HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ROAD HAULAGE

Do you employ people in general haulage and warehousing, wholesale and retail distribution, or specialised haulage such as car transport, bulk materials and bulk liquids? Each of these may have particular hazards but in every industry where deliveries are made drivers are exposed to significant hazards arising simply from the day-to-day activities of the job.

This information is one step towards helping all employers in road haulage and distribution, especially those running small and medium-sized businesses to do a better job of ensuring their employees’ health and safety.
Although it draws on information from the haulage and distribution industry, almost everything here will apply to every operator of commercial vehicles.

Over the last five years, accident reports show that nearly 60 employees were killed and 5000 seriously injured in haulage and distribution - simply doing their job. Another 23 000 suffered injuries severe enough to keep them off work more than three days. These figures take no account of work-related ill health, for example from bad backs or stress. This represents a higher rate of accidents to employees than either construction or agriculture, both widely regarded as hazardous industries.

MANAGING HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and safety is seen by many people as so much paperwork, red tape, expense and boring rules and regulations that are difficult to understand and stop you running your business easily.
Even if you don’t think this way, many people in business believe that because they have had few or no accidents all that is needed is basic common sense and that, in any case, most common accidents these days are unavoidable.
Relying on people to use their common sense works fine until something does go wrong. When that means someone gets killed or seriously injured, it can suddenly look a bit of an inadequate approach. Too many employers live to regret not taking health and safety more seriously before an accident, rather than after one of their employees has been badly injured at work.

Controlling health and safety risks is not that difficult. It can be achieved with a little effort, needn’t cost a lot and doing it right can make good business sense. If nothing else, there can be benefits from reduced claims for compensation and lower insurance premiums.