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    Transport hazards and risk control This chapter covers the following NEBOSH learning objectives: 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 contro! measures to reduce work-related driving risks International Health and Safety at Work 7.4 Safe movement of vehicles in the workplace 242 7.2 Driving at work 218 7.1 Safe movement of vehicles in the workplace 7.1.1 Introduction The safe movement of vehicles in the workplace is essen- tial if accidents are to be avoided, The more serious acci- dents between pedestrians and vehicles can often be traced back to excessive speed or other unsafe vehicle practices, such as lack of driver training, More and more "workers drive vehicles on public highways as part of their jobs, and some are involved in road accidents that may be classed as work related — many of the risks assocl- ated with these hazards can be significantly reduced by an effective management system, As more and more workers spend a considerable amount of time travelling and commuting by road, occu: poational road safety becomes an important issue. Indeed the term ‘commuting accident’ has been defined by the ILO in the Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 P155, as an accident esult- ing in death or personal injury occurring on the direct way between the place of work ana: @ o © the worker's principal or secondary residence; or the place where the worker usually takes a meal; or the place where the worker usually receives his or her remuneration, This chapter examines vehicular hazards and the con- trols available to address them, 7.1.2 Hazards in vehicle operations Many different kinds of vehicle are used in the workplace including dumper trucks, heavy goods vehicles, all rain vehicies and, perhaps the most common, the fork-lift truck, Approximately 70 persons are killed annually fol towing vehicle accidents in the workplace in the UK. In 2008/09, 45 workers were killed and over 5000 injured in workplace transport accidents. The third highest cause of accidental death in the workplace was being struck by a moving vehicle. Approximately a quarter of all workplace vehicle-related deaths occur while a vehicle is reversing. There are also over 1000 major accidents (involving seri- us fractures, head injuries and amputations) caused by: lisions between pedestrians and vehicles; people falling from vehicles; people being struck by objects falling from vehicles; 7.3. Further information 222 7.4 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 7 223 people being struck by an overturning vehiole: ‘communication problems between vehicle drivers and employees or members of the public. ‘The term ‘workplace transport’ covers any vehicle: that is used in a work setting, such as fork-lft trucks, compact dumpers, tractors and mobile cranes. It can also include cars, vans and large goods vehicles when these are operating at the works premises. A goods vehicle that is loading or unloading on the public high- way outside a works premises is considered as work- place transport, The main types of accident associated with workplace transport are people being struck by moving vehicles, falling from vehicles jumping out of cabs or from the tops of high-sided trailers} and being hit by objects falling from vehicles (usually part of a load} ‘A key cause of these accidents is the lack of compe- tent and documented driver training, The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigations, for example, have shown that in over 30% of dumper truck accidents on construction sites, the drivers had litle experience and ro training. Common forms of these accidents include driving into excavations, overturning while driving up steep inclines and runaway vehicles which have been left Unattended with the engine running, Risks of injuries to employees and members of the public involving vehicles could arise due to the following occurrences: collision with pedestrian: colision with other vehicles; overioading of vehicles: overturning of vehicles general vehicle movements and parking; dangerous occurrences or other emergency ine dents (including fie); access and egress from the buildings and the sie reversing of vehicles, especially inside bulisn There are several other more general hazardous situ- ations involving pedestrians and vehicles. These include the following: oor road surfaces and/or poorty drained road, surfaces; |. roadways too narrow with insufficient safe parking areas; roadways poorly marked out and inappropriate or unfamiliar signs used; too few pedestrian crossing points; the non-separation of pedestrians and vehicles; lack of barriers along roadways; lack of directional and other signs; poor environmental factors, such as lighting, dust and noise; il-defined speed limits and/or speed limit are not enforced; poor or no regular maintenance checks; ‘vehicles used by untrained and/or unauthorised personnel poor training or lack of refresher training. which Vehicle operations need to be carefully planned so that the possibilty of accidents is minimised, 7.1.3 Hazards of mobile work equipment Mobile work equipment is used extensively throughout industry ~ in factories, warehouses and construction sites. As mentioned in the previous section, the most common Is the fork-ift tuck (Figure 7.1). ‘Accidents, possibly causing injuries to people, often arise from one or mare of the following events: poor maintenance with defective brakes, tyres and steering; poor visibility because of dirty mirrors and windows or loads which obsiruct the river's view. Good Visibiity is essential at al times for