Work-related road safety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publication, Driving at work – Managing work-related road safety, contains information to help manage the risks to drivers as part of an organisation’s health and safety arrangements.

Effective management of work-related road safety may result in:

• Fewer injuries to drivers
• A reduced risk of work-related ill health
• Reduced stress and improved morale

Fire and rescue services should consider using standard messages for mobilisation; this approach may avoid implied urgency, which could adversely impact on the safety of personnel driving to a fire station or to an incident. For more information refer to Follow the standard message process.

The impact of fatigue and stress should be considered when mobilising drivers to incidents, particularly during spate conditions. Working time and driving time regulations should also be considered; this particularly relates to retained duty system (on-call) personnel who may drive commercial vehicles in their main employment.

All personnel should understand the dangers of multi-tasking while driving, and its contribution to road accidents; this may particularly apply to the lone working situation of officers driving in their vehicle to an incident.

All personnel must wear seatbelts while travelling and should avoid getting dressed or other activities which could compromise their safety.

Road safety for the public

Fire and rescue services may find it useful to provide education to members of the public on the correct actions they should take when encountering emergency vehicles on their way to an incident. It may be appropriate to work with partner agencies to deliver this information.