Opinion
Tackling the challenge of health and safety compliance
Jim Finnegan, CEO of Pocket Box, looks at small and medium-sized fleets, moral and legal responsibilities.
O
rganisations have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure their fleet operation is compliant, but for many, this represents a huge challenge. This is particularly the case for small and medium-sized fleets that may not have the systems and processes in place to ensure vehicles and drivers meet the necessary obligations.
According to government figures, deaths associated with work-related driving are still on the increase, while there are around 40,000 related injuries each year. This shows that there is much more to be done by fleets to reduce the human cost by better protecting their drivers and other road users. The consequences for a business of not meeting the required Health & Safety standards are also considerable, with potential fines representing at least 20% of turnover and even a custodial sentence for those in charge. One of the biggest pain points currently for many smaller fleets is their vulnerability due to non-compliance or misunderstanding of ever- tightening road safety legislation. Less than 5% of the businesses we speak to are fully aware of their legal responsibilities, making it impossible for most to know if vehicles and drivers are compliant. From what we are seeing, the well-known saying “you don’t know, what you don’t know” is particularly relevant when it comes to legal compliance. We have had new customers who have discovered that over 25% of their vehicles were not road-legal during the initial part of the roll-out. By simply automating checks on MOT and tax status, for example, it is often possible to discover significant discrepancies that are putting businesses at risk.
Fleet software can certainly play a key role in keeping drivers and vehicles safe and legal, while ensuring organisations are operating efficiently and responsibly. All vehicle and driver documentation can be stored electronically, all in one place, so any policy renewals or driver- related requirements are managed correctly, with automated alerts, so no deadlines are missed. This offers clear advantages over spreadsheets, whiteboards, and paper-based files, still used by a large proportion of SME fleets, which result in labour-intensive and hugely ineffective processes and record keeping.
Despite the fleet operation typically being the second largest business cost for many organisations, a lack of visibility, resourcing and attention is increasing the risk of non- compliance. Many SME fleets have historically pushed back against excessive complexity when it comes to technology adoption, often deeming it to be an unnecessary burden on tight budgets and resources. Moreover, the fleet management
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function is often a secondary role or spread across multiple stakeholders in different departments, further exacerbating the situation.
However, more and more fleets are recognising the need for simple and easy-to-use digitised solutions to gain visibility of critical information and monitor ongoing levels of compliance. There is a growing realisation that existing processes are making it virtually impossible to ensure that legal obligations are checked, managed and logged, with any non-compliance quickly rectified. If a SME fleet waits until they have an HSE inspection, or worse a serious road incident, to identify their compliance shortcomings, the penalties could be very severe.
App-based technology is also providing a simple way of ensuring the road worthiness of both company and grey fleet vehicles. Having a paperless system to electronically complete daily walkaround checks, report vehicle-related issues and take photographs of damages and defects removes the hassle for drivers and achieves high levels of compliance. This can be combined with other driver-related data capture or engagement to make the most of the tool, such as a declaration form, so employees can confirm they are fit to drive and have not consumed unsafe levels of alcohol the previous day.
Fleet software can play a crucial role in managing health and safety compliance. By putting business owners and fleet managers back in control, it gives them complete peace of mind that vehicles are kept road-legal and safe, while staff are fit and eligible to drive.
Above Jim Finnegan, CEO, Pocket Box
Below: Staying in control of compliance is essential to protect lives and ensure the future of your business.
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