mobile plant operators, Operators of mobile construction plant must ensure they regularly clean their windows so they can safely see all around. This should be com- bined with constant use of mirrors and a banksman where appropriate. Lights on all vehicles should be cleaned reguiarly to ensure vehicles are visible at al times, and vehicle depots should be well it to avoid slip and trip hazards. ‘operating on rough ground or steep gradients which, causes the mobile equipment to turn on its side 90° plus or rollover 180° or more; carrying of passengers without the proper accom- ‘modation for then people being flung out as the vehicle overturns and being crushed by it being crushed under wheels as the vehicle moves; being struck by a vehicle or an attachment; 3K of driver training or experience; \derlying causes of paor management procedures and controls, safe working practices, information, instruction, training and supervision; collision with other vahicles; + overloading of vehicles; general vehicle movernents and parking; dangerous occurrences or other emergency inci- dents (including fr); access and egress from the buildings and the site. The machines most at risk of rollover according to the HSE are’ Figure 7.1 Industrial counterbalanced lift ruck compact dumpers frequently used in construction sites; agricultural tractors; variable-reach rough terrain trucks (telehandlers} (Figure 7.2), 7.1.4 Control strategies for safe vehicle and mobile plant operations ‘Any control strategy involving vehicle operations Will involve a risk assessment to ascertain where, on traffic routes, accidents are most likely to happen. It 's important that the risk assessment examines both intemal and external traffic routes, particularly when goods are foaded onte and unloaded from lorries. It should also assess whether designated trafic routes, are suitable for the purpose and sufficient for the vol- ume of trafic. The following need to be addressed! ‘Traffic routes, foading and storage areas need to be \well designed with enforced speed limits, good Visibility and the separation of vehicles and pedes- ttians whenever reasonably practicable. Environmental considerations, such as visibility, road surface conditions, road gradients and changes in road level, must also be taken into account. ‘The use of one-way systems andl separate site access gates for vehicles and pedestrians might be required. International Health and Safety at Work Figure 7.2 Telescopic materials handler The safety of members of the public must be con- sidered, particularly where vehicles cross public footpaths. All extemal roadways must be appropriately marked, particularly where there could be doubt on right of way, and suitable direction and speed limit signs erected along the roadways. While there may. well be a difference between internal and external speed limits, itis important that all speed limits are observed, Induction training for all new employees must include the location and designation of pedestrian ‘walkways and crossings and the location of in the factory where pedestrians and forklift trucks use the same roadways. The identification of recagnised and prohibited parking areas around the site should also be given during these training sessions. Many industries have vehicles designed and used for specific workplace activities. The safe system of work for 1088 activities should include: details of the work area (e.g. vehicle routes, provi- sion for pedestrians, signage) details of vehicles (e.g. type, safely features checks, maintenance requirements); information and training for employees (e.g. driver training, traffic hazard briefing) type of vehicle activities (e.g. loading and unloading, refuelling or recharging, reversing, tipping) and To sumniarise, there are three aspects to a contral strategy for safe vehicle and mobile plant operations: ‘The design of the site ~ involves managers in * planning routes to separate pedestrians from vehicles whenever possible; + reducing the need to reverse by using one-way systems; * avoiding steep gradients and overhead cables and provide traffic routes on firm ground, mini: rising sharp and blind comers; + marking out parking areas for vehicles, + providing speed limit signs and trafic warning signs; + ensuring a well-it environment; and + maintaining good housekeeping and a tidy site Vehicle selection and maintenance requires the provision of + vehicle with suitable and effective headlights, brakes, bumpers and horns, sufficient mirrors to reduce blind spots and seat belts for driv- ers and passengers; + some additional vehicle features such as rear lens or radar sensors to provide extra safety when reversing and speed yovernors; and * a regular and documented inspection and maintenance regime, Systems of work for system operatives to include: + effective supervision of everyone who isin areas where vehicles operate, including the provision of banksmen, when required; + adequate training and refresher training for al drivers ‘+ relevant information for all drivers, including speed limits and parking areas; + regular health checks on the suitability of ‘employees for driving roles; # the provision of high-visibilty clothing, appro- priate protective clothing (such as stesi too- capped boots and hard hats); + the control of vehicle movements at times of day when there are more people moving around, Access to vehicle areas should be restricted to those who need to be there, 7.1.5 Mobile work equipment safeguards ‘The main purpose of the mobile work equipment safe- ‘guards is to protect workers who could come into con- tact with such equipment while itis