Introduction
The logistics sector faces unique safety challenges: high vehicle movement, time pressures, manual handling, and complex interactions between people, plant, and products. Even well-run operations can suffer from near misses, high incident rates, and inconsistent compliance if systems aren’t joined up.
This case study explores how a national logistics provider transformed its safety performance through a comprehensive optimisation project. Over two years, the company reduced incidents, standardised processes across depots, and embedded a culture of safety ownership.
The Challenge
- Organisation size: 1,200 employees across 6 UK distribution centres.
- Fleet: 300 LGVs and 450 vans.
- Baseline issues:
- 36 reportable incidents in the previous year (mostly slips, trips, falls, manual handling injuries, and reversing accidents).
- Inconsistent safety practices between depots.
- High staff turnover among drivers and warehouse operatives.
- Morale surveys suggested staff felt “pressured to rush” at the expense of safety.
The leadership team set a bold target:
“Reduce workplace incidents by 50% in 24 months, while improving staff engagement and operational efficiency.”
Implementation Strategies
1. Leadership Commitment and Alignment
- Launched a Safety Optimisation Programme with board sponsorship.
- Appointed a Head of Logistics Safety to lead the project across all depots.
- Quarterly director site visits, including safety walkarounds with staff.
Impact: Demonstrated that safety was as important as delivery KPIs, setting the tone for cultural change.
2. Standardised Risk Assessments and Procedures
- Consolidated disparate risk assessments into a single group-wide template.
- Focus areas included:
- Vehicle-pedestrian segregation.
- Manual handling above shoulder height.
- Pallet stacking/unloading from containers.
- Reversing and loading bay safety.
- Introduced safe system of work (SSOW) documents for high-risk activities.
Impact: Staff could move between depots without confusion, and audits found clearer, more consistent controls.
3. Workforce Engagement and Training
- Conducted a safety perception survey at the start to benchmark culture.
- Introduced a “Safety Champion” scheme in each depot.
- Launched monthly toolbox talks on key hazards, supported by visual aids and practical demonstrations.
- Developed e-learning modules for drivers on defensive driving, fatigue, and load security.
Impact: Workforce felt their voice was heard; training completion rates exceeded 95% in the first year.
4. Engineering & Infrastructure Improvements
- Installed one-way traffic systems and speed-limiting technology in yards.
- Marked and barriered pedestrian walkways in warehouses and loading bays.
- Introduced dock leveller safety locks and improved edge protection at loading bays.
- Fitted LGVs with 360° cameras, side sensors, and audible reversing alarms.
Impact: Vehicle-related near misses reduced by 70% in Year 1.
5. Technology and Data Integration
- Rolled out a digital safety reporting system (accessible via mobile).
- Near misses, hazards, and corrective actions logged and tracked in real time.
- Dashboard provided leading indicators (e.g., hazard reports, training records) as well as lagging (accidents, claims).
Impact: Data allowed proactive intervention—e.g., fatigue risks identified from tachograph trends before incidents occurred.
6. Continuous Improvement and Accountability
- Monthly depot safety boards displayed key metrics.
- “You Said, We Did” boards used to show staff how concerns were acted upon.
- Annual group-wide safety conference shared best practice across depots.
- Performance tied into manager appraisals—safety KPIs weighted alongside productivity.
Impact: Accountability was embedded at every level, from operatives to directors.
Results After 24 Months
- Incident reduction: 58% fewer recordable incidents (from 36 to 15 annually).
- Vehicle-related incidents: Down 70%, thanks to segregation and technology.
- Manual handling injuries: Down 45%, aided by SSOWs and training.
- Near-miss reporting: Increased fourfold, showing stronger hazard awareness.
- Employee engagement: Safety perception survey showed 82% of staff agreed “Management takes safety seriously” (up from 54%).
- Financial impact: Insurance premiums reduced, claims costs down by ~£250,000 annually.
Lessons Learned
- Consistency is key. Standardising risk assessments across depots eliminated confusion and set clear expectations.
- Leadership visibility matters. Regular site walkarounds by directors-built credibility.
- Technology accelerates improvement. Cameras, sensors, and reporting systems gave early warnings and hard data.
- Staff engagement drives results. Safety Champions and toolbox talks built ownership from the ground up.
- Balance productivity and safety. The project proved that slowing down unsafe work improved efficiency overall.
Practical Takeaways for SMEs in Logistics
Even smaller operators can adopt the same principles:
- Mark out pedestrian and vehicle routes clearly in yards and warehouses.
- Invest in low-cost tech—dashcams, sensors, or mobile reporting apps.
- Keep training simple and regular—toolbox talks are often more effective than long classroom sessions.
- Empower staff with Stop Work Authority and celebrate good practice.
- Track leading indicators (near misses, training rates) rather than waiting for accidents.
Conclusion
The Logistics Safety Optimisation Project shows how systematic improvements can transform performance. By combining leadership, consistent standards, workforce engagement, technology, and continuous improvement, the company reduced incidents by more than half, improved morale, and saved hundreds of thousands in costs.
For logistics businesses, the message is clear: safety isn’t a trade-off with efficiency—it’s the foundation of sustainable operations.