Risk assessment for driving for work

Please refer to https://www.essex.ac.uk/staff/activities-health-and-safety/driving-for-work for guidance documents referred to in this risk assessment.

Description of activity / area being assessed	Employees driving for work using their own vehicle or a hired vehicle (excludes driving to and from work)	Location
Manager responsible	Signature & date
Assessed by (name & role)	Signature & assessment date

Hazard (H) Hazardous event (HE) Consequence (C)	Who might be harmed	Current controls	Current risk LxC=R	Additional controls	Residual risk LxC=R	Date achieved
H: Driver competency and capability. HE’s: Driver not competent, unqualified or medically unfit to drive in UK. Tired, ill, on medication or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Distracted whilst using in-car equipment or performs other in-car activities whilst driving (e.g. use of mobile phone, navigation device, eating, drinking, smoking) C- Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users Pregnant drivers	Manager. H&S Induction confirms employee has valid licence (for UK) and vehicle is insured for business use. Brings this risk assessment to their attention. Employee. Valid driving licence for UK and the vehicle they drive. Informs manager of changes to driving licence due to medical conditions. Does not drive if ill, tired or taking medication that impairs ability. Does not drink or drug drive. Does not use in-car devices, mobile phones, eat or drink whilst driving. Wears seatbelt and follows the Highway Code. If using hire vehicle confirm UoE motor cover with insurance officer.	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK	Formal documentation check carried out ?? yearly by ?? and recorded on Record of Driver Documentation Check. Pregnant drivers: inform line manager of driving issues and update pregnancy risk assessment.
H- Vehicle. HE- Not fit for purpose and not roadworthy. C- Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Employee carries out regular vehicle checks. Ensures the vehicle has passed its MOT (where applicable) and is regularly serviced.	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
H- Journey duration. HE- Driving for long periods of time. C - Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Manager. Where practical eliminate the need to drive: e.g. use video conferencing, public transport. Ensures employee workload allows sufficient journey time and planned breaks. Allows driver an overnight stop rather than taking a long journey after a full day. Employee. Considers whether journey is avoidable. Tries to drive in normal working hours. Plans breaks (recommended: 15 minutes every 2 hours) and overnight stop if required. Adequate time to get to destination,	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
H- Journey time of day. HE- Driving late at night and very early in the morning when the driver is likely to feel sleepy. C- Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Manager. Encourages driving during normal working hours. Employee. Tries to avoid driving at peak travelling times, late at night or very early in the morning. Adequate time to get to destination, allowing time for breaks.	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
H- Journey weather conditions. HE- Driving during adverse weather conditions. C- Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Employee. Review weather forecast and traffic report to assess whether it is safe to start journey. Read RoSPA winter driving tips. (Link on Staff Directory).	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
H- Work-related violence. HE - Driver at increased risk from when travelling alone. C- physical and verbal violence	Employee	Employee should read ROSPA guidance on Road Rage and Suzy Lamplugh Trust personal safety information. (Links on Staff Directory2).	Very unlikely and moderate VERY LOW RISK
Manual handling. H- bulky or heavy work items HE: Driver handling large, bulky or heavy work items into and out of the car and to point of use. C- Musculoskeletal disorders; persistent or occasionally disabling.	Employee	Employees should read Is Your Back Safe leaflet. Minimise the amount by taking what’s needed. Arranges for the porters to transfer large and bulky items between campuses. Suitable handling aids: e.g. folding box trolley that is regularly inspected.	Very unlikely and moderate VERY LOW RISK
H- Driving overseas HEs – Poor road conditions / poor standards of driving at location / driver competence / lack of familiarity with location and /or driving rules, inexperienced at driving on opposite side of road. C - Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Employee: researches Country / location driving conditions and rules – by following advice on researching your trip on Staff Directory: overseas travel health and safety. If driving high risk, employee uses reputable taxi service or hired driver for duration of trip. Ensures has appropriate driving licence / permits for Country. If hiring motor vehicle overseas checks that University motor insurance covers use of hire vehicles in that location and any caveats that may apply.	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK

The likelihood of the hazardous event is based on low levels of driving in the department. If the department has a higher level of driving ie regular driving by staff, the likelihood can increase. You will need to record it in your risk assessment.

https://www.essex.ac.uk/staff/activities-health-and-safety/driving-for-work

The likelihood of the hazardous event is based on low levels of driving in the department. If the department has a higher level of driving ie regular driving by staff, the likelihood can increase. You will need to record it in your risk assessment.