travelling from one location to another or where it does work while mov- ing. Mobile equipment normally moves on wheels, tracks, rollers or skids. It could be self-propelled, towed ‘or remote controlled and might incorporate attach- ments, No employee may be carried on mobile work equipment: Unless it is suitable for carrying persons; Unless it incorporates features to reduce risks as low as is reasonably practicable, including risks from wheels and tracks. Where there is significant risk of falling materials, fall ing-object protective structures (FOPS) should be fitted, Where there is a risk of overturning it must be mini- mised by: stabilising the equipment; fiting a structure so that it only falls on fs side; {iting a structure which gives sufficient clearance for anyone being carried ifit tums over further — rollover protection structure (ROPS); device giving comparable protection; fiting a suitable restraining system for people if there is a risk of being crushed by rolling over. Where self-propelled work equipment could involve risks while in motion it shall have: {facilites to prevent unauthorised starting; facilities to minimise the consequences of collision {with multiple rail- mounted equipment); a device for braking and stopping; 4 emergency facilites for braking and stopping, in the event of failure of the main facility, which have read- ‘ly accessibie or automatic controls (where safety constraints so require); devices fitted to improve vision (where the driver's vision is inadequate); appropriate lighting fitted or otherwise it shall be mace sufficiently safe for its use (if used at night or indark places}; vumwwannee nev ones 7 PS if there is anything carried or towed that constitutes, aire hazard liable to endanger employees (par- ticularly, if escape is difficult such as from a tower crane, appropriate fire-fighting equipment carried, unless its sufficiently close by, Rollover protective structures are now becoming much more affordable and available for most types of mobile ‘equipment where there is a high risk of turning over. Their use is soreading across most developed countries and ‘even some less well-developed areas. A ROPS is a cab (frame that provides a safe zone for the vehicle opera- torin the event of a rollover (see Figure 7.3). Figure 7.3 Various construction plant with driver protection ‘The ROPS frame must pass a series of static and dynamic crush tests. These tests examine the abil- ity of the ROPS to withstand various loads to see if the protective zone around the operator remains intact in an overturn, ‘A home-made bar attached to a tractor axle or simple shelter from the sun or rain cannot protect the operator if the equipment overtums. ‘The ROPS must meet International Standards such as 180 3471:1994. All mobile equipment safeguards should comply with the essential health and safety requirements of the national health and safety law. OPS must also be correctiy installed strictly follow= ing the manufacturers’ instructions and using the correct strength bolts and fixings. They should never be modified by diiling, cutting, welding or other means as this could seriously weaken the structure. ROPS provide some safety during an overturn, but only when operatives are confined to the protective zone of the ROPS. So where ROPS are fitted, a suitable restrain- ing system must be provided for all seats. The use of seat International Health and Safety at Work restraints could avoid accidents where drivers are thrown from machines, thrown through windows or doors or thrown around inside the cab. In agriculture and forestry, 150% of overturning accidents occur on slopes of less than 10° and 25% on slopes of 5° or less. This means that seat restraints should be used most of the time that the vehicle is being operated. FOPS are required where there is a significant risk of ‘objects falling on the equipment operator or other author- {sed person using the mobile equipment. Canopies that protect against falling objects (FOPS) must be properly designed and certiied for that purpose. Front loaders work in woods or construction sites near scatfolding or buildings under construction and high bay storage areas, these all being locations where there is a risk of falling objects. Purchasers of equipment should check that any ‘canopies fitted are FOPS. ROPS should never be modi fied by the user to fit a canopy without consultation with the manufacturers. 7.1.6 ILO recommendations for transport, earth-moving and materials- handling equipment The ILO outlines a series of recommendations on the use of transport, earth-moving and materials-handling equipment in its Code of Practice Safety and Health in Construction, ‘All vehicles and earth-moving or materials-handling equipment should (@)_ be of good design and construction, taking into. account as far as possible ergonomic principles particularly with reference to the seat; (0) be maintained in good working order; (6) be properly used with due regard to health and safety, be operated by workers who have received appro- priate training in accordance with national laws and regulations, (a) ‘The drivers and operators of vehicles and earth-moving or materials-handiing equipment should be medically fi, trained and tested and of a prescribed minimum age as required by national laws and regulations. ‘Adequate signalling or other control arrangements or devices should be provided to guard against danger from ‘the movement of vehicles and earth-moving or materials- handling equipment. Special safely precautions should bbe taken for vehioles and equipment when manoeuvring backwards. The assistance of a trained