Machinery transportation management: Case study of "plant-trailer" H&S incidents

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate causal agents of health and safety (H&S) incidents among “plant-trailers” (as used by construction and utility contractors to transport mechanical machinery); including the relationship(s) of such incidents to routine safety inspections and, plant maintenance functions. Design/methodology/approach – H&S plant-trailer incident data, from a collaborating UK-based case study utility company are analysed using inductive, interpretative and descriptive statistical methods. Findings – Principal incident occurrences relate to trailer wheels, wheel bearings, tyres and braking systems. All forms of incidents observed harbour significant risk and especially, if they occur during travel on public highways. Derived recommendations for incident mitigation and control, suggest a requirement for improved human behaviour, machinery inspection regimes and maintenance systems. Research limitations/implications – The findings will be valuable to academia as a basis for advancing this new research subject, both empirically and internationally. Direction is offered in this respect. Practical implications – Recommendations will be of practical relevance to machinery management practitioners generally and to plant-trailer stakeholders more specifically. For the latter, the study encourages introspective consideration of plant-trailer H&S systems. Originality/value – No previous research has targeted these issues relating to plant-trailers.