Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said, “Drivers with diabetic peripheral neuropathy may already face challenges with pedal control and reaction times. When combined with poorly maintained tyres, this can be a dangerous mix. The ‘Tread Safely’ campaign ensures drivers and employers are equipped with practical guidance to help reduce preventable incidents. We’re proud to collaborate with DSO to shine a spotlight on this overlooked safety risk.”

Kate Walker, CEO of the Diabetes Safety Organisation, added, “This partnership bridges a major gap in awareness. Many organisations don’t consider how diabetes impacts driving, particularly for those who drive for work. With ‘Tread Safely’, we’re offering clear, actionable steps to help drivers manage their condition and stay safe behind the wheel. Tyre safety is a critical part of that picture.”

An estimated 50% of people with diabetes may develop DPN, which can cause numbness, muscle weakness, or delayed foot control—leading to pedal confusion, slower braking, and loss of control. Research shows that drivers with DPN are significantly more likely to experience braking errors or delayed responses in hazardous situations.

The campaign offers free downloadable resources, including a leaflet, poster, and social media graphics. These materials are designed to help employers, fleet operators, and individuals understand the importance of regular tyre maintenance in mitigating the risks posed by diabetes-related driving impairments.

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We have shared the facts about diabetes (see below for more details) but what is it like living with the condition. Listen to the Road Haulage Association’s podcast, featuring two industry professional talking about their experiences with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is often perceived as a less serious or worrisome condition compared to, say, cancer or heart disease. This common attitude fails to take into account both the significant direct impact of the condition and how it can be a ‘gateway condition’ to many others, such as heart disease and strokes. 

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

We know that many of these symptoms can feel like just your normal life but what if its diabetes?

If you think you could be at risk from diabetes get it checked with your GP. The sooner you do something the less impact the condition will have had on you. For someone people, if caught early enough, it is possible to reverse the condition. Diabetes UK have an online check, Know Your Risk which you can access here and see if you are at risk from diabtetes.

What can you do to take control over your health?

We all know how hard it is when you are on the road but what if having just one less could make a difference. Would it be worth having one less of something if over a year it added up to a significant amount? Rather than cutting everything out of your diet or making massive changes that are not sustainable we encourage people to have one less of something.

For those who have a savoury palate it might be one less packet of crisps. Three less bags of crisps a week would amount to 156 fewer bags a year.

Or it might be as simple as reducing the amount of sugar in a drink. By taking one less spoonful of sugar in a cup of tea, someone who drinks 6 cups a day will consume 1kg of sugar less a month. That’s 12 less bags of sugar a year. That’s a lot of sugar!

You are free to set your own goal but the results will be the same, a happier and healthier you with a new positive and sustainable lifestyle change.

So what will you have One Less of?

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Diabetes is often perceived as a less serious or worrisome condition compared to, say, cancer or heart disease. This common attitude fails to take into account both the significant direct impact of the condition and how it can be a ‘gateway condition’ to many others, such as heart disease and strokes. 

Direct impact of diabetes: 

• A limb amputated every 30 seconds
• Leading cause of blindness in working age people – three times more likely to lose sight if you have diabetes
• 75% of men experience erectile dysfunction with diabetes
• 9^th leading cause of death. One death every seven seconds as a result of diabetes

If you have diabetes, you are also: 

• Twice as likely to have a heart attack
• Twice as likely to have a stroke
• Almost 10% more likely to get cancer 
• Four times more likely to develop liver cancer 
• People with type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to have end-stage kidney disease
• People with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to die from COVID-19
• People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of 57 other health conditions 

At the time of diagnosis, 75% of people with type 2 diabetes had one other chronic condition and 44% had two other conditions, making early diagnosis extremely important for long term health outcomes. 

MYTH: “If you’re having a hypo, you just need to eat some sugar”

A hypo (hypoglycaemic episode) is where blood sugar levels drop too low in the body. The symptoms of a hypo range in seriousness:

Mild-moderate hypo

• Blurred vision 
• Weak and shaky
• Fatigue/sleepiness
• Impaired awareness and confusion 
• Impaired concentration 

Severe hypo

• Loss of balance or coordination 
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures
• Coma 
• Death 

Hypos can cause accidents, falls and traumatic injuries to the person experiencing the hypo, and in the case of safety critical industries, their colleagues and general public. This is why its extremely important that your workforce can identify the symptoms of a hypo and can assist a colleague experiencing a severe hypo. 

During 23% of severe hypos, the person experiencing the hypo was alerted to the fact by another person and in 21% of severe hypos, were found unconscious by another person. In such instances, having a diabetes hypo kit close to hand can help ensure the person is stabilised while medical support is on the way. 

