Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
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Is the steering wheel adjustable and set low to avoid 
shoulder stress?
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Are drivers able to use anti-lock brakes (ABS) 
properly?
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Do drivers have the expertise to ensure safe load 
distribution?
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If the vehicle breaks down, do drivers know what to 
do to ensure their own safety?
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Is there a handbook for drivers?
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Are drivers aware of the dangers of fatigue?
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Do drivers know the height of their vehicle, both 
laden and empty?
Fitness and health
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The driver’s level of health and fi tness should be suf-
fi cient for safe driving?
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Drivers of HGV’s must have the appropriate medical 
certifi cate.
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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.
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All drivers should have regular (every 2 years) eye 
sight tests. Recent research has shown many driv-
ers have poor eye sight which affects the standard 
of their driving.
The vehicle
Suitability
All vehicles should be fi t for the purpose for which they 
are used. When purchasing new or replacement vehicles, 
the management should look for vehicles that are most 
suitable for driving and public health and safety. The fl eet 
should be suitable for the job in hand. Where privately 
owned vehicles are used for work they should be insured 
for business use and have an appropriate MOT certifi cate 
(over 3 years old in the UK).
Condition and Safety Equipment
Are vehicles maintained in a safe and fi t condition? 
There will need to be:
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Maintenance arrangements to acceptable standards
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basic safety checks for drivers
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a method of ensuring that the vehicle does not 
exceed its maximum load weight
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reliable methods to secure goods and equipment in 
transit
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checks to make sure that safety equipment is in 
good working order
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Checks on seatbelts and head restraints. Are they 
fi tted correctly and functioning properly?
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Drivers need to know what action to take if they 
consider their vehicle is unsafe.
Ergonomic considerations
The health of the drivers, and possibly also their safety, 
may be put at risk from through an inappropriate seat-
ing position or driving posture. Ergonomic considerations 
should therefore be considered before purchasing or leas-
ing new vehicles. Information may need to be provided to 
drivers about good posture and, where appropriate, on 
how to set their seat correctly?
The load
For any lorry driving, most of the topics covered in this 
section are relevant. However, the load being carried is an 
additional issue. If the load is hazardous, emergency pro-
cedures (and possibly equipment) must be in place and 
the driver trained in those procedures. The load should 
be stacked safely in the lorry so that it cannot move dur-
ing the journey. There must also be satisfactory arrange-
ments for handling the load at either end of the journey.