Basic Instructions for External Truck Freight Forwarders

1. No person that could, due to age or limited physical or mental abilities, endanger traffic safety must participate in road traffic at the site of VÍTKOVICE STEEL a.s.

2. Vehicles may be driven only by persons that are sufficiently physically and mentally fit to do so, have the necessary command of the relevant vehicle including the knowledge of road traffic rules, and possess the necessary driving license.

3. Each traffic participant on the roads must:

  • be thoughtful and disciplined so as not to endanger by his/her conduct the life, health or property of other persons or of his own and no to damage the environment,
  • adapt his/her behaviour especially to the structural and technical condition of the roads, weather conditions, current traffic situation as well as to his/her own abilities and health condition,
  • respect light and possibly also accompanying acoustic signals, road signs, traffic systems and operational information systems,
  • maintain and respect oral and written instructions and bans, as well as any orders, information and warnings communicated in the form of safety signs, traffic signal lights or acoustic and light signals.

4. It is forbidden:

  • to carry to workplaces and into VÍTKOVICE STEEL buildings any devices such as weapons and to use cameras, radios, tape players, video devices and other similar devices on site.
  • Persons are not allowed to bring to VÍTKOVICE STEEL sites any alcoholic drinks or any other habit-forming substances.
  • Persons are obliged to wear suitable clothes and suitable footwear. In manufacturing areas, persons must wear enclosed footwear and clothes that cover their body.

5. All persons are obligated to:

  • arrive at the workplace sober and remain sober for the whole duration of their work. Employees may not consume alcoholic beverages or other addictive substances and must oblige to the request for testing to determine the presence of any such substances,
  • wear safety vest when entering the operation premises, especially the crane operating area,
  • obey the safety signs with information, orders and restrictions, all of which are situated at the entrance to the premises and directly in them. For example the "Do Not Enter Without a Safety Helmet" warning signifies that the personnel must actually wear the safety helmets on their heads,
  • enter the premises only if they are wearing their Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). These include work attire that covers the entire body, a safety helmet, safety goggles, appropriate footware with durable tip and firm heels. The requirements for further PPEs are subject to the specific conditions of individual workstations and their individual threats as described on the pictograms placed at the entrance to each workstation.

6. During all road traffic activity at VÍTKOVICE STEEL site, all road traffic participants must respect the relevant provisions of Law No. 361/2000 Coll. and Decree of the Ministry of Traffic No. 30/2001 Coll. On all roads and unless any special circumstances prevent that, drivers must always keep right and at the right edge of the road. Possible exceptions are ordered by the corresponding road sign. Driving or leaving vehicles in areas reserved for pedestrians is forbidden. The following regulations further apply to traffic on roads at VÍTKOVICE STEEL site:

  • The maximum speed on outdoor roads at VÍTKOVICE STEEL site is limited to 30 km/h, on railway crossroads to 20 km/h, and in halls and manufacturing areas where pedestrians' movement cannot be ruled out, as well as on parking places at VÍTKOVICE STEEL site and on the TENZONA road scale the speed limit is 5 km/h (walking speed). The permissible speed must be understood as the maximum limit while drivers must always adapt their driving speed to the given circumstances, especially to the structural condition and character of road, visibility distance, type of forwarded material and current road traffic situation. Driver is obliged to slow down or even stop in time whenever predictable circumstances require so.
  • When passing over railway crossings, special attention must be paid at the whole VÍTKOVICE STEEL site due to high frequency and irregularity of railway traffic (on both narrow-gauge and normal railway lines)

7. Upon arrival at Gatehouse 12, vehicle driver must report to the Gatehouse and process the required documents if necessary. Further, the driver must follow the instructions of VÍTKOVICE STEEL employees and external security company employees. The Freight Forwarder is obliged to meet general instructions and limitations of truck’s loading that are in more detail stated here.

8. Upon agreement per telephone with the responsible VÍTKOVICE STEEL employee, vehicle driver will drive to the agreed-upon place and wait there for the responsible employee, who will accompany him/her to the specified area identified by a sign or colour symbol on the ground, for unloading or loading. On this place, driver must park the vehicle, i.e. prevent it from unintentional movement (semi-trailers, single-axis trailers and articulated trailers must be supported), turn off the engine and undergo a safety training given by the responsible employee including a briefing on the loading or unloading procedure. Such training and briefing shall be recorded by the responsible employee by a record in the Briefing Logbook or a similar document.