MYTH: “Only people with type 1 diabetes are at risk of hypos”

A hypo (hypoglycaemic episode) is where blood sugar levels drop too low in the body. They usually occur as a result of taking diabetes medication, typically insulin but includes other medication too. 

While almost all people with type 1 diabetes take insulin to manage the condition (400,000 people in the UK), a large number of people with type 2 diabetes also take insulin to manage the condition (600,000 in the UK – more than those with type 1 diabetes). Clinical data also indicates that people with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of having a hypo than people with type 1 diabetes. This can be due to people with type 1 diabetes having greater experience, often since childhood, of managing the condition and/or the different technology typically available for those with type 1 diabetes. 

MYTH: “We don’t have anyone with diabetes in our workforce”

In a workforce of 1,000 employees, 82 will have diabetes. Between 17-28 employees will be using insulin to manage the condition – only 5 of these will be people with type 1 diabetes, the majority will be people with type 2 diabetes. 

Of those with diabetes, 19 will be undiagnosed. A further 330 people will be at increased risk of diabetes. 

Diabetes is a public health epidemic. By 2030, 10% of the workforce will have diabetes and by 2045 it will be almost 13%. 

MYTH: “If our employees have diabetes, that’s their issue to manage” 

There are a large number of legal, compliance and business reasons to support your workforce to prevent and manage diabetes, including: 

• Under health and safety law, employers have a duty to protect against injury and ill-health
• Diabetes is a known and foreseeable risk, creating an obligation for employers to take steps to mitigate that risk
• Workplaces contribute to an individual’s risk of diabetes or their ability to manage the condition. We spend a significant time at work. Shift patterns, stress, diet and exercise are all factors which directly affect an individual’s risk of diabetes 
• Employers must make sure employees who drive as part of their job duties are compliant with DVLA requirements for driving with diabetes (e.g. testing blood sugar before and during driving, number and frequency of breaks)
• Under equality law, employers may have to put in place reasonable adjustments to help ensure people living with diabetes can manage their condition at work and remove or reduce disadvantage experienced as a result of having diabetes 
• If not managed well, diabetes can result in early retirement and long-term sick leave at great cost to business as they lose valuable employees and skills
• Day to day hypo and hyper incidences can significantly reduce productivity. Mild and moderate hypos alone cost around £1000 per month for every 1000 employees in your workforce

Diabetes is a progressive condition that gets harder to manage over time. It is important that employers create a culture where people living with diabetes feel confident in disclosing their condition in order to get the support they need at work. This is particularly important giving that the number of people living with diabetes is rapidly increasing and considered a national epidemic in the UK.  

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I have always kept active – working in construction you’re always doing something physical.  Although I didn’t do a lot of sport, I participated in the occasional game or event. I have never had an issue with blood sugars or cholesterol. I took advantage of the free “know your numbers” tests when they were offered and never had an issue.

As the years have gone on, my sweet-toothed diet continued, my work became more sedentary, and sport was more playing with the kids than actively participating in any organised event.

This was when my numbers started to edge up, until at a “well man” check over, I had a bit of a surprise. My blood sugar level had risen to a point where I was pre-diabetic. I was told I had to do something otherwise this could lead to type 2 diabetes and all the health issues which that entails. This was a bit of a shock.

There was that slight edge of panic, I would have to change my diet, venture into unknown areas, I may have to start eating all those strange nuts and pulses which I had been avoiding for years.

Then I was told of the One Less challenge by The Diabetes Safety Organisation. This sounded simple and straight forward. I have always had my tea “NATO standard”, white with 2 sugars. To take out the sugar was something I could do. To have one less pint, one less can of coke, yes that’s possible, achievable, and obtainable.

Initially, my tea tasted horrible, this is not what I’m used to! But after a couple of weeks, it became normal to a point where I don’t think I could face a cuppa with sugar in it. I don’t miss cans of fizzy drinks. I do still have the occasional, but it’s the exception rather than the rule.

The upside of this simple change is that I am no longer pre-diabetic. My blood sugars are under control, not to mention the financial savings by not buying so many sweet things. I can’t remember the last time I bought a bag of sugar!

So go on, give it a go, you’ll have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Don’t wait until you have that wake-up call. #havejustoneless

Gary (56)

The post Gary’s testimonial – having ‘Just One Less’ appeared first on Diabetes Safety Organisation.

• 23% of people experiencing a severe hypo are able to be assisted by someone else who recognises what is happening 
• 21% of people having a severe hypo are found unconscious by another person 

People experiencing a hypo need sugar: five glucose or dextrose tablets, five jelly babies, a small glass of a sugary (non-diet) drink, a small carton of pure fruit juice or two tubes of a glucose gel. 

Understanding how to prevent, recognise and assist during a hypo can save lives. 

