NEBOSH International General Certificate in

Occupational Safety and Health

Unit IGC2

Element 2: Transport Hazards

and Risk Control

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Learning Outcomes
On completion of this element, you should be able to demonstrate
understanding of the content through the application
of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In particular you
should be able to:

• Explain the hazards and control measures for

the safe movement of vehicles in the workplace
• Outline the factors associated with driving at
work that increase the risk of an incident and
the control measures to reduce work-related
driving risks

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Unit IGC 2
Element 2.1

Safe Movement of Vehicles in the

Workplace

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 Hazards in Vehicle Operations

Hazards arise from:

• Loss of control – due to mechanical
or environmental reasons
• Overturning – laterally or
longitudinally
• Collisions with other vehicles
• Collisions with pedestrians and fixed
objects
• Driver error may cause or compound
each of these hazards

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Hazards in Vehicle Operations

Factors than can cause loss of control:
• Driver error, e.g. driving too fast
• Environmental conditions, e.g. mud on the
road
• Mechanical failure, e.g. brakes fail
– skid
– collision
– overturn of the vehicle

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Group Syndicate Exercise

What could cause a forklift truck to

overturn?

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 Forklift Trucks
Factors that can cause a FLT to overturn:
• Cornering whilst being driven too fast
• Uneven loading of the forks
• Driving over potholes
• Driving with the load elevated,
especially cornering
• Uneven tyre pressures
• Driving across a slope (rather than
straight up/down the fall line)
• Excessive braking
• Collisions, especially with kerbs
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Lateral Instability

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Collisions
Collisions can occur between the vehicle and:
• Other vehicles
• Pedestrians
• Fixed objects

• Entrance and exit points of particular concern:

– bottlenecking of vehicles
– blind spots
– change in lighting levels

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 Collisions
Factors that can increase the risk of collisions:
• Driving too fast
• Inadequate lighting
• Reversing without the help of a banksman
• Blind spots, such as corners and entrances
• Bad weather conditions (e.g. rain)
• Obstructed visibility (e.g. overloaded forklift truck)
• Poor design of pedestrian walkways and crossing
points
• Lack of vehicle maintenance

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Non-Movement Related Hazards

• Loading
e.g. manual and mechanical
• Unloading
e.g. tipping operations, etc.
• Securing
e.g. to sheet a lorry
• Coupling
e.g. attaching trailers
• Maintenance work
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e.g. working at height

Control Strategies
• Eliminate the hazard
• Create a safe place
• Create a safe person

• Risk Assessment:
– identify the hazards
– identify the groups at risk
– evaluate the risk
– record and implement
– review

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 The Workplace Environment
• Vehicle-free zones
• Pedestrian-free zones
• Traffic route layout
• Segregation
• Marked walkways
• Separate access points
• Good visibility
• High-visibility clothing
• Signage
• Maintained roads/pathways
• Avoid gradients
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Group Syndicate Exercise

• What accidents could occur when a
forklift tuck is parked?
• What rules do you think should be
applied to prevent these accidents?

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Parking Rules

• Parking rules for a forklift truck:

− Apply the handbrake
− Lower the forks and tip the mast
forwards
− Remove the key
− Do not obstruct a traffic route
− Do not obstruct a pedestrian route
− Do not obstruct emergency escape
routes
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 The Vehicle

• Suitable for their intended use

• Suitable for the environment and conditions
• Maintained in safe working order
• Only driven by suitably trained, qualified staff
• Inspected routinely before use
• Fitted (if necessary) with:
– Seat for the driver (and any passengers)
– Seat belt
– Roll bar or roll cage
– Guard to protect the driver in the event of falling objects
– Horn
– Audible reversing alarm
– Beacon or flashing light
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Fork Lift Pre Use Checks

• Tyre pressure
• Parking brakes and service breaks
• Steering
• Fuel, oil and water systems leak
free
• Batteries and chargers
• Lifting and tilting
systems/hydraulics
• Audible warning
• Lights
• Mirrors

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The Driver
The driver should be:
• Competent to drive the
vehicle
• Medically fit to drive
• Provided with specific
information, instruction
and training
• Supervised
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 End of Section Quiz
1. What are the main hazards in vehicle
operations?
2. What are the factors which could
cause a fork lift truck to overturn?
3. What could increase the likelihood of
vehicle collisions?
4. What control measures could reduce
the risk of injury during reversing
operations?
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Unit IGC 2
Element 2.2

Driving at Work

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Significance of Work-Related Road

Injuries
• Estimated 38,600 road fatalities in EU in 2006
• No definitive numbers for work-related road
deaths
• UK estimates 1/3 of all road deaths involve
someone at work
• Driving at work a high risk!

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 Managing Work-Related Driving Risk
• Manage driving like any other hazard

• Policy
• Responsibility
• Organisation
• Systems
• Monitoring

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Group Syndicate Exercise

What factors would you need to consider
when carrying out a risk assessment for a
specific work based driving task?

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Risk Assessment
1. Identify the hazards
– journey
– vehicle
– driver
2. Identify who may be harmed
3. Evaluate the risks
– Eliminate the need to travel
– Travel by a safer means
– If road travel, take sensible precautions
4. Record the findings
5. Review

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 The Driver
• Competency
− Drivers license checked
− Experience and ability
• Training
− Advanced or defensive driving courses
− Vehicle safety, pre use inspection
• Fitness and health
− medical examination
− eyesight checks
− drugs policy

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The Vehicle
• Suitability
− Minimum requirements, standards
− Insurance and MOT if private vehicles used

• Condition
− Maintained
− Pre-use inspections
− Defect reporting

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The Vehicle
• Safety equipment
− Seat belts, airbags, head restraints
− Emergency triangles, first-aid kit, spare tyre
− Fire extinguisher

• Ergonomic
− Adjustability of seat position and controls

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 The Journey
• Routes
− Avoid hazards, e.g. town centres
− Select low risk roads,
e.g. motorways
− Avoid roadworks
• Scheduling
− Avoid peak times
− Avoid fatigue times, e.g. 2-6 am, 2-4 pm
− Flexible deadlines

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The Journey
• Time
− Realistic, e.g. route, weather, breaks
− Rest breaks
− Statutory requirements, e.g. Lorry drivers (HGV)
• Distance
− Use other transport
− Not excessive
• Weather conditions
− Reliable weather forecasts
− No driving/additional safety
advice in bad weather

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End of Section Summary

1. What factors increase the risk of the
likelihood of being involved in a road
traffic accident?
2. Drivers should be competent, trained
and healthy to drive. Suggest some
workplace controls to reduce the risk of
accidents.
3. When planning a journey what
precautions could be taken to reduce the
risk of accidents?

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