Minister Resists Extending RIDDOR To Work-Related Road Injuries

Road safety minister Paul Clark has confirmed that there are no immediate plans to bring work-related deaths and injuries under the HSE’s injury and incident reporting system RIDDOR.

The minister was attending road safety charity 'Brake’s' annual “Fleet Safety Forum” conference in Birmingham when several speakers challenged him over the continuing lack of data on work-related road crashes.

Despite acknowledging that 75% of work-related deaths are on the road and up to a third of all road accidents involve someone driving for work, he said the government does not plan to alter reporting requirements.

Commenting on the news, Derek Maylor, NW BTU H&S Co-ord Chair said,

" We'll carry on campaigning and could even put pressure on Labour MP's now prior to the election. As an add on  - we are disappointed to hear that Joan Humble is packing in her seat at Blackpool. She was a hard working old fashioned Labour MP, and on the select committee that deals with work. She was helpful to us."

CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce Said "Brake along with the TUC, CWU and all UK Unions wants to see the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) amended to require companies to report “at-work” work-related road deaths and injuries to the enforcing authorities.

The Unions including CWU have been calling for this change since 1997 and for the HSE to enforce the law in at work road accidents as currently the HSE does not investigate and prosecute health and safety offences connected to road traffic accidents because it isn't include in their current "Enforcement Policy". They've claimed in the past not to have the resources for such a task. Not only should RIDDOR incorporate work related road crashes, but it should also be extended outside of work hours, to include driving to and from work."

Source: CWU / NW BTU H&S Co-ord

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