9. When opening sidewalls and tail panel, the laden vehicle's driver must ensure that nobody can be hit by sidewalls, tail panel or released load.

10. If persons must step up to the cargo area, a safe ladder or another equivalent tool must be used.

11. Driving or leaving road vehicles on rails or in their direct vicinity is forbidden for any purpose whatsoever. When unloading material in regards to the railway or railway equipment, at least 3 metres of free and passable space must be kept free on both sides of the railway axis. Material must not be stacked to a pile higher than 1.5 m and bulky material may be bulked with the maximum slope of 45 degrees. Material must not be loaded close to railway crossroads because clear sight distance could be restricted.

12. If at a given workplace gripping tools (e.g. electromagnets, grabs, suction devices etc.), are used for load manipulation, user is obliged to prevent, as far as possible, unauthorized persons from accessing the operating area of such workplace; such workplaces must be provided with warning signs and (where necessary) with barriers at all entrances. At these workplaces, user must ensure safety of persons who are not VÍTKOVICE STEEL employees; including especially external organizations' employees staying or working within cranes' operating areas or in their dangerous vicinity.

13. Only qualified employee with the necessary authorization may bind and suspend loads on the hook of lifting equipment. Such employee must always wear a safety helmet with an orange disc.

14. When loading or unloading a road vehicle, its driver or assistant driver must leave the truck cab and must not be participate in the loading or unloading operation. Loading/unloading supervisor or slinger must previously discuss with the truck driver the method of seating and distributing the load on the vehicle.

15. In case of road vehicles that are loaded using gripping equipment and if the crane's lifting stroke does not allow safe passage of load above the sidewall or tail panel, such sidewall or tail panel must be lifted down.

16. Slinger must keep watching the suspended load for its entire travel distance and make sure it is not transported above employees or other persons or vehicles. Slinger must never stay below a suspended load and must always warn other employees about the motion of a transported load.

17. When unloading, crane operator must place the crane above the load, slinger must use a ladder to step on the vehicle, sling the load and give the crane operator a sign to lift the load up. After lifting the load up and making sure it is stable, the slinger must leave the vehicle's loading area and further control the transport of such load up to the place of deposition. During all the transporting, the slinger must monitor both the load and the surrounding traffic and ensure its safe movement. Once the load is place to the designated area, the slinger must ensure its safe deposition, unbind the slings, hang them on the hook and get back to the vehicle. These operations repeat until unloading is completed. After terminating these handling operations, unbinding the load and hanging slings on hook, the crane operator must lift the sheave block to a safe height and ride the crane to the designated area and wait there for slinger's further instructions. It is forbidden to deposit or lean loads on sidewalls of vehicles as well as to deposit loads to traffic route areas.

18. When loading a vehicle, crane operator must ride the crane to the vehicle upon slinger's instruction. While doing so, the load must be suspended on the crane with the necessary handling clearance above the relevant vehicle's manipulation level. Upon slinger's instruction, crane operator must move the load above the vehicle's loading area so as to prevent any damage to the vehicle. The load must be deposited on the vehicle so that any bumps against the loading surface and subsequently against the vehicle's suspension are avoided. Once the load is deposited on the loading area, crane operator must remove the crane block from this area, again with maximum care in order to avoid any damage to the vehicle. If the load must be directed while depositing, slinger must use a ladder to access the loading surface and then in a suitable and safe manner (e.g. using tools) ensure correct positioning of the load. When accessing or leaving the loading surface of the vehicle, slinger is must step back to a safe distance.

19. Driving or leaving road vehicles on rails or in their direct proximity (less than 3.5 m from the rail's axis) is forbidden for any purpose whatsoever.

20. It is forbidden to walk or drive over rails apart from designated railway crossings. Rail yards may be accessed only by persons demonstrably trained and fit to do so pursuant to the applicable legal regulation.

21. Traffic bans at designated sites and areas must be permanently and visibly identified by the corresponding traffic signs.

22. Entrance bans for employees to designated sites and areas must be permanently and visibly identified by the corresponding warning signs.

23. At shift changes i.e. as employees come to work/leave work, drivers and pedestrians must keep consideration and take maximum care, especially at pedestrian crossroads and on roads without a detached footpath. At this time, movement of vehicles must be limited to the operationally indispensable minimum.