Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

9.7 
Managing occupational road safety
9.7.1 Introduction
This section has been added outside the NEBOSH certifi -
cate because it is an important area of concern recently 
given more prominence by the UK’s HSE. It has been 
Figure 9.7
Separate doors for vehicles and pedestrians.

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Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
138
estimated that up to a third of all road traffi c accidents 
involve somebody who is at work at the time. This may 
account for over 20 fatalities and 250 serious injuries 
every week. Some employers believe, incorrectly, that if 
they comply with certain road traffi c law requirements, 
so that company vehicles have a valid MOT certifi cate, 
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-
ities, and the risks should be managed effectively within 
a health and safety management system.
These requirements are in addition to the duties 
employers have under road traffi c law, e.g. the Road 
Traffi c Act and Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) 
Regulations, which are administered by the police and 
other agencies such as the Vehicle and Operator Services 
Agency.
Health and safety law does not apply to commuting, 
unless the employee is travelling from their home to a 
location which is not their usual place of work.
9.7.2
Benefi ts of managing work-related 
road safety
The true costs of accidents to organizations are nearly 
always higher than just the costs of repairs and insurance 
claims. The benefi ts of managing work-related road 
safety can be considerable, no matter what the size of 
the organizations. There will be benefi ts in the area of:
➤
control: costs, such as wear and tear and fuel, insur-
ance premiums and claims can be better controlled
➤
driver training and vehicle purchase: better informed 
decisions can be made
➤
lost time: fewer days will be lost due to injury, ill 
health and work rescheduling
➤
vehicles: fewer will need to be off the road for repair
➤
orders: fewer orders will be missed
➤
key employees: there is likely to be a reduction in 
driving bans.