Health and Safety News

Five essential health and safety tips for the Haulage industry

11-09-2019

HGVs are big, heavy, vehicles with lots of moving parts and as such they need to be treated with great respect as they have the potential to cause serious accidents (including fatal ones). Fortunately, paying suitable attention to health and safety can go a long way to avoiding this.

Here are five tips to keep in mind.

Ensure that both vehicles and drivers are in good condition

Vehicles need to be inspected regularly and any necessary work carried out promptly. Once a year (at least), they should be given an annual safety inspection, which should literally cover every part of the vehicle, top to bottom.

Drivers should be supported to take care of their own health and, in particular, management needs to make it very clear that the company not only supports them taking their designated rest breaks but also supports those taking additional breaks if they feel they need it.

Even though profit margins are notoriously tight in the haulage industry, safety must always come first.

Aim to keep pedestrians (and cyclists) away from the vehicle

When a vehicle is on site, then rules can be established about where people should and should not walk. When a vehicle is off si…

What is a 'Competent Person' and does my business need one?

26-03-2019

Photo shows two workers looking at blueprints Even the smallest businesses have the legal responsibility to manage health and safety at work and are mandated to appoint a competent person to take ownership of fulfilling this obligation.

The definition of a competent person

A competent person does not have to be a qualified and dedicated health and safety professional, but they do need to demonstrate sufficient competence in this area to be able to perform their duties effectively. If you have a small number of employees and operate in a low-risk environment (e.g. an office) then it may be feasible for you to appoint a competent person from within your business, however, even in this situation, there are advantages to using external competent advisors and those with more than a very small number of staff and/or those who work in a higher-risk environment, could benefit greatly from employing the services of external professionals.

Dedicated expertise at your disposal

As the old saying goes - Jack of all trades, master of none. In other words, the more roles someone has to fulfill, the less time they can give to each of them and, as a result, the less proficient they will be at any of them. Translating this into prac…

Infographic: One Festive Tipple Too Many – The Sober Truth of Drink Driving During December

19-11-2018

An estimated 10 million British motorists drink and drive. In December, when alcohol consumption rises by 40% in the UK, nearly 8% more people are arrested on drink driving charges than any other month of the year.

These surprising figures show just how many people are risking their lives – and personal record – by choosing to drive, following one too many drinks during the festive season. Driving over the legal limit has severe – and expensive - repercussions; however, it appears in the haze of Christmas merriment, many motorists are chancing it all to get home.

For more stats check out the infographic below. It features some of the most hard-hitting facts and figures on drink driving over the festive period, as well as handy tips for motorists on how to avoid being tempted to drive after one too many tipples.

With the Christmas party season upon us, now is the time to hit home just how dangerous drunk driving can be – not only for the perpetrators themselves, but for other road users. After all, there’s nothing more sobering than a 6-month prison sentence, a hefty fine, a criminal record and a year-long driving ban – all of which can result from getting caugh…