Studies show that professionals operating in the haulage and logistics sector are at risk from the effects of poor mental health.
Data gathered from the Campaign Against Living Miserably (2019) shows that men account for an estimated 75 per cent of suicides annually across the UK. The male population makes up 92 per cent of professional HGV drivers, according to a House of Commons report, leaving the sector highly impacted by the effects of mental health problems
FORS Bronze requirement ‘D6 Health and eyesight’ requires operators to have a policy and supporting procedures in place to manage health issues around fitness to drive, including mental health problems such as stress, depression and anxiety.
The FORS Professional Effective Driver Management – An Industry Code of Practice supports operators in meeting this requirement. In section 8 ‘Health, safety and wellbeing,’ the importance of the health of drivers is outlined, offering helpful tips and advice on how to identify a driver suffering from poor mental health and how to manage it going forward.
FORS members can also attend the free FORS Professional ‘Managing driver fitness and health’ (Practitioner workshop 3) in which delegates can learn to identify the signs and understand the causes of lack of fitness and how to develop the appropriate procedures to address them.
Additionally, FORS Associates Mates in Mind work hard to raise awareness around the stigma of poor mental health by promoting positive mental wellbeing across workplaces. The UK charity works across industries, focusing on construction, as well as related sectors including transport, logistics and manufacturing.