1. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 1 Avoiding Driver Discomfort

2. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 2 INTRODUCTION About 80% of us will experience back pain at some point in our lives. A number of work and leisure activities can contribute to back pain, but if you spend long hours driving, you may suffer from prolonged discomfort or pain in your back. Both business and leisure drivers may experience back pain after prolonged driving. Even more people find that driving May irritate an existing back problem. Sitting in the same position for hours gripping the steering wheel and being exposed to vibration from the road can contribute to the wear and tear on your back. There are measures that you can take to reduce your chances of suffering from back pain.

3. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 3 Tips for getting in and out When getting into a vehicle, if possible, sit down first with both feet on the ground. Then swivel your body by bringing your legs around to the pedals using the steering wheel to assist. Put large objects in the boot and if required smaller objects in the back or passenger seat, before you get in rather than lifting them across your body after wards. Always use three points of contact to get into and out of the vehicle, for both safety and control of impact stresses. Take a minute to stretch or walk around before loading or unloading the vehicle

4. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 4 Posture Before commencing a journey, adjust your driving position so that you can sit comfortably and have good visions through all windows and mirrors. Good posture plays a key role in the prevention of back pain. However, any posture no matter how good it is, can lead to discomfort if held for too long. Therefore it is important to adopt a range of comfortable driving positions and to make frequent changes to avoid, or help delay, the onset of discomfort i.e. make small adjustments to your driving position regularly (but only when the vehicle is stopped in order to avoid accidents). Avoid reclining the seat too far as this will cause excessive forward bending of the head and neck and you may feel yourself sliding forwards on the seat cushion. Take a break from driving every couple of hours, get out of the vehicle, move about and stretch.

5. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 5 Tips for adjusting your driving position Take the time to familiarize yourself with all the adjustments (e.g. seat, steering wheel, seat belt). Start by getting the seat into the “initial set-up position”. This means: Steering wheel fully up and forward Seat height at its lowest Seat cushion tilted so that front edge in lowest position Back rest approximately 30 degrees reclined from the vertical Lumbar adjustment backed off Seat fully rearwards Take note of recommendations in your Drivers Manual

6. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 6 Step 1 Raise the seat as high as is comfortable to improve your vision of the road Check you have adequate clearance from the roof (the height of a clenched fist on top of your head) Ensure you have maximum vision of the road Step 2 Move the seat forwards until you can easily fully depress the clutch pedal and accelerator pedal Adjust seat height as necessary to give good pedal control Step 3 Adjust cushion tilt angle so that the thighs are supported along the length of the cushion Avoid pressure behind the knee Step 4 Adjust backrest so it provides continuous support along the length of the back and is in contact up to shoulder height Avoid reclining the seat too far as this will cause excessive forward bending of the head and neck, and you may feel yourself sliding forward on the cushion

7. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 7 Step 5 Adjust lumbar support to ensure even pressure along the length of the backrest Ensure lumbar support “fits” your back, is comfortable with no pressure points or gaps Step 6 Adjust the steering wheel rearwards and downwards for easy reach Check for clearance for thighs/knees when using pedals Ensure display panel is in full view and not obstructed Step 7 Adjust the head restraint to ensure the risk of injury is reduced in the event of a road traffic collision If necessary, repeat stages 1 – 7 and fine tune

8. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 8 Working from your vehicle (e.g. laptop, paperwork, manual handling) can be a significant risk factor for musculoskeletal discomfort or pain. Such tasks can involve: static and awkward postures, twisting and leaning to one side leaning forward and slouching Where possible, you should refrain from working from your vehicle. Instead find a café or service station where you can work comfortably whilst ensuring good posture Where an alternative location is not practical, please follow the guidelines for working on your ‘Laptops’ Working from your vehicle

9. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 9 Laptops Move to the passenger side and place the laptop on your lap. Never sit in the driver’s seat while resting the laptop on the passenger seat, and vice versa. Store your laptop in the boot of your vehicle. As well as reducing the risk of theft it also ensures you get out of the car and stretch your legs before using the laptop. Remember to change position frequently and take breaks. Do not work on your laptop for prolonged periods i.e. for more than 10 – 15 minutes Paperwork same advice as for laptop use

10. Title of presentation © 24 November 2009 EDF Energy plc. All rights Reserved. 10 And finally …...if you experience discomfort when driving, listen to your body. If the discomfort persists after trying the above advice, report the discomfort to the appropriate person in your area of the business and see your GP or an on-site Occupational Health Physiotherapist. This document has been prepared by Duradiamond, our Occupational Health Advisors Source: Loughborough University Highways Agency (Department of Transport