Fleets have been advised to ensure they remain focussed on effective road risk management after the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) new strategy document failed to cover drivers who are killed or injured while driving for work mentioned.

Fleets have been reminded that they have a legal duty to manage the safety of their drivers and should read anything into the fact that the HSE does not discuss this critical area in its new strategy.

“How ironic that the last chapter of the latest HSE strategy document is entitled ‘Driving change for the better’ because nowhere in this apology for an action plan is driving for work purposes actually referred to,” said Steve Johnson director of communications at DriveTech, which specialises in training working drivers to be safer on the road.

“To totally overlook such a serious threat to the welfare of the UK workforce is amazing but to an extent understandable, given that it is not a requirement to notify the HSE of vehicle-related incidents in the workplace.”

This lack of a need to report accidents in involving at-work drivers within the RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) regulations is the focus of a current RoSPA campaign.

According to Dr Will Murray of Interactive Driving Systems using the road for business is the single largest cause of work-related fatalities.

“Estimates suggest that that there are about four times more work-related road-related fatalities than non-vehicle based occupational fatalities in the UK,” he said, pointing out that fleet managers should not interpret the HSE’s lack of focus on at-work drivers as meaning it is not a critical issue.

“The HSE is taking a role in helping fleet managers by working with Department for Transport and police to develop guidance and enforcement on driving for work,” he said.

“The HSE could do more, for example more on enforcement, stronger guidance, making on-road incidents reportable, but in reality no fleet manager worth their socks would not take a proactive approach to managing road safety.”

The government’s ‘Work-related Road Safety’ document can be used by fleet managers.
“Although the document is only a guidance, it has become a minimum benchmark standard for organisations to work to,” said Murray.

A HSE spokesman added: “Although we don't enforce in this area we have produced free guidance that can be downloaded from our website.”

He also reminded fleet managers that managing the risks to employees who drive at work requires more than just compliance with road traffic legislation.

Legally, as a minimum, organisations should be complying with the guidance, and should be able to answer the following 10 questions positively in relation to their road risks:

1. Are we familiar and compliant with the Road Traffic Act (1998) and Road Safety Act (2006)?

2. Are we familiar and compliant with the current edition of the Highway Code?

3. Are we familiar and compliant with the Association of Chief Police Officers Road Death Investigation Manual?

4. Are we familiar and compliant with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and Managing Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999)?

5. Are we familiar and compliant with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998)?

6. Are we familiar and compliant with the Working Time Regulations (1998) and recent amendments?

7. Are we familiar and compliant with the mobile phone use whilst driving regulations (2003) and the recent Howden case where a company director was successfully prosecuted for Death by careless driving after being involved in a road fatality while driving and talking on her hands free mobile phone?

8. Are we familiar and compliant with the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act (2007)?

9. Are we familiar and compliant with EU directives on issues such as compulsory driver training, the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and unlicensed driving?

10. Are we familiar and compliant with the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008?