Occupational Road Risk - Drivers
Who is responsible for at work Road Risk?
Those who are responsible for health and safety. Managers who fail to provide evidence of adequate policies and procedures, risk prosecution and
even imprisonment. The HSE states any employer, manager or supervisor with staff who drive, ride or cycle at work, and in particular those
with responsibility for fleet management, are responsible for ensuring at work road safety.
Who is protected by the Law?
All staff who need to drive as part of their work. This covers staff who drive as a job, and those who drive occasionally or for short
distances e.g. travelling to and from meetings, site visits, and travelling to and from home to a non-permanent place of work. The law
also covers both company and privately owned vehicles.
What does the Law require?
Essentially the requirements are to comply with existing Health and Safety laws, which include:
- Ensure company vehicles are roadworthy and comply with road traffic laws and regulations;
- As far as practical, to protect the health and safety of all employees at work (including in vehicles) and ensure others are not put at risk by work-elated activities;
- Take responsibility for managing health and safety effectively;
- Monitor and review risk assessments, and health and safety policies and procedures, and;
- Consult with employees on health and safety matters.
What are the benefits of having H&S Policies and Procedures in place to manage at work Road Safety?
Primarily, to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury accidents on our roads, and protect those who are responsible for ensuring
the health and safety of staff from prosecution and possible imprisonment. However, there are also plenty of hidden benefits that will
improve the efficiency and profitability of organisations, including:
- Reduced insurance claims and premiums;
- Fewer staff days lost due to injury;
- Less time spent on investigation and paperwork;
- Fewer vehicles off the road for repair;
- Fewer missed orders and business opportunities, reducing the risk of lost orders and customers;
Does my organisation need to have/review its existing Policies and Procedures to manage at work Road Safety?
In a word 'Yes'. If your organisation employs five or more staff and you answer 'No' to any of the following questions,
we urge you to seek help and advice as soon as possible.
- Are you fully aware of the laws relating to the Health and Safety of staff driving at work?
- Does your organisation have specific policies and procedures to cover drivers, vehicles (company and privately owned) and journeys?
- Does your organisation regularly monitor and review its policies and procedures?
- Do you know who is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring policies and procedures to manage at work road safety, within your organisation?
- Do your staff receive licence checks, driver assessments and training before driving at work?
- Are you confident that sufficient policies and procedures are in place to ensure that the organisation is not open to possible prosecution in the event of an at work collision involving an employee?
How we can Help?
We will carry out a review of your Policy and Procedure, assess your current Risk Assessments and ensure that the relevant checks and
driver assessments are in place.
We will coach your vehicle users to drive in a manner and style that minimises their crash likelihood and gain access to all the benefits
shown above. All of our on-road trainers are experienced in corporate driver training, and are fully licensed by the Driving Standards
Agency. They also hold the licence for the vehicle in which they are teaching and are well versed in up to date training techniques. All
hold advanced driving qualifications with either ROSPA or the IAM.
Further Information:
For information regarding Driver Assessments and Training, please email training@fdat.net
