FIRST PRINCIPLES - Recognising and Managing the Risk
The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974
This Statute requires you, as a business owner or manager, to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees whilst they are at work. You also have a responsibility to ensure that others are not put at risk by any work-related activities.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1999
This requires you to have a responsibility to manage the health and safety of your employees, while they are at work, and also that of other people who may be affected by their work activities. This regulation specifically requires you to periodically review your risk assessment so that it remains appropriate.
Work-Related Road Safety
Work-related road safety (WRRS) can only be effectively managed if it is integrated into systems and policies you should already have in place to meet the above HSE requirements. It is NOT an add-on to current systems, and, properly executed, can have a wide range of business benefits. Whatever else your WRRS policy does, it must be regularly reviewed and brought up-to-date to provide you with a solid defence against any criminal prosecutions or civil litigation.
The Law states that a motor vehicle is a place of work when being used on company business, and does not differentiate private from company vehicles.
Comprehensive Policy Review
If your company or organisation employs drivers in any capacity, whether in company vehicles or their own, you are required to ensure that they meet minimum standards of driving competence, and that the vehicles are correctly maintained and legally on the road.
To meet this requirement, you must be able to:
* Identify how effective your existing policy is, if you have one
* Develop a policy if you don't have one
* Develop targets and set Key Performance Indicators (KPI's)
* Manage, measure and monitor performance
* Continuously review the whole process
ONWARD Driver Training provide a complete policy review and recommend best practice for you to follow
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DRIVERS
Whoever drives for your business, charity or institution, whether it's a high mileage salesman in a company car, or the lady who goes to the bank once a week in her own car, the business owner or manager is the responsible person, should a driver be involved in a collision whilst on company business.
It is your responsibility to ensure that:
* Any driver is correctly licensed for the class of vehicle to be driven
* All drivers are fit, with adequate eyesight
* All drivers have been assessed to be competent on any vehicle they may required to use
* All drivers have signed up to your safety policy
* Reporting systems are in place for dealing with damage, collisions, etc.
ONWARD Driver Training provide a complete service:
* low-cost licence verification
* essential fitness-to-drive checks
* driver knowledge updates
* driver on-road assessments and training
*vehicle familiarisation training (a legal requirement for off-road)
You must ensure that ANY vehicle used in the course of your business, even those owned privately by Directors, staff members, part-timers or volunteers, is fit for the specific uses to which it is being put. It must be legally on the road, and in a roadworthy condition.
It is your responsibility to ensure that:
* Any vehicle is correctly taxed, and MoT'd where appropriate
* Vehicle maintenance schedules have been adhered to
* Insurance is in place to cover any anticipated use by any authorised driver
* Private and hired vehicles are insured specifically for business use
* Vehicles are checked and signed for on a daily basis
* Vehicles adapted (eg extra fitted equipment) comply with Construction and Use Legislation
* Vehicles, where required, are fitted with Tachographs
* Trailers, where used, follow the same policies
* Vehicle documentation is always available for inspection
ONWARD Driver Training provide a complete service:
