Safe, socially distanced loading bay operations

Such involvement is  beneficial in performing safe business practice and even more so in today’s challenging safety climate.

During a time when being safe in the workplace has never felt so important, Thorworld Industries offers reassurance to partners and customers that its active engagement as an industry influencer remains as keen as ever.

Under the initiative of managing director John Meale, Thorworld Industries has successfully worked alongside leading associations including the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment (ALEM), the British Materials Handling Federation (BMHF) and the European Federation of Materials Handling (FEM), as both members and associates for nearly 39-years. 

Explaining the significance of the affiliations, John says: “We’re specialists in loading and unloading practice and have always considered safety as the number one priority with regard to our equipment’s design and manufacture.

“We’re a BS EN ISO 9001 quality approved company and have a strong link with the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment (ALEM) – the UK organisation that represents the loading and unloading sector.

“Through our involvement with ALEM, we have become a Member of the British Materials Handling Federation (BMHF), and from that association, have joined FEM, the European Federation of Materials Handling."

John continues: “Having an advanced level of industry knowledge from our associate partnerships, we feel better placed to successfully respond to recent calls for social distancing practice in loading and unloading areas.

“Our expertise has placed us in a privileged position whereby we’ve been able to safely perform installations since lockdown measures were put in place with confidence, thanks to the relationships we harness with key safety federations.”

John refers to installations fulfilled during the initial Coronavirus lockdown period, where his team were still safely and successfully installing vital loading equipment designed to enable frontline logistics and medical operations.

“Allowing safe and successful logistics has - and continues to be - critical to enabling the movement of operations nationwide, from food supplies to medical deliveries.

“Those working in the logistics sector play an essential role in ensuring vital dispatch of goods and deliveries, and if social distancing measures are carried out correctly, there is no need for their important work to stop.

“To effectively support these key workers, we’ve pulled on experience gained from first hand involvement with Association work  - which is the best route to understanding the standards and regulations needed to perform safely and effectively in any situation – be it emergency events or not.

“Whenever companies source loading bay equipment to support any circumstance, they need to ensure that the suppliers they are working with are qualified and approved to deliver all recommended standards, directives and regulations, applicable to the products they require and safety guidelines they must meet.”

Speaking with experience, John himself has been the President of not only ALEM, but also the BMHF and FEM, aiding in positioning Thorworld as an integrated leader in the European materials handling field. Still currently the President of the FEM Product Group Elevating Equipment, John has helped to play a key part in influencing standards, directives, regulations, guidance documents and measures for close to four decades.

He also believes that sharing his knowledge is essential to ensuring continued expertise for future operations. The younger members of Thorworld’s Management team, including technical director Ian Langan and director of quality, Mark James, are also regularly involved in Association work, further supporting the company’s capabilities to design and supply loading products that meet current legal and technical requirements.

“Our role as a loading equipment manufacturer is to assist and enable, safely and productively,” John concludes. “By applying our Association knowledge to each installation we fulfil, we’re confident that no matter how operations within the logistics sector unfold in coming months, we will be safely equipped to offer truly effective customer support.”