VEHICLE & FLEET SAFETY FIT TO DRIVE?


Fleets should take a proactive approach to regularly checking the licences of employees, to assess whether they remain suitable to drive on company business and ensure they are adhering to Duty of Care obligations, Malcolm Maycock, Managing Director of Licence Bureau explains.


In-line with the Traffic Commissioners, Licence Bureau recommends that licence checks are carried out at three- monthly intervals, allowing employers to build the most up-to-date digital picture of employees. Organisations such as the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme and Freight Transport Association recommend checks every six months and additional checks for high-risk drivers.


As an additional level of compliance, we recommend that each employee in a fleet, whether they drive on business or not, is sent an audit, to ensure they are aware of company policy. This can appy to a number of areas, including the driving handbook, using a mobile phone, fatigue, general wellbeing and eyesight.


Companies must remember that it’s not only staff that drive company vehicles. Other employees may use their own vehicle to perform any work-related tasks are known as grey fleet drivers. No matter how long or short their journey is they must be checked.


There could be serious implications for the company if a grey fleet driver is involved in an incident, where it can be proven that they are driving on business.


With HGV and motorcycle drivers holding various entitlements, frequent licence checks are crucial to build a larger overall compliance profile of the driver. This could include any changes to medical conditions that could affect an employee’s ability to drive.


Real-time licence checking also allows fleets to obtain a bigger picture of any points, endorsements or a disqualification that a driver may hold. With the speed that licences are updated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), it’s vital to


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know from one day to the next that your driver is legally able to drive on company business.


“FREQUENT LICENCE CHECKING SHOULD SERVE AS PART


OF A COMPANY’S OVERALL RISK ASSESSMENT.”


Failure to enforce this could result in substantial legal, reputational and financial repercussions should a driver be involved in an incident. The process of dealing with drivers whose licences require urgent attention and the sheer number of drivers operating illegally in the UK should encourage businesses to keep the most up-to- date information available.


Frequent licence checking should serve as part of a company’s overall risk assessment, laid out by the Health and Safety Executive. Under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers should be identifying the hazards that a driver could pose, and regularly reviewing their work- related risk assessment.


Should an employer not schedule regular assessments, they have no way of knowing whether their drivers have previously committed an offence since the last check. This could compromise the company’s vehicle insurance policy.


The driving licence is now only a starting point; fleets should ensure drivers are fit and healthy and not impaired by any prescribed drugs or medical conditions, even for a short time.


Licence holders have a legal obligation to notify their employer, and the DVLA of any impediment to their health, that would prevent them from driving, or from carrying out their job to the required standard.


Regular checks and encouraging drivers to inform employers of any health changes, that may affect their ability to carry out their duties, is the only way to ensure that risk in this area is fully mitigated. However, this requires the ability for fitness-to-drive information gathered from third- parties, to be acted on by the DVLA, whether this is from doctors or police.


Although internal checking and rechecking is known to be a time- consuming process, the outsourcing of this is simple and cost effective. The consequences could prove irreversible should an employee, who has not disclosed all aspects of their driving licence, be involved in an incident.


www.licencebureau.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com


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