and authorised signaller should be available when the view of the driver ‘or operator is restricted. The signalling code should be understood by all involved. When cranes and shovels are belng moved or are out of service, the boom should be in the direction of travel land the scoop or bucket should be raised and without load, except when travelling downhil Vehicles and earth- moving or materials-handiing equipment should not be left on a slope with the engine running. Vehicles and earth-moving or materials-handling equipment should not travel on bridges, viaducts or embankments, unless it thas been established that itis safe to do so. Earth-mov- ing and materials-handiing equipment should be fitted with safety structures, such as those designed to protect. the operator from being crushed either from the overturn of the machine or from falling material All vehicles and earth-moving or materials-handling equipment should be provided with a plate indicating: (@) the gross laden weight; (0) the maximum axle weight or, in the case of caterpil- lar equipment, ground pressure; (6) the tare weight. Al vehicles and earth-moving or materials-handling equipment should be equipped with: (a) an electrically operated acoustic signalling device; (b) searchlights for forward and backward movemer {6}, power and hand brakes; (@) taillights; (@) silencers (9 areversing alarm, Operators of vehicles and earth-moving or materials- handling equioment should be adequately protected against the weather or accidents due to impact, crushing ‘or contact with a moving load by a cab: {a} which is designed and constructed in accordance with ergonomic principies and provides full protec tion from adverse weather conditions; (0) which is fully enclosed where dusty conditions are likely to be encountered (6) which provides the driver with a clear and unre~ stricted view of the area of oper which is equipped with a direction indicator and a reat-view mirror on both sides. a Deck plates and steps of vehicles and equipment should be kept free from oil, grease, mud or other slip- pery substances. The motors, brakes, steering gear, chassis, blades, blade-holders, tracks, wire ropes, sheaves, hydraulic mechanisms, transmissions, bolts and other parts on earth-moving and materials-han- dling equipment on which safety depends should be inspected daily. On ail construction sites on which vehicles, earth- moving or materials-handiing equipment are used: (a) safe and suitable access ways should be provided for them; (0) traffic should be so organised and controlled as to secure their safe operation; ‘when earth-moving or materials-handling equip ment is required to operate in dangerous proximity to live electrical conductors, adequate precautions should be taken, such as isolating the electri- cal supply or erecting overhead barriers of a safe height: @ (@)_ preventative measures should be taken to avoid the fall of vehicles and earth-moving or materials-han- dling equipment into excavations or into water. “The cab of vehicles and earth-moving or materials-han- dling equipment should be kept at least 11m from a face being excavated, Bucket excavators should not be used at the top or botlom of earth walls witha slope exceeding (60°, Dredge-type excavators should not be used on earth ‘walls more than 1m higher than the react of the excava~ tor if they are installed at the bottom of the wall 7.1.7 Safe driving of mobile equipment Drivers have an important role to play in the safe use of mobile equipment. They should include the following in their safe working practice checkist Make sure they understand fully the operating pro- ‘cedures and controls on the equipment being used, Only operate equipment for which they are trained and authorised, Never drive if abilities are impaired by, for example, alcoho’, poor vision or hearing, ill-health or drugs whether presoribed or not. Use the seat restraints where provided. Know the site rules and signals, Know the safe oporating limits relating to the terrain and loads being carried. Keep vehicles in a suitably clean and tidy condition with particular attention to mirrors and windows or loose items which could interfere with the controls. Drive at suitable speeds and follow site rules and routes at all times. Allow passengers only when there are safe seats provided on the equipment. {Park vehicles on suitable flat ground with the engine switched off and the parking brakes applied; use whee! chocks if necessary. Hi Make use of visibility aids or a signaller when vision is restricted. Get off the vehicle during loading operations unless aclequate protection is provided. ® Ensure that the load is safe to move, 4 Donot get off vehicle until its stationary, engine stopped and parking brake applied, ‘Where practicable, remove the operating key when getting off the vohicie. 2 Take the correct precautions such as nat smoking and switching off the engine when refuelling Report any defects immediately. 