Working at height is a daily reality across transport and logistics. Drivers climb onto flatbed trailers to secure loads. Yard staff remove tarps before unloading. Rail operators access train cars for inspection and maintenance. These routine tasks carry serious risk. A single slip can lead to life-changing injury or worse.
At Safety Pack, we work closely with transport operators who want practical, compliant ways to manage these risks. In this article, we look at the UK Work at Height Regulations, employer responsibilities in logistics, and how fixed and mobile fall protection systems, including our Fall-Pac unit, help businesses meet their legal duties while keeping work moving.
The UK Work at Height Regulations explained
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to any work where a person could fall and be injured. That includes work on vehicles, trailers, tankers, wagons and train cars. The regulations are clear. Employers must:
- Avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable
- Prevent falls where work at height cannot be avoided
- Minimise the consequences of a fall where the risk remains
This is not optional. The Health and Safety Executive regularly enforces these duties, particularly in high-risk sectors like transport and logistics.
Importantly, the regulations focus on planning and prevention. It is not enough to rely on experience or “being careful”. Employers must assess the risk, select suitable equipment, and ensure it is used correctly.
Employer responsibilities in logistics operations
In transport environments, working at height often happens in open yards, loading bays or rail depots. Conditions can change quickly. Weather, time pressure and mixed traffic all increase risk.
As an employer, your responsibilities include:
- Carrying out suitable and sufficient risk assessments
- Providing appropriate fall protection equipment
- Ensuring equipment is compatible with the task and environment
- Training workers in correct use
- Inspecting and maintaining equipment
- Reviewing controls when operations change
For example, if workers regularly climb onto flatbed trailers to secure or remove loads, collective or personal fall protection should be in place. If tarps are removed before unloading, the risk does not disappear just because the vehicle is stationary.
The key question inspectors ask is simple. What have you done to prevent a fall?
Fixed and mobile fall protection systems
There is no single solution that suits every site. Many transport operators use a combination of fixed and mobile systems.
- Fixed systems include gantries, overhead rails and permanent lifelines installed at loading bays or rail sidings. These are effective where work locations are consistent and predictable.
- Mobile systems are essential where vehicles move between sites or where fixed infrastructure is not practical. These systems need to be quick to deploy, easy to transport and adaptable to different vehicle types.
This is where soft arrest systems and fall arrest bags play an important role. Rather than preventing the fall entirely, they reduce the distance and impact if a fall occurs. When designed correctly, they offer a practical and compliant solution for transport environments.
How Fall-Pac units support compliance
Our Fall-Pac unit was developed to address the real challenges faced by transport and logistics teams. Workers need protection that does not slow the job down or require complex installation.
The Fall-Pac unit is one of the most cost-effective fall arrest bags on the market and is built for versatility and cross-industry safety. It supports compliance with the Work at Height Regulations by helping to minimise the consequences of a fall where other controls are not reasonably practicable.
Key features include:
- Lightweight design for ease of transport and installation
- Install in a matter of minutes with no specialist tools
- 1.61 m² coverage, the largest coverage area in the market
- Delivery within 48 hours to support urgent operational needs
In transport operations, this means Fall-Pac units can be deployed alongside flatbed trailers, beneath access points on train cars, or in loading areas where workers step on and off vehicles. They are particularly useful during tasks such as securing cargo, removing tarps or preparing loads for unloading.
Practical protection for real working conditions
Workers in the transportation and logistics industry frequently must board flatbed trailers or train cars to secure the cargo or remove tarps and other securing items before unloading. Without adequate fall protection, they are at risk of serious injury or death in the event of a misstep or other accident.
Soft arrest systems like Fall-Pac are designed with these realities in mind. They do not rely on perfect conditions or ideal behaviour. They provide a safety net that reduces harm when something goes wrong.
Because they are mobile and quick to install, they also help address one of the most common compliance gaps. Temporary work at height that is treated as low risk because it is short in duration. The regulations make no such exception. A short task can still result in a serious fall.
Our commitment to safety
At Safety Pack, and through Fall-Pac, we are dedicated to bringing the best fall protection equipment possible to our customers. We are committed to providing cutting-edge, scientifically backed safety goods and a personalised service that helps businesses grow through strong occupational safety practices.
Our soft arrest systems are used across a wide range of industries, including transport, logistics, rail, manufacturing and construction. We work with safety managers, operations teams and procurement leads to ensure the right solution is selected for the task, not just the cheapest option on paper.
Take the next step
If your team works at height on vehicles, trailers or train cars, now is the time to review your controls. Are they practical, compliant and actually used day to day?
Explore our Fall-Pac unit and see how a lightweight, fast-install fall arrest solution can help protect your people and support compliance with the UK Work at Height Regulations. Speak to Safety Pack today to find the right solution for your operation.