Task, Individual, Load, and Environment for every manual handling job.
• Explore ways to make the task easier. Could handling aids be used? Could the load be broken down into smaller quantities? Could another person help? Will any obstructions cause difficulty?

Slips, trips, and falls

Slips and trips are the primary cause of workplace accidents, despite being easily avoided. Simple fixes like improved lighting, level flooring surfaces, and clutter-free walkways can make a measurable difference.

• Poor housekeeping standards are a leading contributor to trip and slip accidents. Store materials and equipment safely at all times and strategically place bins to keep your site tidy.
• Always keep walkways clear of obstructions, including protruding stock.
• Motivate employees to adopt a 'clean-as-you-go' policy. For example, encourage staff to dispose of loose banding or wrapping as they open stock.
• Take winter weather precautions, such as gritting.
• To prevent slippery floors, place absorbent, heavy-duty barrier mats at every entry point. Install the matting flush to the floor surface to mitigate further trip hazards.
• Ensure changes in level are clearly highlighted, especially if they're made of the same material.
• Review your lighting provision, ensuring all areas are bright enough to spot trip hazards, such as stairs and low walls. Carry out a supplementary lighting assessment at night, as shadows can obscure objects and present additional safety concerns.

Working at height

The HSE defines work at height as "work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury." Working at height should always be avoided, but when there's no other way to get the job done, it should be properly planned and carried out by trained employees.

• Look to eliminate the need to work at height, opting to complete tasks from the ground. If this isn't possible, conduct a thorough risk assessment and follow recommended control measures.
• Train your team to use and maintain fall protection equipment, including harnesses, lanyards, and guardrails.
• Whenever possible, replace ladders with safer alternatives like access platforms, towers, scissor lifts, and mobile steps.
• Conduct regular equipment and site checks and report any safety issues, including near misses and safety incidents.

Workplace transport

From HGVs to forklift trucks, workplace transport is critical to the smooth running of your branches. However, according to the HSE, over 5,000 workplace transport incidents happen every year in the UK – and around 50 of those are fatal. Basic changes can help save lives across your site:

• Segregate people and vehicles, ideally creating barriered walkways between pedestrian and traffic routes. Install zebra crossings where these paths intersect.
• Establish pedestrian-only gates to discourage people from walking through vehicle entrances.
• Set speed limits and enforce them with clear signage and speed bumps.
• Reduce the need for reversing, introducing one-way routes where possible.
• Insist on seatbelt use for all drivers, in all vehicle types.
• Establish purpose-built loading zones, creating a controlled environment for deliveries, loading, and unloading. Designate a safe space for drivers when outside their vehicles.
• Train staff on specific safety requirements for different vehicle types, including forklift trucks and lorry loaders with swing-up stabilisers.

Create a culture of compliance

To succeed at safety, builders merchants need a firm focus on continuous skills improvement, company-wide best practices, and staff awareness and accountability.