Health and safety regulations are one of those things are that the most divisive in the workplace. Most employees hate them and judge them dull. Even though they are indispensable to the run of daily operations, you might find that some employees might take shortcuts from time to time, especially when following the regulations make it more difficult to get the work done. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to make sure that your H&S policy is meaningful and useful in everyday business.
But, there’s something even worse than failure to apply H&S regulations. Indeed, some companies are guilty of neglected the risks faces by their staff, especially in the road transport industry. Here’s a little guidance to help you address these issues.
In-house, it’s only a matter of management
Most companies take protective measures to avoid having to deal with a work injury claim. That’s precisely what health and safety policies are designed to do. However, most policies tend to focus entirely on in-house interactions and behaviors, with very little assistance for employees who don’t work from the office. Ultimately, managing the risks in a set and fixed environment is easy. But you’re missing one crucial factor of the truck driving profession: The environment changes all the time. While you can establish regulations for inside the truck cabin, it’s not enough to protect your staff.
But anything can happen to your remote staff, and you can’t control the risks
The road is an open area where anything is possible, from collision to damages that are out of the control of your driver. You might want to get familiar with the process of personal injury for truck-related accidents from Greene Broillet & Wheeler to better understand how accidents can happen. The addition of a camera that films the truck on the road can protect your driver from fake claims, for instance. Similarly, regular health checks for your drivers can also avoid issues.
What are the most risks for remote equipment?
You’ve got no choice but to ensure that the vehicle you let on the road is safe. Commercial trucks need to prioritize regular maintenance and servicing. Ideally, you need to plan for servicing every 30,000 miles. But you should also make sure that you can take into account the frequency of use, season and location as well as high mileage when arranging your service appointment. This will avoid the apparition of fault as a result of excessive wear and tear.
What are the most common risks for drivers?
A truck driver spends most of their time on the road. While one might love driving, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t a hard job. Truck drivers often feel isolated from their friends and family and experience depression. In fact, 20% of drivers suffer from depressive symptoms, which can affect their driving, their performance, and their overall health. As an employer, you need to schedule regular time off for your drivers to recharge their batteries.
Truck drivers don’t respond to the typical health and safety regulations. On the contrary, they need to receive training to better prepare for road collision and loneliness. Additionally, it’s your responsibility to keep your drivers safe, through maintenance of the vehicle and the addition of safe tech to the truck.