7.1.8 The management of vehicle movements The movement of vehicles should be properly managed, as should vehicle maintenance and driver training. The development of an agreed code of practice for drivers, 10 which all drivers should sign up, and the enforcement of site rules covering all vehicular movements are essential for effective vehicle management. Al vehicles should be subject to appropriate regular preventative maintenance programmes with appropri- ate records kept and all vehicle maintenance procedures properly documented. Many vehicles, such as mobile Cranes, require regular inspection by a competent person and test certificates. Certain vehicle movements, such as reversing, are more hazardous than others and particular safe systems should be set up. The reversing of lorries, for example, must be kept to a minimum and then restricted to par- ticular areas). Vehicles should be fitted with reversing warring systems as well as being able to give waming of approach. Refuges, where pedestrians can stand to avoid reversing vehicles, are a useful safety measure, Banksmen, who direct reversing vehicles, should also be aware of the possibility of pedestrians crossing in the path of the vehicle. Where there are many vehicle movements, consideration should be given to the provi- sion of high-visibiity clothing. Pedestrians must keep to designated walkways and crossing points, observe safety signs and use doors that are separate to those Used by vehicles. Visitors who are unfamiliar with the site and access points should be escorted through the workplace. Fire is a hazard which is often associated with many vehicular activities, such as battery charging and the storage of warehouse pallets. All batteries should be recharged in a separate well-ventilated area. ‘As mentioned earlier, driver taining, given by compe- tent people, is essential. Only trained drivers should be allowed to drive vehicles and the training should be rele- vant to the particular vehicle (forklift truck, dumper truck, lonry, ete). All drivers must receive specific training and instruction before they are permitted to drive vehicles. They must also be given refresher training and medical ‘examinations at regular intervals. This involves a man- agement system for ensuring driver competence, which ‘must include detailed records of all drivers with appropri- ate training dates and certtication in the torm of a driving licence or authorisation. Competence and its definition ‘were discussed in Chapter 3. Where large vehicles are routinely stopping to load or unload at loading bays, a certain amount of reversing is, probably inevitable, When large vehicles need to reverse in the workplace, the following precautions should be taken: 5% Undertake a risk assessment and develop a written safe system of work, Restrict reversing to places where it can be carried out safely. Keep people on foat or in wheelchairs away from the area. ® Provide suitable high-visibility clothing for those people who are permitted in the area. International Health and Safety at Work Fit reversing alarms to alert or a detection device to warn the driver of an obstruction, or automaticaly apply the brakes, Employ banksmen to supervise the safe movement of vehicles. ‘The design features that might need to be considered to minimise risks associated with movement of vehicles in the workplace include: providing trafic routes with smooth and stable si faces and with the right width and headroom for the types of vehices that will use them; 81 eliminating sharp bends, blind comers and steep ‘gradients, and siting convex mirrors on those cor ners that are unavoidably bling installing a one-way system, to minimise the need for reversing; 4 Including passing places for vehicles; 21 introducing speed limits and providing speed retarders; 2 providing a good standard of lighting for the traf- fic routes, and particularly atthe transition areas between the inside and outside of buildings; segregating vehicles and pedestrians, including ‘separate access and egress, and providing clearly marked crossing piaces (zebra crossings). ‘Tho procedural arrangements that should accompany these design features are! selecting and training competent drivers; implementing a regular health screening programme for all drivers; providing information on site rules for visitors, such as delivery drivers; procedures for the regular maintenance of the traf- fic routes and the in-house vehicles, including a system for the reporting of defects and near-miss accidents; rigorously enforcing speed limits, with the possibilty of a points system on drivers’ licences or permits. ‘The UK HSE publications Workplace Transport Safety. Guidance for Employers H8G136, and Managing Vehicle Safety atthe Workplace INDG199 (revised) provide useful checklists of relevant safety requirements that should be in piace when vehicles are used in a workplace. 7.2. Driving at work 7.2.1 Introduction The first fatal car accident in the UK occurred in 1896 when Mrs Bridget Driscoll was run over by a Roger-Benz. which had a maximum speed of &mph. Since then, the Royal Safety for the Prevention of Accidents has esti- mated that more than $5000 people have been killed on UK roads. Ithas been estimated that up toa third ofall road trattic accidents involve somebody who is at work at the time, This may account for over 20 fatalities and 250 serious injures every week. Based on 2006 statistics, this means around 800-1060 deaths a year on the road, compared with 241 fatal injuries to workers in the ‘traditional work- place’. Some employers believe, incorrectly, that i they comply with certain road traffic law requirements, so that company vehicles have a valid roadworthy test certificate, and drivers hold a valid licence, this is enough to ensure the safety of their employees, and others, when they are (on the road, However, health and safety law applies to on-the-road work activities as it does to all work activ ties, and the risks should be managed effectively within a health and safety management system. 