Posted By Debbie Blay
Do I need to supply bottled water to an employee who will be driving as the main part of his job?

Posted By andrew morris
If its an issue, would suggest supplying him with a reuseable drinks container and ensuring that the sites he visits are able to provide access to mains water. If he drives for work then his vehicle is part of his workplace therefore you have to provide access (so far as is reas. practicable). Dehydration may be part of your driving for work risk assessment?

Posted By Gff
Vehicles are exempt from the workplace regs see Reg 3(3)(a)

The only regulation applicable is 13 See Rg 3(3)(b) which is duty to prevent falls from height and this is only applicable when the vehicle is stationary

I complete disagree with the advice given above

G'

Posted By Gff
Intresting

Service stations!

Try and apply regs 8, 10, 20, 21, and 25 also.

Posted By Peter Taylor14
hundreds of thousands of people are on the road daily, you do not need to supply water and as there is no significant risk I wouldnt even do a risk assessment. Is it also your responsibility to see the driver eats to ensure s/he doesnt faint?
This sort of thing gives H&S a bad name.

Posted By andrew morris
Don't recall suggesting that the provision of water should be risk assessed. And I don't see how this gives H&S safety a bad name, we are having a professional debate... I thought...

Apologies for mentioning the workplace regs - my bad - it does appear to be exempt, but as the supporting post says - section 2 - so far as is rp. For the sake of bottled water or a reuseable bottle why would you not want to ensure the welfare of your staff?

Don't forget though, driving at work is an upcoming issue (particuarly as it kills more people at work than falls from height) and soooo - should you be encouraging people to "drink" and drive or maybe ensuring the route is planned to include suitable and sufficient rest stops..... (with access to water)

As a footnote I think it is more likely to be the brush off attitude which is more damaging to health and safety - this was a serious question with serious discussion - think healthier nations, heathier workplaces not just do the bare minimum... I would also suggest it is your responsibility to ensure that the driver is not too fatigued/stressed/pressured (so as not to eat for fear of missing deadlines) that they faint - not as the previous two have suggested.. (sounds a bit like the "they come to work accepting the risks" argument coming back

Posted By MetalMan
"Do I need to supply bottled water to an employee who will be driving as the main part of his job?"

Yes, also ensure that you remind them to breathe in case of suffocation, blink to prevent visual disturbances, move steering wheel to avoid hitting other vehicles.

Good grief, driving in the Paris - Dakar rally good question, Luton to Knutsford???????????

Posted By Bob Shillabeer
Well siad Andrew, we are a professional body who take care of our people. Not many on the road though so the cost is minimal to us. We believe in looking after our people so we can keep them at work longer thus retaining thier not insignificant and very costly work efforts. Thats why we supply water, what I am saying is give then a bottle of water to take with them, it helps keep them on side you see, never in all the history of the company have we been taken to a tribunal, never had anyone resign in discust, or even complained to the union about thier working conditions. By the way we are a company about 200 strong with a lot of quite high profile operations going on. It's called looking after the welfare of our people as well as thier safety and health. It makes me think about who some of you work for to knock them off my retirement job list.

Posted By Gff
bob the question was "do i need to......"

Answer No

Posted By darren booth
it may seem unrelated, but schools(in my area anyway) now give kids water bottles, to bring to school, as they find that when kids have a drink, and are hydrated, they are fresh and attentive.
regardless of regs, it is just good practice to look after your staff, as bob shillabeers post demonstrates(it sounds like you work for a good employer, bob!).
the obvious course of action is to actually ask the drivers what they need! the way the original question was asked, it seems like it was looking for a way to avoid having to supply the drinks.

and Peter Taylor14? you must be a manager, because in my experience, they are the only people who can state that something has no risk without assessing it!

Posted By The toecap
Whilst in the army we used to get eating and drinking cards. This was to ensure that we all et sufficient rest etc.

Posted By Bob Shillabeer
Gff, I'm sure your right, you don't need to do it, but in the interest of improving the lot of your outbased personnel you can do it. Isn't that a way of improving your workforce at a smal cost? They will be happier.