LOGISTICS | Personal Safety and Vehicles

Poor personal safety around fleet vehicles is a top Health & Safety failing.

When auditing their business, logistic companies are often found wanting in several areas.

In particular, they often fail to:

Falls from vehicles

More than 2,000 people suffer a serious injury each year falling from vehicles and on average five of these injuries prove fatal. Incidents include falls from trailers, tail-lifts and truck cabs.

Employers and drivers are legally required to make sure they take practical measures to prevent falls from vehicles and/or reduce the risks of falls while working at height.

Common causes of falls include:

One example of this is a transport firm being fined £150,000 for safety failings. This relate to a fall from height that ultimately resulted in a fatality. Whilst unloading a lorry, the victim was using an unsecured ladder. He fell and suffered extensive brain damage and was left in a permanent vegetative state. He died two years later. The company was fined after the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found the firm did not properly safeguard workers from falls.

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injuries a year falling from a vehicle

Risk assessment

Risk assessments are required by law. They are essential in identifying sensible ways to control workplace Health & Safety risks. Failure to adequately manage any potential risks can lead to prosecution and a heavy fine.

Risk assessments help you to understand any risks that might be involved. You can get risk assessments drafted by our Health & Safety specialists.

While individual drivers are not responsible for writing their own risk assessment (fleet manager or equivalent will be responsible), they should be familiar with and have signed their employer’s risk assessment. Drivers should also be aware of the potential risks they face on jobs and how to reduce them.

Fleet operator risk assessments must cover the prevention of falls from vehicles and working at height. They should also cover the:

The risk assessment should also answer the following:  

Drivers must be familiar with the risk assessment and should sign it.

risk assessment

Working at height

Working at height should be avoided unless essential. If unavoidable, make sure all work at height is properly planned, supervised and carried out by people competent to do the job.

To avoid falls from vehicles:

Getting on and off vehicles 

This might seem a bit trivial but never jump down – falls are more likely and it’s bad for the knees!

Always get on or off vehicles safely by, for example:

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fatalities every year

Pre-use vehicle checks

Pre-use checks on vehicles should be carried out, including:

Toolbox talks

This is about getting together in an informal manner to discuss Health & Safety issues.

Toolbox talks help promote a positive Health & Safety culture.

They are a great way of communicating company policy to all drivers (including sub-contracted and agency drivers) on the prevention of falls from vehicles or trailers and working at height.

To make sure drivers (as well as those who assist them in loading activities and passengers) understand the risks – ask:

Provide examples of how people can work more safely.

How We Can Help

Ellis Whittam make simple sense of the law.

The law states, when it comes to Health & Safety, you need to have a ‘Competent Person’. This is something Ellis Whittam can do to keep your fleet safe.

A Health & Safety consultant with specific transport sector experience will help to identify the hazards and manage the risks in your company.

We help directors and managers understand and keep on top of their multiple Health & Safety duties. 

Contact us to learn about our fixed fee, unlimited support service.