FORKLIFT TRUCKS
FLEET MANAGEMENT
WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
DRIVING FLEET SAFETY THROUGH COMPLIANT VEHICLE SIGNAGE & MARKINGS
E
mployers owe a duty of care to their drivers and to other road users, so ensuring that fleets comply with guidance covering vehicle conspicuity (the state of being clearly discernible) is an important safety consideration. Research by the SMMT last year identified some 5.3 million commercial vehicles now in operation – representing 13.1% of all vehicles on the road, the highest proportion ever recorded. Van ownership accounts for 4.6 million, due in part to the explosion in online sales, but whatever the reason, safety markings need to be viewed as a key requirement, alongside other fleet activities, such as routine maintenance and driver training. The basic tenant of the regulatory environment around vehicle conspicuity is the need for vans, trucks, trailers and other large commercial vehicles to ‘stand out from the crowd’, notably through the application of reflective markings, tapes and chevrons. This is particularly important in winter months, so now is the ideal time for fleet operators to create a checklist of actions to ensure they comply.
A good start point is the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Chapter 8 guidelines, which specify both the minimum requirement and best practice for chevrons used on the rears of cars, vans and work vehicles either stopping on or using the UK’s highways.
Although it is not a legislative requirement, non-compliance can leave fleet operators open to potential legal action should an accident happen involving one of their fleet and it can be shown that they were negligent in the operation of their vehicles. That is why local authorities, highway agencies, construction and maintenance companies – as well as thousands of companies managing logistics - have adopted these guidelines. Indeed, many make Chapter 8 markings a condition of entering their sites, so there are good reasons for compliance that go beyond road safety.
STAYING UP-TO-DATE WITH REGULATORY CHANGE In addition to Chapter 8 guidelines, many fleets also adopt ECE104 regulations, which provide guidelines for the use of retroreflective contour safety markings on heavy goods vehicles operating throughout Europe. This regulation defines the standard of the reflective materials that should be used and how they should be positioned on the front, side or rear of vehicles or trailers.
Bluelite Graphics has specialist advisers to keep fleet operators up-to- date with this regulatory environment. For example, one recent change is that rear chevron kits should no longer be manufactured from RA1 and RA2 level reflective materials - these no longer meet the required level of reflectivity – and therefore road safety – for vehicles on roads with speed limits over 40mph.
The recommendation now is that retroreflective material Class R3B should be used on vehicles working on higher-speed roads as this is proven to have the reflective properties to ensure the vehicle will be more visible in all weather conditions. This, in turn, can help reduce accidents on the roads, protecting drivers and other road users. Class R2 should now be used to meet minimum retroreflective requirements for under 40mph roads. Engineering grade materials are no longer recommended for works vehicles.
GETTING CHEVRON DESIGN AND POSITIONING RIGHT The guidelines also advise on how chevrons and markings should appear. All vehicles that stop or are operating on all speeds of road should bear rear markings with upward-facing chevrons in red and yellow alternating stripes. Each chevron stripe should be no less than 150mm in width (larger on big vehicles) and angled upwards between 45 and 60 degrees. The red stripes must be of retroreflective material, designed to maximise night-time visibility, while fluorescent yellow stripes are non-reflective, providing good
24 SEPTEMBER 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS 39 visibility during the daytime.
High-quality prismatic material returns maximum light back to drivers’ eyes, is resistant to water and dirt ingress and is visible up to 140 metres in the dark. Online vehicle templates, available on Bluelite Group web resources for hundreds of commercial vehicles, also help ensure that fleet managers specify both the correct design and material composition. There’s lots of expert advice available from the company for ensuring optimal reflectivity on rears, sides, contours and even fenders.
ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF VEHICLE SIGNAGE The safety benefits of a vehicle conspicuity strategy covering vans, trucks, trailers and commercial fleets are clear, with US research indicating that markings had reduced side and rear impacts with truck trailers by 29%. However, there is also brand value in being a good corporate citizen, with the increasing scrutiny of Environmental, Social and Governance actions. Reputational damage caused by non-compliance can be significant and increasingly fleets are required by customers to provide evidence of their adherence to Chapter 8 and ECE104 regulations as a minimum. And of course, there are also the economic consequences of unplanned fleet downtime when vehicles are out of action, as well as the human cost of involvement in a road accident.
On today’s busy roads, the mantra for commercial fleets must be ‘Drive to be seen and safe’.
Bluelite
www.bluelitegraphics.com
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