Employers are legally responsible for employees who drive whilst at work. The employer’s responsibility also extends to ensuring that private vehicles used by employees on ‘company business’ are also operated in a lawful manner.
Management policy
1.Assign a senior manager with specific responsibility for managing driving at work.
2.Implement a Health & Safety policy, which incorporates a driving at work policy.
3.Routinely undertake, record and act on the finding of risk assessments dealing with all aspects of driving at work including driver safety, vehicle safety and journey planning.
4.Ensure that every incident involving any vehicle driven on behalf of the company is recorded and that collective information is regularly analysed and action taken to reduce recurrence.
Driver safety
5.Provide a driver’s handbook that includes road safety guidance and sets out individual driver responsibilities, in support of the company’s policies and procedures, e.g. what to do in the event of an incident.
6.Ensure that all employees driving on behalf of the company are initially vetted, inducted and regularly assessed, to establish that they are properly licensed, competent, suitably trained and medically fit to do so.
Vehicle safety
7.Ensure that when choosing vehicles to be used on behalf of the company, they are entirely suitable for their intended purpose and that safety features.
8.Ensure that all vehicles used on behalf of the company are regularly utmost importance is placed on inspected and strictly maintained using the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules (and, if applicable, in accordance with operator license requirements).
Journey planning
9.Check whether a road journey is really necessary – and encourage the use of alternative modes of communication/transport where this is practical.
10.Ensure that necessary journeys are scheduled to a realistic timetable and are planned to take into account the essential need for adequate rest periods.
When business was simple, so was insurance! For a no obligation insurance review and to find out more about how we may be able to help you please call Horner Blakey Insurance Brokers on 020 7929 0108.
