How to create an HGV driver risk assessment

Every operator has a duty of care to the people who drive for them. A structured HGV driver risk assessment turns that duty into something practical — a living document that identifies what could go wrong, who could be harmed, and what you're doing about it. Here's how to build one.

1. Identify the hazards

Start by listing everything that could cause harm to your drivers, passengers or other road users. Common hazards include:

• Driver fatigue — and what supervision is in place to manage it.
• Mental and physical health — and how often these are discussed with drivers.
• Distractions such as mobile phones, sat-nav or eating — are in-cab cameras and dashcams used?
• Speeding — how often are tachograph speeding reports reviewed?
• Drink and drugs — is there a policy, and do tests take place?
• Aggressive driving — how often are harsh-braking reports reviewed?
• Poor weather and dangerous road conditions.
• Vehicle defects — are walkaround and maintenance records reviewed and spot-checked?
• General compliance culture — is the business being run as a responsible operator?

2. Decide who might be harmed and how

For each hazard, work out who is exposed and in what way. Driver fatigue, for instance, could lead to a driver falling asleep at the wheel and causing a serious collision — harming the driver, other road users and your business alike.

3. Evaluate the risks

Weigh the likelihood of each hazard occurring against the severity of the harm it could cause. Fatigue is a relatively common hazard, yet the consequences can be catastrophic — so it scores highly and deserves robust controls.

4. Record your findings

Capture the assessment in a written document that sets out:

1. The hazards identified.
2. Who might be harmed by each one.
3. The likelihood of the hazard occurring.
4. The severity of the potential harm.
5. The control measures you've put in place to reduce the risk.

5. Review it regularly

Risks shift over time — new hazards emerge and existing ones change in likelihood. Review the assessment regularly, and actively encourage and monitor near-misses so you learn before an incident, not after one.

Need help building a driver risk assessment that stands up to scrutiny, or want to layer in licence checking and tachograph review? Our consultants can put a proper framework in place — get in touch.