An industry-first safety innovation developed by one of the UK’s largest fuel suppliers and a highly-experienced tanker manufacturer is transforming how engineers work at height on fuel tankers.
Watson Fuels collaborated with its tanker manufacturing partner Cobo to develop integrated safety runners which are built directly into a tanker’s structure.
The innovation removes the risk to operatives from stepping onto a tanker from an access ladder, as they clip their harness straight into the runner before stepping onto the vehicle.
A patent application has been submitted for the design, recognising its originality and significance within the sector – and its value was further recognised with a Fuel Distribution Association (UKIFDA) Innovation Award at UKIFDA’s annual conference in Liverpool in April.
Daniel Brain, chief operating officer at Watson Fuels, said: “Working on top of a tanker has always presented challenges. While a number of safety systems already exist, many introduce additional risks, inefficiencies or operational complexity.
“We knew there had to be a better way, so we worked with Cobo to develop a system which removed compromise altogether.”
Joby Clark, UK operations manager at Cobo, said: “After an initial conversation with Glenn Tyrie – compliance, fleet and engineering director at Watson Fuels – it was clear that we shared the same ambitions to improve compliance and health and safety in our industry.
“In the space of six weeks, we went from discussing the initial idea to designing a prototype that is completely new to our industry. The creation of this solution reflects the joint commitment of Watson Fuels and Cobo to continuous improvement, practical innovation and raising safety standards across our sector.”
The solution was developed to tackle common issues faced by operatives, including time‑consuming installation and maintenance and repeated clipping and unclipping, which creates unsafe transition points.
Solutions have previously been limited to heavy or costly equipment requiring specialist facilities, which are burdened with a slow and inefficient setup process.
“With the new solution, as an engineer reaches the top of the access ladder, they clip their harness straight into the runner before stepping onto the tanker, removing transfer risk entirely,” added Joby.
“Once connected, they can move freely and safely along the vehicle with no additional setup, no repeated clipping and unclipping and no requirement for extra equipment.
“The result is a streamlined system that prioritises safety, efficiency and ease of use.”
Daniel Brain said the innovation is a great example of how valuable it is to challenge long-standing industry practices to make meaningful improvements to safety.
“By working closely with our partners and listening to the realities engineers face every day, we’ve delivered a solution that removes risk rather than managing it - and that’s exactly the kind of progress our industry needs,” he said.
“The award is testament to the dedication, creativity and determination of our fleet team, and to the power of close collaboration with trusted partners such as Cobo.”
The system was showcased on a Watson Fuels tanker at the UKIFDA event and will now be featured on all Watson Fuels trucks manufactured in partnership with Cobo.
For more information on Watson Fuels, visit https://watsonfuels.co.uk.
For more information on Cobo, visit https://cisternascobo.com/en/
