The home shopping division of Tesco has been recognised for its approach to work-related road safety with a top award.

Tesco.com – Home Shopping Delivery has won the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) MORR (managing occupational road risk) trophy.

The company was chosen for its comprehensive approach to managing occupational road risk, which includes a structured training and assessment programme for van drivers.

The programme involves rigorous selection and training processes for new employees.

Speaking at the Fleet News Risk in Fleet conference earlier this month, Tesco training manager Cliff Cheeseman told delegates that the company will not take on any driver before their driving skills have been assessed.

Mr Cheeseman added that the retailer has an accident review board which meets every week and every incident is investigated to see whether it was preventable or not.

Tesco.com has also developed a pool of RoSPA-approved driver trainers within its ranks.

It also carries out regular vehicle checks on its 2,100-strong van fleet.

RoSPA chief executive Tom Mullarkey said: “Driving is the most dangerous thing that the majority of people do in the course of their working lives and managing work-related road risk should be embodied in an organisation’s mainstream health and safety policy.

“Tesco.com has worked hard to meet its responsibility to manage this risk, both to its employees and all those affected by its road-related activities.”

Mr Mullarkey said the measures taken, which receive boardroom support, have resulted in a reduced number of accidents. This demonstrates the “significant business benefits” to be reaped from taking occupational road risk seriously, he added.

“We congratulate Tesco.com on this award and hope others will follow its lead,” Mr Mullarkey said.

The award category highly commended Ryder and commended Cemex Logistics.

In addition, 19 other organisations received non-competitive gold, silver or bronze achievement awards for their management of occupational road risk but in total 1,400 winners received RoSPA awards.

They were presented over three days of gala dinners and ceremonies at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel, NEC, attended by nearly 3,000 people.

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen, RoSPA president, Laura Wade-Gery, chief executive of Tesco.com, Cliff Cheeseman, Tesco.com training manager, and Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA chief executive.