Essential precautions for working roadside

Precautions required

  • all risks, particularly from other road users, have been properly assessed and safe systems for working at the roadside prepared
  • vehicles and equipment of an appropriate standard are provided and maintained
  • employees have been adequately trained to work safely at the roadside and to advise the occupants of casualty vehicles on the precautions they should be taking.
  • appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) eg high visibility/weatherproof clothing; footwear; gloves, is provided and used

Training

There are a number of trade associations within the breakdown and recovery industry which may be able to advise on the availability of suitable training courses, including -

Available guidance

The British Standards Institute[51] (BSI) has published a number of priced documents containing guidelines on both the standard of training and equipment specifications.

For example:

  • BS7121-12:1999 Safe use of cranes Part 12: Recovery vehicles and equipment-Code of Practice. Contains guidelines and recommendations for ensuring the health and safety of people at work and members of the public during recovery operations.
  • BS7901:2002 Specification for recovery vehicles and vehicle recovery equipment. Specifies performance requirements for recovery equipment for moving casualty vehicles during breakdown or recovery activities.
  • PAS43:2012 Safe working of vehicle breakdown and recovery operators: Management system specification.

The Institute of Vehicle Recovery[52] (IVR) has published a series of videos to help train roadside technicians, including "Life on the edge 6. Roadside Technicians: It's your call". This deals specifically with the safety of people involved in roadside recovery operations. (Available from the Tel: 01895 436426 Email:mail@theIVR.com.)

The SURVIVE Group[53] is a partnership between the Highways Agency, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the breakdown/recovery industry and other service providers. The SURVIVE Group has been established to improve the safety of those who work on the road network and the travelling public and is also dedicated to the promotion of driving safety. SURVIVE are the originating organisation for PAS 43 referred to above. It also produces other guidance including its 'Best Practice' guidelines for dealing with breakdowns/removals on motorways and high speed dual carriageways[54].

HSE contributed to the cross industry Road Workers' Safety Forum (ROWSAF), in the production of  'Guidance for works on the hard shoulder and roadside verges on high speed dual carriageways[55]' found on the Highways Agency's website and covers a range of activities including maintenance works but also the repair or recovery of broken down vehicles. The free publication relates primarily to high speed roads but can equally be transferred to lower speed roads where similar principles can be applied. This gives some specific guidance for recovery operators and also refers back to the SURVIVE Best practice Guidelines.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Motor vehicle repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/introduction.htm
  3. Overview - Common MVR topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/index.htm
  4. Benzenehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/benzene.htm
  5. Choosing the correct gloveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/gloves.htm
  6. Cleaning/degreasing substances including valetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/degreaser.htm
  7. Electric and hybrid vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/electric-hybrid.htm
  8. Falls from heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/falls.htm
  9. Fire and explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fire.htm
  10. Fluoroelastomershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fluoroelastomers.htm
  11. General COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/general-coshh.htm
  12. Hand-arm vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/vibration.htm
  13. Harmful dusts - Inhalation and Dermatitis riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/dusts.htm
  14. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/manual.htm
  15. Noisehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/noise.htm
  16. Safety in the use of two-post vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fallofflifts.htm
  17. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/slips.htm
  18. Storing and handling airbagshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/storing-handling-airbags-seat-belt.htm
  19. Struck by...https://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/struckby.htm
  20. Updated guidance on vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/updated-guidance-on-vehicle-lifts.htm
  21. Used engine oilhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/oil.htm
  22. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/transport.htm
  23. Overview - Bodyshopshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/index.htm
  24. 2-pack isocyanate paintshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/isocyanates.htm
  25. Bodyshop mythshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/myths/index.htm
  26. COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/coshh-paintspraying.htm
  27. Measuring paint spray booth clearance timehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/cleartime.htm
  28. Overview - Mechanical repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/index.htm
  29. Asbestoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/asbestos.htm
  30. Hot work on wheelshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/hot-work-on-wheels.htm
  31. Tyre removal, replacement and inflationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/tyreremoval.htm
  32. Vehicle exhaust emissions (Diesel)https://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/exhaust.htm
  33. Welding and flamecuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/welding.htm
  34. Wheel and tyre explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/wheel-and-tyres.htm
  35. Working under vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/under-vehicles.htm
  36. Overview - Roadside repair and recoveryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/index.htm
  37. Automotive glazinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/glazing.htm
  38. Essential precautionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/essential-precautions.htm
  39. Repair or recovery of buses and coaches fitted with air suspensionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/buses.htm
  40. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/index.htm
  41. COSHH essentialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/mvr.htm
  42. Overview - Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/index.htm
  43. Ill health statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/illhealthstats.htm
  44. Injury statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/injurystats.htm
  45. Useful external websiteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/links.htm
  46. Videoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/videos/index.htm
  47. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/contact.htm
  48. Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators (AVRO)http://www.avrouk.com/
  49. Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR)http://www.theivr.com/
  50. Road Rescue Recovery Association (RRRA)http://www.rrra-recovery.co.uk/
  51. British Standards Institutehttp://www.bsigroup.co.uk/
  52. Institute of Vehicle Recoveryhttp://www.theivr.com/
  53. The SURVIVE Grouphttp://survivegroup.org/pages/home
  54. 'Best Practice' guidelines for dealing with breakdowns/removals on motorways and high speed dual carriagewayshttp://survivegroup.org/bestpractice
  55. Guidance for works on the hard shoulder and roadside verges on high speed dual carriagewayshttps://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/search/f6a79f63-f077-4b67-ae0b-390ad229a9e7
  56. Safe working with vehicle air conditioning systems - INDG349 https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg349.pdf
  57. Safe working with LPG-fuelled vehicles - INDG387 https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg387.pdf

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

MVR
Motor Vehicle Repair
COSHH
Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health

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Updated 2024-07-08