The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)’s head of transport and public service is to provide a keynote speech on driver wellbeing at this year’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) Van Excellence Operational Briefings.
The briefings, in Glasgow, Oxford and Derby this April, will feature a host of expert speakers, including the HSE’s Alan Craddock, as well as Andrew Brown from the men’s mental health charity CALM, The Driving Doctor, Paul Ripley and John Sunderland-Wright, director at the NFE Group.
The aim is to highlight the benefits of good driver management and the possible risks of ignoring the human element of running a van fleet.
FTA’s head of vans, Mark Cartwright, who is hosting the events, said: “Safety is central to the Van Excellence programme and it has always placed real importance on the value of caring for the health and wellbeing of van drivers. I am extremely pleased that Alan Craddock from the HSE will be joining our group of leading experts in this field. They will be able to share the latest research and give practical advice on a variety of issues, including mental health, stress and managing an ageing workforce.”
Cartwright added: “Caring for the physical and mental health of your staff isn’t just about being a considerate employer. Drivers who get behind the wheel when they’re unwell, exhausted or distracted by personal issues are less effective and more likely to have an accident. Evidence shows that staff who are happy take fewer sick days and are more likely to stay in their jobs.
The Van Excellence team Operational Briefings are open to all organisations using vans during daily business, whether a single vehicle or a large fleet, and take place on 10 April at Celtic Park, Glasgow, 12 April at Kassam Stadium, Oxford and on 19 April at Pride Park in Derby.
For more details including bookings, click here.
