Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information the Health and Safety Executive holds on the number of HGV and LGV drivers found deceased in their vehicles whilst undertaking statutory rest periods in each of the last five years; and whether the Department has made an assessment of whether existing reporting and investigation procedures adequately capture any workplace factors which may have contributed to such deaths.

Only deaths arising out of or in connection with work activities are RIDDOR reportable. Therefore, Incidents where HGV or LGV drivers are found deceased in their vehicles due to natural causes, or where no work-related causative factor is identified, are not reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). Similarly, deaths resulting from the movement of a vehicle on a road are excluded; for example, if a driver dies while on a rest break in a stationary vehicle that is subsequently struck by another vehicle.

HSE keeps its investigation procedures under regular review to ensure they remain proportionate and aligned with its enforcement principles. In line with its policy, investigations are designed to gather information, establish the facts, and identify both immediate and underlying causes of incidents, including any workplace factors that may have contributed to a death. Through evaluation and refinement of these procedures, HSE seeks to maintain consistency and thoroughness in its approach, ensuring that organisational, managerial and environmental influences are properly considered, lessons are identified, and appropriate action can be taken to prevent recurrence and secure compliance with health and safety law.