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Introduction to workplace transport safety

Every year, there are accidents involving transport in the workplace, some of which result in people being killed.

People are knocked down, run over, or crushed against fixed parts by vehicles (eg HGVs, lift trucks and tractors), plant and trailers. People also fall from vehicles – whether getting on or off, working at height, or when loading or unloading.

This page explains how you can take the right steps to avoid these sorts of accidents involving workplace transport.

Key actions you must take

Your risk assessment[78] must consider all workplace transport activities such as loading and unloading. It will help if you:

  • look carefully at how all the vehicles and people move round your workplace
  • mark the traffic and pedestrian movements on a plan so you can see where pedestrians and vehicles interact
  • identify improvements that will reduce the contact between pedestrians and vehicles[79]
  • remember to include less frequent tasks, eg waste skip changes
  • make sure you consider delivery drivers[80] as they are particularly vulnerable

Keeping sites, vehicles and drivers safe

Consider each of the following areas:

Safe site

  • plan your workplace so pedestrians are safe from vehicles
  • provide a one-way system if you can
  • provide separate routes for pedestrians and vehicles where possible
  • avoid reversing where possible
  • provide appropriate crossing points where pedestrians and traffic meet
  • use 'Highway Code' signs to indicate vehicle routes, speed limits, pedestrian crossings etc
  • make sure lighting is adequate where people and vehicles are working
  • keep road surfaces firm and even
  • make sure there are safe areas for loading and unloading
  • try to provide separate car parking for visitors as they may not know your site

More on site safety[81]

Safe vehicle

  • ensure vehicles are suitable for the purpose for which they are used
  • maintain vehicles in good repair, particularly the braking system, steering, tyres, lights, mirrors and specific safety systems
  • remove the need for people to climb up on vehicles where possible, eg by providing gauges and controls that are accessible from ground level
  • reduce the risk of falling when people have to climb onto a vehicle or trailer by providing well-constructed ladders, non-slip walkways and guard rails where possible
  • provide reversing aids such as CCTV where appropriate
  • fit rollover protective structures and use seat belts where fitted

More on vehicle safety[82]

Safe driver

  • train lift truck operators
  • reassess lift truck operators at regular intervals, eg every 3 to 5 years, or when new risks arise such as changes to working practices
  • train drivers of other vehicles to a similar standard
  • make sure all drivers are supervised (including those visiting the site)

More on driving and riding safely for work[83]

Examples of accidents and how to avoid them

While working on the construction of a new school, a maintenance engineer took a short cut across the vehicle route rather than using the pedestrian pathway.

As the building work was nearing completion, banksmen were not felt to be necessary for reversing vehicles. There were no barriers in place to prevent pedestrians crossing vehicle routes, and there were no signs to warn of the dangers of moving vehicles.

The maintenance engineer was struck by a reversing dumper truck whose driver had failed to see them behind the vehicle. The maintenance engineer died from multiple injuries.

How similar accidents could be avoided

  • using adequately trained banksmen when needed, even when work is nearing completion
  • barriers in place to keep pedestrians and vehicles apart
  • signs warning of moving vehicles

More examples of accidents and how to avoid them[84]

The law

Link URLs in this page

  1. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/about.htm
  3. Legislationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/legislation.htm
  4. Overview - Management responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/index.htm
  5. Risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/risk.htm
  6. Taking responsibilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/responsibilities.htm
  7. Communicationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/communication.htm
  8. Co-operationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/cooperation.htm
  9. FAQs on workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/faq.htm
  10. Overview - People's safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/index.htm
  11. Recruitmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/recruitment.htm
  12. Inductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/induction.htm
  13. Initial traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/initialtraining.htm
  14. Refresher traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/refreshertraining.htm
  15. Maintaining good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/goodpractice.htm
  16. Managing contractorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingcontractors.htm
  17. Visiting drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingvisitors.htm
  18. Medical fitness to drivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/medicalfitness.htm
  19. Smoking in vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/smokinginvehicles.htm
  20. Overview - Vehicle safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/index.htm
  21. Safe vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safevehicles.htm
  22. Safe manoeuvringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safemanoeuvring.htm
  23. Ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/waystostop.htm
  24. The right vehicle for the jobhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/rightvehicle.htm
  25. Inspection, maintenance and repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/inspection.htm
  26. Securing loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/securingloads.htm
  27. Site-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/sitebased.htm
  28. Vehicle-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/vehiclebased.htm
  29. Preventing falls from vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/preventingfalls.htm
  30. Safe siteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safesites.htm
  31. Safe drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safedrivers.htm
  32. Overview - Site safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitelayout.htm
  33. Traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficroutes.htm
  34. Driving surfaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/driving.htm
  35. Vehicles and loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles.htm
  36. Vehicle handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehiclehandling.htm
  37. Speedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/speed.htm
  38. Traffic managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficmanagement.htm
  39. Separating pedestrians and vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/separating.htm
  40. Signs, signals and road markingshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/signs.htm
  41. Protecting structureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/protecting.htm
  42. Lightinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lighting.htm
  43. Parking https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/parking.htm
  44. Loading areashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/loading.htm
  45. Temporary workplaces and unprepared roadwayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/temporaryworkplace.htm
  46. Site-based ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitebased.htm
  47. General maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/generalmaintenance.htm
  48. Overview - Lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/index.htm
  49. Managing lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/managing-lift-trucks.htm
  50. Lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/lift-truck-training.htm
  51. Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/accreditation.htm
  52. Thorough examinationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/thoroughexamination.htm
  53. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/faqs.htm
  54. Overview - Inspectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm
  55. Management and supervision of workplace transport riskhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section1.htm
  56. Site layout and internal traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section2.htm
  57. Vehicle selection and suitabilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section3.htm
  58. Vehicle maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section4.htm
  59. Vehicle movementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section5.htm
  60. Un(loading) activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section6.htm
  61. Driver competencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section7.htm
  62. (Un)sheetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section8.htm
  63. Tippinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section9.htm
  64. References and useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section10.htm
  65. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/resources.htm
  66. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/index.htm
  67. Interactive case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/interactive-case-studies.htm
  68. Overview - Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/publications.htm
  69. Factsheets and further readinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/index.htm
  70. Other publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/otherpubs.htm
  71. Overview - Safety signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/index.htm
  72. Banksman's signalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/banksman/index.htm
  73. 'Not allowed' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/prohibitory.htm
  74. 'Danger warning' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/warning.htm
  75. Signs required by lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/mandatory.htm
  76. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/research.htm
  77. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/statistics.htm
  78. risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/risk.htm
  79. reduce the contact between pedestrians and vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/separating.htm
  80. delivery drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/cooperation.htm
  81. More on site safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitelayout.htm
  82. More on vehicle safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/index.htm
  83. More on driving and riding safely for workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
  84. More examples of accidents and how to avoid themhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/index.htm
  85. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 17https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l24.htm
  86. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l22.htm
  87. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l113.htm
  88. HSE website on workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  89. Workplace transport safety: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg199.htm
  90. Managing risks and risk assessment at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm?utm_source=hse.gov.uk&utm_medium=refferal&utm_campaign=risk&utm_content=home-page-info
  91. Workplace transport safety: A guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  92. Workplace transport inspection checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm

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2024-06-05