7.2.2 Benefits of managing work-related road safety ‘The true costs of accidents to organisations are nearly always higher than just the casts of repaits and insur- ance claims. The benefits of managing work-related road safety can be considerable, no matter what the size of the organisations. There will be benefits in the area of: control costs, such as wear and tear and fuel, insurance premiums and claims can be better controlled; diver training and vehicle purchase: better informed decisions can be made; lost time: fewer days will be lost dus to injury il- health and work rescheduling; Vehicles: fewer will need to be off the road for repair; orders: fewer orders will be missed; cey employees: there Is Ukely to be a reduction in riving bans, 7.2.3 Managing occupational road risks Where work-related road safety is integrated into the arrangements for managing health and safety at work, it can be managed effectively. The main areas to be addressed are policy, responsibilty, organisation, sys- tems and monitoring. Employees should be encouraged to report all work-related road incidents and be assured that punitive action will not be taken against them. The risk assessment should consider the use, for example, of air or rail transport a a partial alternative to driving; attempt to avoid situations where employees fee! under pressure; make sure that maintenance work is organised to reduce the risk of vehicle failure. This Is Particularly important when pool cars are used because poo! car users often assume another user is checking on maintenance and legality, The safety critical systems that need to be properly maintained are the brakes, steering and tyres. Similarly, if the car is leased and serviced by the leasing company, a system should be in place to confim that servicing is being done to a reason- able standard, insist that drivers and passengers are adequately protected in the event of an incident. Crash helmets and protective clothing for those who ride motorcy- cles and other two-wheeled vehicles should be of the appropriate colour and standard ‘ensure that company policy covers the important aspects of the (UK) Highway Code. Figure 7.4 Occupational road risk; unusual but slow moving Figure 7.5 Occupational road risk - normal in devel oped states but high speed - Italian motorway 7.2.4 Evaluating the risks The European Parliament and Council have introduced the Driving CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) = under EU Directive 2009/59. There are two types of {ualifcation — one for goods vehicles and one for drivers of passenger vehicles ~ and the Driver CPC will only apply {0 operators of vehicles over three-and-a-half tonnes or with more than eight passenger seats. The following considerations can be used to check ons work-related road safety management, 8 Is the driver competent, experienced and capable of doing the work safely? 4 Ishis or her licence valid for the type of vehicle to bbe driven? 8 Is the vehicle suitable for the task or is it restricted by the driver’ licence? # Xt Does the recruitment procedure include appropriate re-appointment checks? a Is the driving licence checked for validity on recruit~ ment and periodically thereatter? 2 aL When the driver is at work, she or she aware of = company policy on work-related road safety? * Hl Are written instructions and guidance available? Has the company specified and monitored the standards of skill and expertise required for the cir- ‘cumstances for the job? Are drivers property trained? Do drivers need additional training to carry out their ties safely? Does the company provide induction training for rivers? Are those drivers whose work exposes them to the highest risk glven priority in training? Do drivers need to know how to carry out routine safely checks such as those on lights, tyres and ‘wheel fixings? Do ativers know how to adjust safety equip- ‘ment correctly, for example seat belts and head restraints? Is the headrest 3.8m (1.Sinches) behind the driv- er's head? Is the front of the seat higher than the back and are the legs 45° to the floor? Is the steering wheel adjustable and set low to avoid shoulder stress? ‘Ae drivers able to use anti-lock brakes (ABS) properly? Do afivers have the expertise to ensure sate load distribution? Ifthe vehicle breaks down, do drivers know what to do to ensure their own safety? Is there a handbook for drivers? Are drivers aware of the dangers of fatigue? Do drivers know the height of their vehicle, both laden and empty? International Health and Safety at Work The driver's level of health and fitness should be sufficient for safe driving, Drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles (MGV) must have the appropriate medical certificate. Drivers who are most at risk should also undergo regular medicals, Staff should not drive, or under: take other duties, while taking a course of medicine that might impair their judgement. Nl drivers should have ragular (every 2 years) eye- sight tests, A recent survey has indicated that 25% of motorists have a level of eyesight below the legal standard for driving, which is to be able to read a car number plate from a distance of 20.5m. 3 Drivers should rest their eyes by taking a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours. Inthe UK new offences under the Road Safety Act allow courts to imprison drivers who cause deaths by not pay: ing due care to the road or to other road users. Avoidable distractions which courts will consider when sentencing motorists who have killed include: 32 using a mobile phone (for either calling or sending text messages); drinking and eating; applying make-up; anything else which takes their attention away from the road and which a court judges to have been an avoidable distraction. Every year in the UK, over 87000 motorists are ais: {ualified for drink-

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