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Last month a tanker lorry exploded on a Bristol industrial estate, killing the driver and injuring others. An investigation is under way. Also in June an employee was badly injured when a tipper reversed over him in a Hartlepool haulage yard. In November 1994 a young Dutchman brought his Volvo F12 drawbar into a West London depot. Uncoupling the trailer in the early hours of the morning, he unloaded both vehicles and then tried to connect the suzies without setting the independent brake on the trailer. This released the air brakes on the trailer and he was crushed to death as the trailer hit the back of the towing vehicle.
Examples like these were among the 77 workplace fatalities last year; there were also 1,363 serious injuries. These figures do not include those killed or injured on the roads nor those suffering chronic illness due to workplace conditions At the beginning of June the Transport and General Workers Union launched a research programme to study the link between fatigue and accidents.
In May the European Union announced its intention to carry out a similar 12-month research programme. This study is designed to investigate the influence of work, other than driving, on commercial drivers' fatigue levels, as a step towards harmonising the working day throughout the 15 EU states. The European Commission has proposed a Directive on health and safety within the transport industry But despite these moves, much remains to be done if the needless loss of life and injury is to be checked. According to the Health and Safety Executive, which recently launched a nine-month campaign to increase safety in the transport workplace, 80% of all accidents are preventable. It believes that sensible and enforced working practices could have a significant impact on the problem. The key word is "enforced". There is little point in introducing a set of rules without ensuring compliance. According to the HSE, the most frequent types of transport-related accidents involve people being hit or run over by moving vehicles; slipping and falling while working on a vehicle; being injured as a result of objects (usually part of the load) falling from a vehicle; or being crushed by a toppling vehicle, especially on building sites and quarries. Most of these accident could be avoided through enforcement of existing safety regulations.
Danny Bryan, national secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union Commercial Road Transport section, says: "Health and safety in the workplace is a major issue for drivers in the transport industry. It is not uncommon for a driver to be scheduled to work up to 15 hours a day, which has major implications for health and safety. There can be little doubt that the cumulative effect of such long days is to achieve a level of fatigue within a person as to render him more prone to mistakes."
Hauliers are legally obliged to set up systems designed to minimise the risk to the health and safety of their workers and others. The most important legislation in this area is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, although other legislation such as the Factories Act 1961 also have to be considered. The obligations are not onerous; a conscientious and competent employer or manager would comply with these rules if only because they make good business sense.
"Even a relatively minor accident is likely to cost around £3,000 while a major accident will cost about £16,000." says David Eves, Deputy Director General of the HSE. "Vehicle accidents are the second biggest killer in the workplace." The biggest killer is "falls from a height", so if a driver were killed falling from a tanker it would fall into this category rather than a vehicle accident, says the HSE.
According to HSE's average figures, falls from trucks or tankers kill two drivers a year; 40 suffer major injuries; and 55 need more than three days off work.
Bryan adds: "During 1994 the transport section of the union recovered £80m as a result of court orders and out-of-court settlements on behalf of members who had been injured in the workplace."
So how does a haulier decide if his depot meets the level of safety laid down by law? The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 require that a process of assessment be carried out. This means no more than a detailed look at the yard and its equipment to answer the question, "what could go wrong here?". Some hazards will be obvious, but every aspect of the business needs to be scrutinised and the hazards noted.
Once the risks have been identified some action will have to be taken. It might be appropriate to impose a speed limit or provide pedestrian crossing points from the car park to the offices. If an accident occurs one of the first questions asked is what training the operator (including the driver of any vehicle) was given in his equipment.
If vehicles pass close to building entrances, hauliers should consider erecting physical barriers to protect pedestrians. These are among areas that HSE inspectors say they will be evaluating during their campaign. They will also be looking for designated pedestrian and traffic areas which are properly separated; maintenance programmes with properly equipped and trained workers; safe working practices for loading, securing and sheeting; effective training for all staff.
There is a case for arguing that the number of accidents, and therefore the economic viability of a business, is in proportion to the level of control of safety issues exercised by its managers. A commitment to safety at the top of an organisation is likely to establish a culture where safety is seen as an essential ingredient
Regular meetings with staff to identify problem areas, and periodic inspections of the yard and its vehicles, send clear messages about how managers feel about the workforce's health and safety E by Patrick Hook
An HSE booklet 'Workshop Transport Safety, Guidance for Employers' is available from bookshops, priced 1750. A video, 'Danger, vehicles at work' is available from CFL Vision—phone (01937) 541010—priced £49.50 or £13.50 per week rental