Protecting people and places – improving drivers’ health

25 March 2024

The Association for Road Risk Management talks to Nicola Jaynes from HSE to hear what HSE’s improved focus on driver health means for driver safety managers, and what actions would be expected in order to minimise the risk.

HSE’s mission is expanding. Protecting People and Places is their recently-launched new ten-year strategy which is designed to maintain focus on traditional risks, but also incorporate new risks such as the introduction of new technologies in the workplace, the growth of the gig economy and the government’s commitment to the net-zero agenda.

The strategy means that employee health is going to receive a lot more attention. This is particularly important where staff who drive for work are concerned. Fatigue, for instance, is thought to contribute to 20% of all road collisions and up to a quarter of fatal and serious collisions. Poor driver management and work scheduling can lead to significant levels of stress leading to cognitive distraction on the road