Work Related Road Safety - Employers Responsibilities
Some employers are misguided and believe that providing they if they comply with certain road traffic laws, such as ensuring that their companies vehicles have valid MOT certificates, they are doing enough to ensure the safety of their employees whilst they are driving.
Health and safety law requires employers, and individuals who are self-employed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare of all employees, at all times. Employers also have a responsibility to ensure that others are not put at risk by the work activities of their employees.
Although the driver is ultimately responsible for how a vehicle is driven on the road the employer can have a
significant influence on what the driver does. For example, the imposition of unrealistic delivery schedules,
inadequate training and failure to properly maintain vehicles all increase the risk of road accidents.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require every employer to carry out an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees, or themselves, whilst they are at work, and to other people who may be affected by their work activities. This includes any driving activity on the road.
The regulations require the risk assessment to be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains valid. Employers should consider the risks to employees on the road in the same way as for those in a workplace.
For further information or consultancy on the above, please call us on 0845 64392 80
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