In Great Britain there are 25 fatal injuries each year on average, and hundreds of non-fatal injuries to workers as a result of being struck by moving vehicles in the workplace. Restricted operator visibility is often identified as a contributing factor in these accidents.
This report describes the development of a risk-based method to determine ‘visibility risk zones’ for earth-moving machinery such as dumper trucks and excavators. It considers operator visibility all around a machine from its boundary out to the far field of view. The method assists users to: define the areas around a machine that the operator needs to view; identify the areas the operator cannot see; and determine the areas where visibility aids such as mirrors and camera systems are required. The method takes into account the configuration of the machinery and how easy it is to manoeuvre during operation and travel. The method may be useful to assist in the following tasks: (1) Evaluation and verification of machines; (2) Installation of visibility aids and detection systems; (3) Assessment of risks to workers on a jobsite; (4) Organisation of a jobsite to ensure that risks are well controlled; (5) Incident investigation.
Two related reports describe the use of this visibility risk zone method to evaluate operator visibility for an hydraulic excavator (RR1157) and a large rigid frame dumper truck (RR1158).
For the majority of people, driving will be the most hazardous activity they do. It is estimated that one third of all road traffic collisions (RTCs) in Britain involve someone driving as part of their job and numerous other RTCs involving people travelling to or from their place of work.
Although the risks associated with driving cannot be totally controlled, an employer has a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to manage these risks and do everything reasonably practicable to protect people from harm in the same way as they would in the workplace.
HSE and Department for Transport produced joint a guidance in 2014, INDG382: Driving at Work, to help duty holders manage work-related road risk.
However, in recent years there have been significant developments in driving technologies and practices that have brought into question the currency of this guidance.
HSE are interested to hear from people who drive for work or employ those who do, across all industries including construction, to help identify how INDG382 can be improved in terms of relevance, currency, and accessibility.
Please help by providing your feedback via this short survey,
Please note this survey will close on the 31st January 2021.
Effective LEV or dust/fume extraction can carry away airborne contaminants before they can be breathed in.
This website provides practical advice for employers and employees on buying and using LEV and what to do to comply with the law. It will help designers, installers and examiners work with their customers to control airborne contaminants effectively.