Risk assessment for driving for work

This risk assessment is for the department’s driving for work.

Title	Driving for work using your own vehicle (excludes driving to and from work)	Location	Risk assessment No
Manager responsible	Signature & date
Assessed by (name & role)	Signature & assessment date
Review (date & reason)

hazard hazardous event consequence	Who might be harmed	Current controls	Current risk LxC=R	Additional controls	Residual risk LxC=R	Date achieved
Driver competency and capability. 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) Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users Pregnant drivers	Manager. H&S Induction checks employee has valid licence, vehicle is business insured, brings this risk assessment to their attention. Discourages contact whilst driving. Manager completes the Driving for Work Checklist. 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, eat or drink whilst driving. Wear seatbelts and follows the Highway Code.	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK	See Advice on driving in Great Britain on a foreign licence Pregnant drivers: inform line manager of driving issues and update pregnancy risk assessment.

hazard hazardous event consequence	Who might be harmed	Current controls	Current risk LxC=R	Additional controls	Residual risk LxC=R	Date achieved
Vehicle. Not fit for purpose and not roadworthy. 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
Journey duration. Driving for long periods of time. Road traffic accident, major injuries possible fatalities.	Employee driving Passengers Pedestrians Road users	Manager. Where practical eliminate the need to drive: eg 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
Journey time of day. Driving late at night, very early in the morning between 2pm and 4pm when the driver is likely to feel sleepy. 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, very early in the morning (2am – 6am) or between 2pm – 4pm. Adequate time	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
Journey weather conditions. Driving during adverse weather conditions. 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. RoSPA winter driving tips	Very unlikely and catastrophic MEDIUM RISK
Work-related violence. Driver at increased risk from physical and verbal violence when travelling alone.	Employee	Employee aware of Road Rage RoSPA guide. Staff aware of Suzy Lamplugh trust personal safety information.	Very unlikely and moderate VERY LOW RISK
Manual handling. Driver handling large, bulky or heavy work items into and out of the car and to point of use. Musculoskeletal disorders; persistent or occasionally disabling.	Employee	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: eg folding box trolley that is regularly inspected.	Very unlikely and moderate VERY LOW 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.