managing vehicle safety at the

MANAGING

VEHICLE

SAFETY

AT THE

WORKPLACELeaflet for employers

This leaflet is addressed to youas an employer. It offers simpleadvice and guidance to help youensure that vehicle movementsat the workplace, and activitiessuch as loading, maintenance etcare carried out safely.

It applies to any vehicle or pieceof mobile equipment which isused by employers, employees,self-employed people or visitorsin any work setting (apart fromtravelling on public roads). Thiscovers a very wide range offamiliar vehicles, for example

cars and vans, lift trucks, heavygoods vehicles, dumpers etc, aswell as less common vehiclesand plant.

The leaflet should be useful forall workplaces where vehiclesare used. For workplaces suchas construction sites, quarries,farms, forestry operations etc,you should refer to specificguidance on dealing with theparticular conditions and hazardsin these industries (see page 12for details).

Leaflet for employers

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INTRODUCTION

Every year about 70 people arekilled in accidents involvingvehicles at the workplace. Inaddition, there are more than1000 major injuries, ie accidentswhich result in broken bones,

amputations etc. Theseaccidents usually involve peoplebeing struck or run over bymoving vehicles, people fallingfrom vehicles, people beingstruck by objects falling from

ACCIDENTS - NUMBERS,COSTS AND CAUSES

vehicles (usually part of the load)or vehicles overturning.Cars and other types of vehicleare extremely common, both onpublic roads and at workplaces.Consequently employers andemployees often do notrecognise - until a seriousaccident actually happens - thatvehicle activities can be verydangerous, and need to beproperly managed to ensure asafe workplace.


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THE LEGAL DUTIES� Employers have a duty toprovide a safe workplace, toprovide and maintain safesystems of work, and to take allreasonably practicableprecautions to ensure the safetyof their workers and members ofthe public who might be affectedby their activities.

� To underpin this, employersmust carry out a ‘riskassessment’. They need to:

(a) assess the risks to theirworkers and anyone else, forexample members of thepublic, arising from theirwork activities; and

(b) determine what measuresthey need to take to ensure asafe workplace and safeworking practices and tocomply with their legalduties.

� Where two or moreemployers share a workplace,each employer must co-operatewith the other employers andtake all reasonable steps to co-ordinate the measures they taketo comply with their legal duties.

� All employees must takecare of their own and others’safety and co-operate withmanagement in meeting theirobligations.


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The following paragraphs giveadvice on how you, as anemployer, might carry out a riskassessment, with examplesrelating to workplace transport.(The checklist on pages 6 - 11

provides a guide to some of themain points to consider.)

Five steps have been identifiedto help you assess the riskssystematically.

l First, you need to identifythe hazards associated withvehicle activities at theworkplace. To do this, look ateach of the work activitiesassociated with vehicles, forexample the arrival anddeparture of vehicles, theirmovement within the workplace,work on loading and unloadingetc, and ask: What are the

WHAT DO YOUACTUALLY NEED TO DO?

dangers, and what is causingthose dangers? For example:

� Is there a danger of peoplebeing struck or run over byvehicles and what is the cause?

� Is there a danger of peoplefalling from vehicles, for examplewhile gaining access to oralighting from the vehicle or whileinvolved in loading/unloading orother activities, and what is thecause?

2 You should then identify whomight be harmed by each of thehazards. This is likely to includedrivers, other employees,customers and possiblymembers of the public.

3 Then, for each hazard, youshould evaluate the risks, ie thelikelihood that harm will occurand its severity, and assesswhether existing precautions areadequate or whether moreprecautions are needed. Ineffect, you should ask: Havesuitable measures been taken toreduce this risk, and are the

measures adequate? If youdecide that some risks have notbeen controlled well enough youwill need to take steps to reducethem so far as is reasonablypracticable.

4 If you have fewer than fiveemployees you do not need torecord anything, but if you havefive or more employees you mustrecord the significant findings ofyour assessment. This means:

(a) recording, usually by writingdown, the more significanthazards; and

(b) recording your mostimportant conclusions, forexample: Risk of collision as aresult of blind bend: need toinstall fixed mirror on corner ofbuilding. You must also informyour employees of your findings.

