Purchasing new equipment
When purchasing or hiring hook-loader vehicles and container skips you should specify clearly their intended purpose; making clear the extent or limitations of compatibility between the lifting mechanism and the container hook bar. Manufacturers are required to declare the harmonized and national standards, codes of practice etc that equipment is constructed.
Software measures that can be taken
The connection between the lifting hook of the vehicle lifting mechanism and the container hook bar should be checked to ensure it is slung; correctly. This may be carried out by the driver of the hook-loader vehicle, or an independent slinger/ banks man. Reliance is placed on the information, instruction and training of personnel in these circumstances to ensure:
The driver applies the cab parking brake before exiting the vehicle cab.
The banks man remains in a safe position away from the load being lifted.
For routine lifting operations the planning of each individual lifting operation will usually be a matter for the people using the lifting equipment, such as a slinger, the fork-lift operator, etc. The person carrying out this part of the planning exercise should have appropriate knowledge and expertise.
