Fleet Managers, Are you prepared for April 2008?

Have you or your company taken steps to ensure that the requirements of the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act have been effectively implemented?

Are the HSE’s current requirements relating to Work-Related Road Safety being met at your company?

Can you afford to ignore your obligations?

The Work-related Road safety Task Group recommends:

Police authorities/chief constables should use their powers to pursue employers who fail to meet their responsibilities…by taking prosecutions against them as appropriate 

A company as a whole or a specific department has a “relevant duty of care” owed to the employees or to other persons working for the organisation or performing services for the company.  Company directors or senior management members who play a significant role in the making of decisions for the whole or part of the company’s activities can be held responsible if it is proved that a gross breach of a ‘duty of care” has occurred.  The law relates to all companies of all sizes from sole traders to limited companies, and relates to any industry.  Additional rules apply to companies with more than five employees. 

Failure to comply with the legal requirements could result in the courts ordering you to carry out remedial training or action in areas deemed to have deficiencies in the company’s duty of care to their staff.  A fine may also need to be paid that may be linked to your company’s turnover and you may also be issued with a publicity order which means you will need to inform your customers and the public of the conviction.
 
To comply with a ‘duty of care’ you or your company will need to supply a Work-related Road Safety Handbook to your drivers/riders who either have access to a company vehicle or may drive or ride a personal vehicle on company duty, including travelling between offices or appointments. There are certain policies that need to be in place – these must be written if there are five or more employees – and drivers must have access to these relevant policy documents.  A paper trail needs to be kept and correct records must be kept relating to driver’s details, including what they are legally allowed to drive, endorsements on their licence, their insurance details including any claims or collisions and any driver development training taken.  Training may need to be given in the form of a group presentation to key-employees and those drivers most at risk may need a driving assessment.

A risk analysis may need to be carried-out to identify key areas within the company that need to be improved, but this need not be complicated or expensive.  In fact it will substantially save the company the time and expense involved in defending any potential prosecution.

Time is running out and you and your company must act fast to ensure you are fully protected before April.  Can you afford to ignore your obligations?

Chevron Driving School Ltd is well prepared and experienced at identifying the needs of companies and individuals.  We have many highly trained presenters and instructors that have experience in the fleet driver training and driver development market.  As the experts, Chevron Driving School Ltd can tailor and write the required policy documents as well as the Work-Related Road Safety Handbook for you, leaving you the time to perform your normal duties. We can guarantee that your company needs will be met and that we can help you be thoroughly prepared prior to April 2008 if you act now.

Due to our continual in-house training programme in all aspects of driver development, we are also confident that we can help you reduce your company’s emissions by training your staff to drive in a more fuel efficient way, which could not only save your company almost £1,000 a year per vehicle by implementing a ‘green’ fleet policies, according to a new report by the Energy Saving Trust.  But also help your company reach the government’s target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010.

You need not use our services, but you must take action. Chevron Driving School Ltd will ensure that members of staff receive the information they need to remain safe and your company legally conforms to relevant work-related road safety requirements and implements a “duty of care”.

For further information on how the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act may affect your company, or to arrange a free, non-obligatory meeting to discuss the needs of your company, contact our Development Manager - Denise Moore on 0800 526436, mobile: 07890 772004 or email: denise@chevrondrivingschool.co.uk, and she will be more than happy to assist you.

We look forward to working in partnership with you and your company, not only in preparation for April 2008, but also to help Chevron Driving School Ltd develop safer drivers.

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