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Workplace transport risk assessments | 7 tips for separating vehicles and pedestrians
20 people died as a result of being hit by a moving vehicle in 2023. Learn more about employers' legal obligations and practical measures.
Written on 22 January 2024
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)’s recent prosecution of Sunrise Poultry Farms serves as a stark reminder of the need to undertake workplace transport risk assessments and consider the risks where pedestrians and vehicles share routes.
A 19-year-old employee had only been working for Sunrise Poultry Farms for two weeks when he was fatally crushed between a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and a wall in April 2021.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 17 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and was ordered to pay a fine of £233,000, plus costs of £8,841, at a hearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 22 November 2023.
Legal obligations and workplace transport risk assessments
20 people died as a result of being hit by a moving vehicle in 2023, according to the HSE’s annual fatal injury statistics.
By law, pedestrians or vehicles must be able to use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of people working near it. But in practical terms, what does this mean for employers?
The first step is identifying areas on your site where it is foreseeable that pedestrians and vehicles may share routes – this may be externally in yard areas or car parks, or even internally in warehouses, where powered lifting equipment is used.
A risk assessment should be recorded to highlight any areas of risk for either the vehicle operator of pedestrian; remember to not only consider the risk to your employees but also any visitors or members of the public.
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Measures to reduce risk
Some of the measures you can take to reduce the risk of workers being hit by a moving vehicle include:
Use physical barriers Provide clear crossing points Address blind spots Remove the need to reverse Implement traffic calming measures Display clear signage Consider everyone Use physical barriers Note that physical barriers may not always be practical due to site layout or the need for flexibility. In this case, routes should be clearly defined using markings. These routes should also be wide enough for vehicles and pedestrians to pass safely. Provide clear crossing points Provide clear crossing points which are appropriately lit and signposted. For more complex sites, traffic light systems could be used. Address blind spots If there are blind spots or corners, take steps to improve visibility. Make sure lighting is sufficient in the area, make use of blind spot mirrors, instruct drivers to use their horn to alert others of their presence, and consider making hi-visibility clothing mandatory in these areas. Remove the need to reverse Around a quarter of all deaths involving vehicles at work occur as a result of reversing. It also results in considerable damage to vehicles, equipment and property. The most effective way of reducing reversing incidents is to remove the need to reverse by, for example, using one-way systems. Implement traffic calming measures Implement traffic calming measures to reduce the speed of vehicles in these areas. On-site vehicles such as forklift trucks can be speed-capped; consider setting a site speed limit or use speed bumps. Display clear signage
Ensure site signage indicates clear routes for visitors, HGVs and pedestrians, is clear and simple to understand and is positioned in appropriate locations.
Consider everyone Where visiting drivers are non-English speaking, you may choose to have key messages translated into other languages.
Promote safe practices through training and supervision
With all of this in place, there may still be a genuine need for vehicles and pedestrians to share a route, for example vehicle marshals sometimes known as banksmen, assisting HGVs or plant to manoeuvre. In such cases, it’s vital that all those involved in such operations have undergone sufficient training, to deem them competent to do so.
Lastly, but most importantly, employers should provide information, instruction and training to employees, drivers, and visitors regarding the risks on site and the site rules they should follow to keep themselves and others safe. This can be at point of induction but should also be refreshed periodically or where there are changes.
New employees and visitors should be supervised to ensure their safety, until they can prove their understanding and competence to work in these areas.
All employees, but especially team leaders and supervisors, can play a part to ensure the safety of their sites by raising safety concerns with management, or challenging drivers and pedestrians if they witness unsafe behaviour. If you see something which doesn’t look safe, say something.
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