Driving a light commercial vehicle is a dangerous occupation, as these three facts show:
The high mileage and pressures of van driving make those who drive them for a living particularly vulnerable, so what can be done to make it safer?
Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, every business has a 'duty of care' to its staff when they are at work. 'At work' does not just mean at the factory or office; it also means when someone is driving on behalf of your business. This applies to anyone representing your business – employees, casual staff and freelances – whether they are in a company vehicle or their own. Failing in duty of care can result in heavy fines for the company.
The Government is deeply concerned that employers are not taking their duty of care seriously enough and plans to publish a draft bill on corporate manslaughter. The timetable for legislation will be announced later this year but its aim is to make it easier to prosecute negligent companies. The Government has made it clear that 'the criminal liability of individual directors will not be targeted by the proposals' and that 'no new burdens will be placed on companies which already comply fully with health and safety legislation'.
Safety tips for managers
The first step is to identify the risks. Three important areas covered by a risk assessment of a fleet and its drivers are:
A risk assessment is vital for a company to fulfil its obligations to its drivers. It can be a complicated process, since it involves looking at every aspect of driver and vehicle safety. We cannot offer a blueprint here, but the following are some of the important questions commonly asked as part of a risk assessment:
Safety tips for drivers
Like their employers, drivers have a responsibility for ensuring their vehicles are roadworthy, legal and properly insured. That should include regular and frequent inspections of tyres, brakes, fluid levels, lights and so on. If you're unsure of what should be checked, and when, consult the manufacturer's handbook and/or your fleet manager.
Similarly, no matter how many policies a company has on the subject, driver safety ultimately comes down to the driver's own actions. The Fleet Safety Forum offers the following advice to drivers:
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