Learn about the workplace risk of diabetes here: Here

These quick questions can help you identify if you might have diabetes: Here

Think you might be at risk of diabetes, but hate diets? Take the One Less Challenge to reduce your risk of diabetes without dieting: Here

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This has some serious implications for your business, why?  

Have you thought about the consequences of not having measures in place to manage this condition? If you employ people in your business, it is probable that 7-9% of your workforce have Diabetes.

The British Safety Council have carried out some extensive research and the results are astounding.

The following is a Quote from the British Safety Council

“The results of the survey showed that nearly three in every five employers (59%) that responded did not know their legal responsibilities if one of their workers has diabetes, while the same proportion (58%) of employers did not implement and review risk assessments for the role(s) workers with diabetes undertake.

British Safety Council is concerned by these findings, which shows a general lack of awareness amongst employers of how to manage diabetes in the workplace, as well as the risks that need to be assessed and managed. While there is currently no specific legislation covering diabetes in the workplace, there are legal duties on employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.”  

Is your business one of the 59% that does not know your legal responsibilities around diabetes in the workplace?

Have you considered the impact on your workforce and indeed, your business, if something untoward happens?

Most businesses understand the issues around safety, and have appropriate measures in place, but the health aspect is sometimes more difficult to implement, The Diabetes Safety Organisation can help you with policy development, risk assessment and implementation. 

Just think a workforce that feels cared for feels valued and is ultimately more productive.

Check out the website and give Kate Walker a call or send her an email.

Written by Bob Bridge 

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It has been suggested that the heat can affect people living with diabetes in different ways, such as:

• longer periods of inactivity in the hot weather which can make blood glucose levels higher than usual,
• if someone is taking insulin, it is absorbed more quickly from the injection site, so the skin has an increased blood supply, which makes the likelihood of hypos greater.

It is important for companies to ensure they are supporting their staff by providing correct breaks and times to re-hydrate. It is especially significant for those working outside and on machinery that is not air conditioned. These are temperatures we often don’t see in the UK, they could have a significant impact on health and pose an increased risk in the workplace.

Professor Anne Phillips from Birmingham City University says ‘Hot weather can be extremely challenging to work in for many people, but for people with diabetes it causes extra challenges that do need extra attention in terms of keeping well hydrated and managing blood glucose fluctuations caused by the heat’

The NHS are suggesting that people ensure they understand the symptoms of high and low blood glucose levels and test regularly so they can remedy quickly and avoid serious problems. We encourage companies to keep speaking with staff, ensuring they support their needs and keep the workplace safe. With the right questions and support, we can all enjoy this wonderful weather and get home safely every night.

*https://lincolnshireccg.nhs.uk/diabetic-dont-let-the-heat-spoil-your-fun-in-the-sun/

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The risk to individual’s health from diabetes can be severe and include:

• blindness – diabetes is the leading cause in the working population
• erectile dysfunction – 75% of men suffer from this at some point
• amputation – 170 a week in the UK
• increases risk of a heart attack
• increased risk of a stroke
• premature death – 500 people die a week from the condition
• diabetic kidney disease

The implications at work are often overlooked, some examples are:

• increased time off work particularly for those not managing their condition or those undiagnosed
• increased risk of accidents
• not being compliant with the Equality Act 
• not providing appropriate places to test or take injectable medications
• not complying with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act

Companies would not allow an employee on site if they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, yet the symptoms caused by diabetes can have similar physical effects. Additionally, companies would not allow an employee to operate safety critical machinery if they could not feel their feet, just one of the side effects of undiagnosed diabetes (currently anticipated to be 1 million undiagnosed people in the UK). 

Diabetes must therefore be a risk which is specifically considered. Control measures could include training, awareness and an open culture. These will help to reduce risk and increase the prospects of avoiding legal liability. More importantly, it will stop the accident from happening, which is the best defence of all. 

As an organisation, we work with the international law firm Gowling WLG on all legal aspects of our work, and they recognise the serious risk diabetes can pose to a company. “The law places a duty on all employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that their employees and anyone affected by what the business does, are not exposed to a risk to their health safety or wellbeing. Diabetes is a condition which gives rise to risk and therefore needs to be carefully assessed and controlled. Failure to do so could have tragic consequences and criminal implications.” Andrew Litchfield, Partner, Gowling WLG.

Taking reasonably practicable steps around diabetes safety does not need to be expensive to your company, there are simple measures that can be put in place to keep your staff safer and healthier. Doing nothing after understanding the risks is not reasonably practicable. 

Don’t let a diabetes related episode contribute to a workplace accident leaving you open to a criminal offence and facing significant fines. Take steps to make your company ‘diabetes safe’. Why not sign up to the free webinar hosted by Being Well Together on the 16^th of June? Register for free https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5709784089467264016

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