This week is Road Safety Week, a time to raise awareness and remember those who have lost their lives on Australian roads.

Road crashes represent the most common cause of work related fatality, making driving for work purposes is a considerable risk to a worker’s health and safety.

Workers’ compensation claims caused by work-related vehicle incidents generally lead to more time off work when compared to most other workplace claims and vehicle crashes account for approximately 38 per cent (average from 2007-2016 in Australia) of all worker fatalities.

“Some of the biggest WHS risks for road transport workers include time pressures, shift work and fatigue, physical fitness, poor vehicle design, manual handling of heavy weights, working at height, and exposure to gases and fumes,” Safe Work Australia says.

“Business owners, managers and workers should contact their local work health and safety regulator for practical advice and guidance about ensuring their workplace and workers are safe.”

More information about work health and safety in the road transport industry is available here.