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Posted By Sarah J Shaw
I have searched the archive and although there are some related topics they don't quite cover what I am looking for.
I have been asked to come up with some guidance on the number of hours a member of our feild sales staff should be allowed to drive for. This raises some very significant issues as the only company I know who limit it is a training outfit who say that if the trainer would need to drive for more than 2 hours he should stop over night.
I regularly encounter staff who have driven to/from Scotland for a meeting or have just come off a long haul flight (were US owned) and then get in their car and drive back to the West Midlands.
You can imagine the fuss (putting it mildly) if I recommended a similar solution.
The only other standard is of course the Working Time Regs, but I do not feel this will really cover the issue adequately as I need to take into account the non-driving work time also.
Has anyone else been faced with this thorny problem. Can you help?
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Posted By Martin Gray
Have you considered using the EC Driving and Rest Periods - EC Regulation 3820/85 as a guide I know this is directed at HGV drivers but it is a good starting point to draw up a company policy for reps.
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Posted By Allan St.John Holt
Whatever you decide there will be resistance, so you need to have some backup data. Could I suggest you take a look at an article in Facilities Management of Feb 2002 - Work-Related Driving:Steering clear of danger - by RoSPA's Kevin Clinton (kclinton@rospa.com) or get the full details from RosPA's website on www.rospa.co.uk.
Ther is also a report from HSE at www.hse.gov.uk/road/
There's enough information for you to be able to write a policy, but the details of the hours etc will need to be negotiated so that all affected buy in to the solution. I suggest you make sure they are represented on a working party.
Hope this helps,
Allan
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Posted By Sarah J Shaw
Martin, Allan,
Many thanks for the info. I think I have plenty to go on now. Many thanks also to David Dowan for the e-mail info.
If anyone wants to see what I come up with, give me a month to digest it all, do a draft and have it pulled apart!
Regards
Sarah
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Posted By sitewarden ( PAUL)
Hi Sarah
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/d...ergonomics/biw/intro.htm
this is an excellent site for driving: topics covering health, ergonomics, safety, disability and vehicle design with clinical experience of manual handling injuries and work related upper limb disorders.
regards
Paul
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Posted By George Wedgwood
Interesting topic, which again raises the hazard of work related driving so recently addressed by the DLTR/HSC in their "Work-related Road Safety Task Group" Report entitled "Reducing at-work road traffic incidents", in November '01. This is available from HSE Books @ £6.95 and is ISBN 0-7176-2239-8.
As far as large company advice is concerned, my previous Company, a major Utility, had written guidance for managers that recommended a maximum driving time of two hours before a 'stop and stretch' period as well as reasonable limits to the working day, which if a risk assessment showed this would be ecxceeded, meant that the manager had to allow for an overnight stay. For early morning meetings, it was recommended that previous day travel should be made and again, a hotel booked for a stay.
For arrival in the UK after a long-haul flight, managers were recommended to ensure a taxi service returned the individual to home and that NO driving should be allowed after such a journey. This practice was started some 7 years ago! Needless to say, that company had an industry-leading record of safety performance.
So good practice is out there if you look and under the future guidlines that the HSE will probably produce on the recommendations of the Task Group, these are likely to be included. I think additional guidance should prevent drivers driving on motorways immediately after a meal, when sleepiness can come on very quickly! I carry a caffein drink or take Pro Plus if I ever feel my eyelids droop!
George Wedgwood, FIOSH RSP
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