Nigel Grainger brings together a related set of skills that all fleets require, to greater or lesser
degrees, but which may not have the staffing or the skills to fulfil those needs.
Bringing his wealth of experience in all areas of fleet management he offers a bespoke service through his company Fleet Risk Consultants, providing you with a cost effective fleet that complies fully with your 'duty of care' requirements.Risk Management – Equipping your vehicles.
You have included your vehicle procurement into your Risk Management Strategy, but have you carried that on into the equipment you give your drivers. For that matter to you give anything to your drivers other than the vehicle?
It is now longer acceptable to just give someone the keys to a vehicle and expect them to go and do whatever job you have employed them to do. You have a legal and moral duty to ensure the safety of your employees, this will include policies, procedures and equipment.
So what types of equipment should you consider supplying with your vehicles?
In addition to a comprehensive Road Risk Policy I would recommend that you supply, as a minimum, a reflective vest and a torch. You could provide a camera (for accident records) but most mobile phones have a camera feature now so the driver could use that instead. You may consider a First Aid Kit, but be sure to specify that your employees cannot provide First Aid to people, but can make the kit available for other competent parties to use.
I suggest that you do not provide either a fire extinguisher or a reflective triangle. Vehicle fires are a job for the Fire Brigade and the fire extinguishers in most vehicles are too small to be of use anyway. Also most people are not competent to use fire extinguishers and under PUWER you must ensure that anyone you supply equipment to is competent to use that equipment. This does include the vehicle itself.
Nigel Grainger
Senior Consultant