The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has urged the Government
to give its full support to plans to reduce work-related road accidents.
The Work-Related Road Safety Taskforce recommends that the Health and Safety
Executive publish guidance for employers on their duty to manage the safety of
their employees, whether as company car or van drivers, motorcyclists or
pedestrians (News, 27 November).
Rospa’s occupational safety adviser Roger Bibbings said the Government would
need to play a key role ensuring that the police, the HSE and other road safety
enforcers work more closely together to apply health and safety law on the
road.
"Rospa wants to see the Government working in partnership with a wide
range of bodies, such as insurers, the fleet sector, employers’ organisations,
trade unions, safety organisations and local authorities, to develop a
co-ordinated national action programme to deal with Britain’s biggest
occupational safety issue," Bibbings said.
Under the proposals, the HSE will investigate whether traffic accidents
involving employees – which account for up to 1,000 deaths a year – are caused
by employers setting their drivers unrealistic schedules, requiring them to
drive while fatigued.
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"Employers who choose to ignore road safety will be on notice to change
their ways or they could end up in court," said Bibbings.
