Are longer driving hours worth the health cost for HGV Drivers

Road haulage has always had a culture of long hours with lack of sleep a frequent daily outcome. The government seems hell-bent on making it worse by extending the increased permitted driving hours as reported last week by Logistics UK. The relaxation of the rules has been extended until Jan 9.

One extra hour of actual driving equates to 56 miles at the very most, or perhaps an extra local delivery if the receiving company accepts the load and performs a fast turnaround.

But it’s the Health & Safety (H&S) risk that must surely negate any possible slight increase in productivity. If the limit was set because of H&S considerations, how can those concerns be suddenly and prudently set aside?

Just because the government has permitted it will cut no ice with a judge should driver tiredness lead to a serious RTA. That could involve both the driver and the employer in litigation

And that is in addition to the physical and mental health of drivers.

The poor health of drivers is already a major issue

Unite, the union, published a report in Sep 2021 using data from a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA. It confirms that many drivers are being forced out of their industry through ill health. Because the age profile of drivers is loaded at the upper end, they are more susceptible to health problems than younger drivers. The observation reads,

"What is certain is that the relaxation in the driving hours that is resulting in already exhausted workers operating for longer is making a bad situation worse and will have long-term health implications."

The mental health organisation, Mind, reckons that well over 30% of significant health issues amongst drivers relate to their mental health, with stress a major factor.

For operators

Prudent Hauliers will handle the extra permitted driving time carefully and thoughtfully.

Knowing the potential downsides of driving for longer, it makes sense to poll your drivers and find out which of them are happy to work extra hours and only assign longer days to them. To simply expect all drivers to undertake extra work could be self-defeating, despite any seeming commercial benefits.

For drivers

The health of our drivers is a top priority for us. We know what the job can be like and the health damage that can arise. Pressures are caused by long hours away from home, lack of stimulation, poor diet, little exercise, and job stress. We are more than willing to listen and provide advice on where to see the help.

Speak to us for further guidance and sources of help: Admin@availtechnologies.co.uk

If you feel concerned about your health, the obvious first port of call is your GP. For mental health concerns, Mind provides great advice, such as their page on Fitness to drive and your rights.

About Avail - your driver solution

At Avail, we’re working on resolving the driver shortage problem. We’re not a traditional agency, but a temporary driver solution that matches temporary HGV drivers with Operators for a set low fee of £7.50 per driver per day all through the Avail platform. Our online platform uses specially designed software that can be used anywhere at any time, the platform has just over 10,000 drivers active on the platform and are IR35 compliant.

If you would like to see the platform in action, then book in for a demo with our New Business team, or if you aren’t ready for that. Email our New Business Manager, David Roberts with a question david.roberts@availtechnologies.co.uk.