HSE raise Workplace Transport safety issues in West Yorkshire
Jan 1, 2010
One of the issues raised by the Health & Safety Executive and Local Authorities in their recent joint campaign of inspection visits in West Yorkshire has been the subject of workplace transport – particularly the safe separation of vehicles and pedestrians.
Some of the key points raised by the HSE are below. Are you considering these in your workplace?
Key messages from the HSE
Pedestrians and vehicles must be able to use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of people working near it.
Vehicle routes and pedestrian routes should be separate whenever possible.
You need to consider protection for people who work near vehicle routes.
Traffic routes must also keep vehicle routes far enough away from doors or gates that pedestrians use, or from pedestrian routes that lead on to them, so the safety of pedestrians is not threatened.
Key Workplace Transport safety Questions
Do you have a risk assessment in place for workplace transport?
- How are pedestrians kept away from vehicles?
- How do you mark out and sign vehicle and pedestrian areas?
- Where do vehicles and pedestrians have to use the same route?
- How do you mark out and sign crossing points
- for drivers?
- for pedestrians?
How do you tell people about the routes and the layout?
For example: Staff who work on site
New staff and particularly visitors who may be unfamiliar with the site.
Apart from collisions, what else presents a health and safety risk?
For example:
- materials falling from vehicles
- noise
- fumes
How can you manage these risks?
Do you have effective means to keep vehicles away from pedestrian areas?
These can include:
- protective barriers
- clear markings to set apart vehicle and pedestrians routes
- raised kerbs to mark vehicle and pedestrian areas and, where needed, suitable barriers or guard rails at entrances and exits to buildings at the corners of buildings to prevent pedestrians from walking straight on to vehicle routes
Do you provide separate vehicle and pedestrian doors wherever possible (segregation)?
These can include:
- Windows on doors can help drivers and pedestrians see whether it is safe for them to approach.
- If vehicles use routes inside buildings, use signs and markings on the floor to tell both drivers and pedestrians.
- Provide enough clearance between the vehicles and pedestrians, and take care to make sure that fixtures along the route do not create trapping hazards.
- Sufficient lighting must also be provided so pedestrians and vehicles can see where they are going – and each other.
Do you provide appropriate crossing points for people to use where pedestrian and vehicle routes cross?
Pedestrians and drivers should be able to see clearly in all directions.
Crossing points should be suitably marked and signposted. Where necessary, provide barriers or rails to prevent pedestrians from crossing at dangerous points and to direct them to the crossing places.
Where the number of vehicles or pedestrians using a route is likely to change at regular times, consider preventing pedestrians or vehicles from using the routes at these times, to keep them apart.
