One of the UK’s largest civil engineering, construction and facilities companies is among the latest organisations to mandate its suppliers to secure bronze accreditation with the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

Vinci Construction UK, the largest UK subsidiary of Vinci, also says suppliers using vans and larger vehicles to deliver goods and services to its sites across the UK, must meet key FORS standards by January 1, 2016.

The company, which includes the on-going development of London’s King’s Cross Station among its project sites, says that all companies supplying goods or services under contract using lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) in London must register with FORS by October 1, 2013 and achieve bronze accreditation by January 1, 2014.

In addition to achieving FORS bronze accreditation all vans and lorries delivering to Vinci Construction UK contracts and projects in any London borough are to bear signage on the rear of the vehicle to warn cyclists of passing the vehicle on the inside.

All drivers of vans and lorries are to have completed FORS approved safe driver training prior to delivering to any Vinci Construction UK contract or project in London, and every three years thereafter to have completed the FORS safety e-learning module annually and to have had their driving licence regularly checked with DVLA.

Additionally, all vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes supplying Vinci Construction UK contracts and projects in the London area must comply with the vehicle safety equipment safeguards required by FORS by July 1, 2014.

These require fitting of side guards, a close proximity sensor, CCTV or Fresnel lens and a class VI mirror.

Companies supplying goods or services under contract using vans (under 3.5 tonnes) or lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) across all Vinci Construction UK operations outside of London must adopt the FORS vehicle safety equipment safeguards by January 1, 2016.

To check that requirements have been met, contractors are to be asked to provide FORS with regular reports covering their own delivery and servicing activity, along with any delivery and servicing activity by those sub-contracted.

The reports will detail the vehicles used on Vinci Construction UK contracts, any collisions, evidence that the required safety equipment has been fitted and is functioning, together with details of the drivers to be used and evidence that training and licence checks have been completed.

Andy Sneddon, health and safety director, Vinci Construction UK, said: “We are committed to improving the safety of vulnerable road users.

“We have therefore embarked on a strategy to ensure that all suppliers supporting our projects and contracts take measures to improve the safety of their vehicles. Membership of FORS by our suppliers is an outward sign of that commitment.”

See next week’s edition of Fleet News for more on how FORS is urging organisations to use the procurement process to embed a range of commercial vehicle work-related road risk safety requirements into contracts.