Drivers are at the coal face of road safety –

Prestige look at “What is an Employers Responsibility to improve Road Safety?”

25.11.2011

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that up to a third of all road traffic accidents involve somebody who is at work at the time.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 800 to 1000 deaths a year are in some way work related.  Many bosses have ignored this problem in the past, but the Health and Safety Executive has now made it clear that employers have a duty under Health and Safety law to manage the risks faced by their works on the road.

Whether you provide vehicles or expect employees to drive their own vehicle for work purposes, all employers should ensure that they assess the risks associated with driving as part of working for the organisation and have a clear policy to address the issues.

There will always be risks associated with driving. Although these cannot be completely controlled, an employer has a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to manage these risks down to as low a level as reasonably possible in the same way as they would in the workplace.

Prestige recommend the following ways that Employers can reduce the risks around Drivers at Work

1.    Assess the risks – Carry out a Risk assessment on the Risks facing your drivers
2.    Developing a Driver at Work Policy
3.    Ensure that staff are aware of the policy and that you regularly review and communicate the policy
4.    Review working alone within this policy
5.    Provision for eye sight testing for driving use
6.    Annual Checks - If you are requiring staff/ volunteers to use their own vehicles, ensure that you annually check that those staff are licensed to drive the vehicle and the vehicle is insured for business purposes

Most road carnage is caused by drivers failing to follow the most important and basic road safety laws, what we and our employees do while driving determines whether people live or die – Employers can make a difference to reduce this!!

Take Action today on World Road Safety Awareness Day (Road Safety Awareness Week 21-25 November 2011)