Basic Fleet Safety Management Model
For an organisation to - just get started - and for smaller organisations the basic fleet safety management model is a simple approach covering the essential elements that need to be in place to manage fleet safety.
The following ten essential elements will assist an organisation to meet their duty of care for employees who drive for work purposes:
Management policy
1. The CEO/MD must assume overall responsibility for managing fleet safety and driving at work and delegate specific responsibility to an individual not more than one level down in the organisation.
2. A fleet safety and driving for work policy must be incorporated as part of the organisation’s approach to staff wellbeing, safety and security. This must include a clear statement of the expectations of the organisation in relation to fleet safety.
3. Routinely undertake, record and act on the findings of risk assessments dealing with all aspects of fleet safety including driver safety, vehicle safety and journey management.
4. Ensure that every incident involving any vehicle driven on behalf of the organisation is recorded, and that the data is regularly analysed and actioned to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Driver safety
5. Provide a driver’s handbook that supports the organisation’s policies and procedures, includes road safety guidance and sets out individual driver responsibilities (e.g. what to do in the event of an incident).
6. Ensure that all employees driving on behalf of the organisation are initially vetted, inducted and regularly assessed, to establish that they are properly licensed, competent, suitably trained and medically fit to drive.
Vehicle safety
7. Ensure that when choosing vehicles to be used on behalf of the organisation that they are suitable for their intended purpose and are fitted with all appropriate safety features.
8. Ensure that all vehicles used on behalf of the organisation are regularly inspected and maintained using the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules (and if applicable, in accordance with specific licensing or operational requirements).
Journey management
9. Check whether a road journey is really necessary – and encourage the use of alternative modes of communication and transport where this is practical.
10. Ensure that necessary journeys are scheduled to a realistic timetable, are planned to take into account the need for adequate rest periods and use the safest available routes.
Whilst this is an important starting point, organisations are enouraged to work towards the complete fleet safety management system in the next section.
