Page 26 - BOSS Today Issue 19

HEALTH & SAFETY

OCCUPATIONAL ROAD RISK:

ARE YOU

MANAGING IT?

t has been estimated that managed within the company’s the business. Also, under the are made to vehicles.
a third of all road traffic Health & Safety Management Management of Health & Safety The following considerations
Iaccidents involve someone plan. at Work Regulations 1999, will help employers manage
who is at work, so the HSE Of course, promoting employers are required to carry road safety effectively:
are encouraging employers to recognised safe driving out a risk assessment of the
provide better management practices can encourage safer hazards and risks of activities Plan
of driving risks within the driving outside of work, and this and to review them periodically. The vehicles used within the
businesses. Essentially can help reduce the chances of The best way to manage business (including company
this means the sensible employees being injured in a road risk effectively is to ensure vehicles and employees’
management of occupational road traffic accident. that control of this hazard is vehicles, if used for work) should
road risk and working closely integrated into the company’s be reviewed for annual mileage
with employees to ensure full What Are The Legal safety management system. and any incidents, including
and correct implementation. Requirements? This particularly includes the why they were caused and any
Many employers are under But what are an employer’s organisation’s policies and associated costs.
the impression that if they legal requirements? There culture, its management The practices of other
simply comply with traffic law are additional duties within systems, responsibilities and companies should be
requirements (ie a valid driving the Road Traffic Act and monitoring processes. researched and employees
licence, vehicle insurance and Road Vehicle Regulations. When assessing any driving canvassed to obtain their views
valid MOT certificate), that this Furthermore, the Health & activities, employers should on road safety.
is enough to ensure that their Safety at Work etc Act 1974 follow the same principles as A short policy should then
employees are safe whilst out requires employers to protect any other work activity risk be developed stating how
on the road for the business. their employees and to ensure assessments. Assessments the company will manage
However, under certain aspects that others are not put at risk must be reviewed whenever road risk, and this should be
of health and safety legislation, by their work-related activities, new routes or equipment are communicated to all staff.
road activities must be which includes staff driving for introduced, and if any changes Once they understand their

26 BOSS TODAY | October 2013

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