HSE Publishes Guidance on Work-related Road Safety

The HSE has published its long-awaited guidance on work-related road safety, aimed at alerting employers and the self-employed to the fact that their responsibilities under current health and safety law extend to driving at work. The HSE guidance complements the Workplacelaw Network's existing model policy and guidance note.

The guidance covers employers' legal responsibilities, and how to manage work-related road safety, including the following advice about conducting a risk assessment for driving at work:

Step 1 - Look for hazards that may result in harm when driving on public roads. The range of hazards will be wide and the main areas to think about are the driver, the vehicle and the journey.

Step 2 - Decide who might be harmed. You should also consider whether there are any groups who may be particularly at risk, such as young or newly qualified drivers and those driving long distances.

Step 3 - Evaluate the risk and decide whether existing precautions are adequate or more should be done. Among other things, you should think about how to control the risk, applying the principles set out below:

- Consider whether your policy on the allocation of company cars actively encourages employees to drive rather than consider alternative means of transport.
- Consider an alternative to driving, for example, going at least part of the way by train.
- Try to avoid situations where employees feel under pressure, for example, avoid making unrealistic claims about delivery schedules and attendance which may encourage drivers to drive too fast for the conditions, or exceed speed limits.
- Organise maintenance work to reduce the risk of vehicle failure.
- Ensure that drivers and passengers are adequately protected in the event of an incident, for example ensure that seatbelts, and where installed airbags, are correctly fitted, and so on.
- Ensure that company policy covers the important aspects of the Highway Code,1 such as not exceeding speed limits.

Step 4 - Record your findings.

Step 5 - Review your assessment and revise it if necessary. You will need to monitor and review your assessment to ensure that the risks to those who drive, and others, are suitably controlled.

The production of generic guidance was a key recommendation of an independent Work-related Road Safety Task Group back in December 2001.

More Information

- Copies of 'Driving at Work: Managing Work-related Road Safety' (INDG382) are available free of charge from HSE Books, tel. 01787 881165 or online (PDF format) from:
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg382.pdf

- 'Driving at Work Policy and Management Guide, Version 1.0' (ISBN 1-900648-29-6, £74.99) is available as an electronic download from the Workplacelaw Network online - www.workplacelaw.net/eshop - or by calling 0870 777 8881. 10% discount available to members of the Workplacelaw Network, BIFM, RICS, IFMA or RIBA. Please quote ref. 1319 when ordering.
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.