Shoreham Port has been nominated for the 2026 Innovation in Safety Awards organised by ICHCA International and supported by TT Club, following the development of an in-house ‘dunnage placement tool’.
The nomination relates to a device designed to reduce risks during timber loading operations. Shoreham Port handles around 150 vessel calls each year, with approximately 40 Port Operatives responsible for landside discharge and the loading of more than 12,000 lorries annually.
While most timber packs arrive with dunnage attached, some require repositioning or additional placement once on a vehicle. Historically, this could involve working at height.
Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, according to the Health and Safety Executive’s latest published statistics, and are also a significant contributor to non-fatal injuries.
Shoreham Port identified this exposure as an area requiring mitigation within its landside operations.
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The ‘dunnage placement tool’ enables operatives to position timber spacers from ground level. The device holds the dunnage at a fixed angle at the end of a lightweight pole, allowing it to be placed accurately without climbing onto the lorry bed.
It is also designed to secure the material sufficiently to reduce the risk of it slipping during handling.
Development was carried out internally in collaboration with operational staff. An initial steel prototype was considered too heavy for safe use. A revised aluminium version addressed weight concerns, and further modifications were made to improve ergonomics and working angle.
After several iterations and trials, the final design was introduced into routine use. The tool’s safe working load was independently assessed before implementation.
Since the tool was introduced, the port reported that working at height was no longer required during this stage of the loading process, adding that loading volumes had remained unaffected and that no accidents or near misses had been recorded in connection with the revised procedure.
The winners of the 2026 TT Club Innovation in Safety Awards will be announced on 25 February 2026.
For more information:
TT Club – https://www.ttclub.com/
ICHCA – https://ichca.com/
