Workplace Traffic Hazards
Jan 1, 2010
Any person with responsibilities for workplace traffic would have been shocked on hearing news of the death of a driver in a supermarket car park. A driver died in the car park of the Asda supermarket, Cardiff Bay in March 2006 when he was struck by an unsecured steel barrier. The driver has his small child with him in the car at the time of the accident. Asda were prosecuted and fined £225 000 following this tragic event.
To help avoid workplace transport accidents and as workplace transport is also a key issue for HSE inspectors, employers are reminded to risk assess traffic movements within their workplace.
Consideration should be given to:
- One-way systems to avoid points of conflict and to avoid reversing;
- Segregated routes for pedestrians
- Clear road traffic and directional signage
- Controlled parking areas
- Clear warnings of site hazards and provision of instructions at site entrances
- Good illumination during hours of darkness
- Removal of obstructions to drivers’ vision or the provision of vision aids such as mirrors
- Regular maintenance and inspection of roadways and safety equipment
For further advice on workplace traffic management, contact the Wilby Ltd Risk Management team.
