Single Occupational Risk Assessment Document (DUER)

The single occupational risk assessment document (DUER), in French document unique d'évaluation des risques professionnels, is the written risk assessment that employers in France are legally required to keep. It records the hazards in each work unit, rates them and links them to prevention actions. For companies whose staff drive for work, road risk is a central entry.

What the DUER contains

The document follows the logic of any risk management process, written down and kept up to date:

• Work units: groups of employees exposed to similar hazards, such as delivery drivers, field technicians or sales staff on the road.
• Hazard inventory: the result of a risk analysis for each unit.
• Rating: likelihood and severity of each hazard, so priorities are clear.
• Prevention measures: existing measures and planned actions, often formalised in a prevention programme.

It must be reviewed whenever working conditions change significantly and after serious incidents. The exact update and retention rules are set by the French Labour Code and depend on company size, so check the current official text before relying on a specific frequency.

Road risk in a fleet's DUER

Driving is often the most serious occupational hazard for mobile staff, yet it is sometimes missing from the document. A complete entry covers:

• travel between sites, client visits and delivery rounds, including commuting in company vehicles where relevant;
• driver factors such as fatigue, time pressure, phone use and licence validity;
• vehicle condition, servicing and equipment;
• loading, unloading and handling tasks around the vehicle.

Why it matters for fleet managers

The DUER is the employer's evidence that risks were assessed and acted upon. After an accident, labour inspectors and insurers look at whether road risk was identified and whether the planned measures were carried out. Keeping fleet records accurate makes the document credible and easier to update.

How Dadycar helps

Dadycar is a French fleet management software that supplies the facts behind the road risk section of a DUER. Driver licences and vehicle documents are stored with their expiry dates and reminders. Claims are recorded with their liability, and the most accident-prone drivers and vehicles are ranked. Inspections and condition reports keep defects in one place, and reports can be exported per site and period. Data is hosted in France, with OVHcloud.

FAQ

Who is responsible for the DUER?
The employer, who may involve staff representatives, the occupational health service and the fleet manager for road risk.

Does the DUER have to mention driving?
Whenever employees drive for work, road risk is an occupational hazard and should appear in the assessment.

Is the DUER the same as a risk evaluation?
The DUER is the written record; risk evaluation is one of the steps it documents, alongside risk reduction.