5 Sooner or later you willintroduce new vehicles or changethe traffic routes, or the nature ofthe work activities relating tovehicles will change, possiblyleading to new hazards. Where


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there is a new hazard, the riskassessment will need revision.In any case, it is good practice to

review the risk assessment fromtime to time to check that it is stillrelevant.


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CHECKLISTThe following checklist indicatesthings that you should look atwhen:

(a) trying to identify the hazardsassociated with vehicle activities;and

(b) assessing whether existingprecautions are adequate.

It also gives some common-

sense ideas for reducing risks.The checklist will not necessarilybe comprehensive or relevant forall work situations.

The workplace

1 Check that the layout ofroutes is appropriate for thevehicle and pedestrian activitiesat the workplace. For example:

� Are vehicles and pedestrianskept safely apart?

� Are there suitable pedestriancrossing points on vehicleroutes?

� Are there suitable parkingareas for all parking needs?

� Do the vehicle routes avoidsharp or blind bends?

� Is there scope for introducinga one-way system on vehicleroutes within the workplace toreduce the risk of collisions?

2 Check that vehicle trafficroutes are suitable for the typeand quantity of vehicles whichuse them. For example:

� Are they wide enough?

� Are they well constructed, iedo they have firm and evensurfaces?

� Are they free fromobstructions and other hazards?

� Are they well maintained?

3 Check that suitable safetyfeatures are provided whereappropriate. For example:

� Are roadways marked wherenecessary, eg to indicate theright of way at road junctions?

� Is there a need for directionsigns, speed limit signs, and,where applicable, signs such asGive way, No entry etc?

� Is there a need for featuressuch as fixed mirrors to providegreater vision at blind bends,road humps to reduce vehiclespeeds, or barriers to keepvehicles and pedestrians apart?

The vehicles

4 Check that vehicles at yourworkplace are safe and suitablefor the work for which they arebeing used. For example:

� Do they have suitable andeffective service and parkingbrakes?

� Are they provided with horns,lights, reflectors, reversing lightsand other safety features asnecessary?

� Do they have seats and,where necessary, seat belts thatare safe and allow for drivercomfort?

� Are there guards ondangerous parts of the vehicles,eg power take-offs, chain drives,exposed exhaust pipes?


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� Do drivers need protectionagainst bad weather conditions,or against an unpleasant workingenvironment, eg against the cold,dirt, dust, fumes, and excessivenoise and vibration?

� Is there a safe means ofaccess to and exit from the cabsand other parts that need to bereached?

� Is there a need for driverprotection against injury in theevent of an overturn, and toprevent the driver being hit byfalling objects?

5 Check that the vehicles aresubject to appropriatemaintenance procedures.

For example:

� Do drivers carry out basicsafety checks before usingvehicles?

� Is there a regular preventivemaintenance programme foreach vehicle, carried out atpredetermined intervals of timeor mileage?

Drivers and otheremployees

6 Check that your selectionand training procedures ensurethat your drivers and otheremployees are capable ofperforming their work activities ina safe and responsible manner.For example:

� Do you check the previousexperience of your drivers andtest them to ensure that they arecompetent?

� Do you provide training onhow to do the job and informationabout particular hazards ?

� Do you have a planned


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programme of refresher trainingfor drivers and other employeesto ensure their continuedcompetence?

7 Check what your drivers andother employees actually dowhen undertaking their workactivities. For example:

� Do your drivers drive withcare, eg use the correct routes,drive within the speed limit at thesite and follow any other siterules?

� Do they park safely, and insafe locations?

� Are your employees usingsafe working practices, eg whenloading/unloading, securingloads, carrying out maintenanceetc?

� Do your drivers and otheremployees have to rush tocomplete their work on time, or isthere a risk of accidents causedby fatigue as a result ofexcessive working hours?

8 Check, in consultation with

your employees, that your levelof management control/supervision is suitable. Forexample:

� Are your supervisors, driversand other employees, includingcontractors and visiting drivers,aware of the site rules and awareof their responsibilities in terms ofmaintaining a safe workplace andsafe working practices?

� Is everyone at the workplacesupervised and held accountablefor their responsibilities, and is aclear system of penaltiesenforced when employees,contractors etc fail to maintainstandards?


