Truck Driver Training and Company Responsibility: A Fine Line

The need for truck driver training is apparent to anyone who possesses even the slightest amount of knowledge about HGVs and other large, commercial vehicles. However, at what point does company responsibility for worker safety overshadow an individual driver’s training? We ask the question in light of a recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ruling connected to a 2012 accident.

The accident in question involved a 42-year-old Leeds man working as a courier for DHL. The official report says the man had parked his cab and was in the process of connecting a trailer when the cab began rolling forward. He was run over by the vehicle after he tripped and fell trying to pursue it. He was left with multiple life changing injuries that have prevented him from working ever since.

The HSE ruled that the accident was entirely preventable. Furthermore, the ruling stated that several HSE documents provided the necessary information that should have served as a warning to DHL about the potential risks of parking lorries without chocking wheels and applying hand brakes. The availability of such information suggests that DHL should have known about the risks involved and taken appropriate steps to prevent such accidents.

As a result of the HSE ruling, DHL was ordered to pay a £50,000 fine as well is nearly £16,000 in additional costs. We expect that DHL will immediately institute new policies, if they have not done so already, to prevent future accidents of this kind. As for the driver, no one knows if he will ever return to work.

Importance of Driver Training

DHL admitted safety failings in relation to the 2012 case. Nevertheless, the failure of any company to take the necessary safety precautions to protect workers does not excuse drivers from the need to make wise decisions. This is why it is so important to make sure the truck driver training any professional receives emphasises personal safety as much as it does road safety. HGVs and other large commercial vehicles are dangerous pieces of equipment that can cause devastating injuries and deaths.

Personal safety is an important part of what we teach at the HGV Training in London. Our goal is to not only produce professional drivers who are productive and efficient, but also who have a mindset of safety first. We want our drivers to enjoy long and successful careers free of accidents and injuries.

Our training programme is designed to assist our students through the entire process of earning a commercial driving licence. We can help with paperwork submission and preparing for the PCV or HGV theory test, in addition to the practical skills training required to take the final road test. We even send one of our trainers with each student on the date of that final test.

The HGV Training Centre can train you to operate all sorts of commercial vehicles including lorries, tipper trucks, coaches, buses, forklift trucks, and heavy construction equipment. Contact us for more information.

Sources:

Luton on Sunday – http://www.luton-dunstable.co.uk/DHL-fined-50k-driver-run-lorry-Dunstable/story-25935360-detail/story.html