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Vehicle activities

9 Check that the need forREVERSING manoeuvres is keptto a minimum, and wherereversing is necessary that it isundertaken safely and in safeareas. For example:

� Is there scope for introducingone-way systems on routes toreduce the need for reversingmanoeuvres?

� Is there a need to identifyand mark ‘reversing areas’ sothat these are clear to bothdrivers and pedestrians?

� Can you exclude non-essential personnel from areas

where reversing is common?

� Is there a need for a signaller(banksman) to direct reversingvehicles?

� Are there external side-mounted and rear-view mirrorson vehicles to provide optimumall-round visibility?

� Do the vehicles havereversing alarms?

10 Check that drivers take carewhen PARKING their vehicles,including their own private cars,and that they park in safelocations. For example:

� Do your drivers use thedesignated parking areas?

� Do they always ensure thattheir vehicles and trailers aresecurely braked and securedbefore leaving them parked?

11 Check that LOADING ANDUNLOADING operations arecarried out safely. For example:

� Are loading/unloading


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operations carried out in an areaaway from passing traffic,pedestrians and others notinvolved in the loading/unloadingoperation?

� Are loading/unloadingactivities carried out using safesystems of work on ground thatis flat, firm and free from pot-holes?

� Are the vehicles brakedand/or stabilised, as appropriate,to prevent unsafe movementsduring loading and unloadingoperations?

� Is the loading/unloadingcarried out so that, as far aspossible, the load is spreadevenly to avoid the vehicle ortrailer becoming unstable?

� Are checks made to ensurethat loads are secured andarranged so that they cannotmove about, eg slide forward ifthe driver has to brake suddenly,or slide off if the vehicle has tonegotiate steep inclines?

� Are there checks to ensurethat vehicles are not loadedbeyond their capacity?


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More comprehensive guidance isgiven in Workplace transportsafety (HSG136, ISBN 0 71760935 9) available from HSEBooks. It provides detailedadvice to help those concernedwith all forms of workplacetransport to secure a safeworkplace for vehicles and forpedestrians, and to comply withtheir health and safetyresponsibilities (see page 15 fororder form).

Further advice and guidance isalso available in the followingHSC/E publications:

Management of health and safetyat work Approved Code ofPractice L21 Management ofHealth and Safety at WorkRegulations 1999. ApprovedCode of Practice and guidance2000 ISBN 0 7176 2488 9

Successful health and safetymanagement HSG65 1997 ISBN0 7176 1276 7

Five steps to risk assessmentINDG163 (single copies free;ISBN 0 7176 1565 0 for pricedpacks of 10 copies)

Tractor action INDG185 1995(single copies free; ISBN 0 71760920 0 for priced packs of 10leaflets and a wallchart)

Safety in working with lift trucksHSG6 2000 ISBN 0 7176 1781 5

Health and safety in motorvehicle repair 1997 HSG67ISBN 0 7176 0483 7

Reversing vehicles INDG1481993 (single copies free; ISBN 07176 1063 2 for priced packs of15 copies)

Health and safety in retail andwholesale warehouses HSG761992 ISBN 0 11 885731 2

Workplace health, safety andwelfare: A short guide formanagers INDG244 1997(single copies free; ISBN 0 71761328 3 for priced packs of 10copies)


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FURTHER INFORMATION

HSE priced and free publicationsare available by mail order from:

HSE BooksPO Box 1999Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WATel: 01787 881165Fax: 01787 313995Website: www.hsebooks.co.uk

HSE priced publications are alsoavailable from all goodbooksellers.

For other enquiries ring HSE’sInfoLine Tel: 08701 545500Fax: 02920 859260 e-mail:[email protected] or write to HSE

Information Services, CaerphillyBusiness Park, Caerphilly CF833GG. You can also visit HSE’swebsite: www.hse.gov.uk

This leaflet contains notes ongood practice which are notcompulsory but which youmay find helpful in consideringwhat you need to do.

This leaflet is available in packsof 10, £5.00/pack, from HSEBooks, ISBN 0 7176 0982 0.Single copies are also availablefree from HSE Books.


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This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement

or commercial purposes. The information it contains is current at 5/95. Please

acknowledge the source as HSE.

C250 INDG199 5/02

Printed and published by the Health and Safety Executive


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Order form

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Return this form to: HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995


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