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.Corporate Manslaughter Legislation can be tiring.
Do you, or more importantly your employees, know the legal minimum for tread depth for cars and vans is currently 1.6mm of tread across the central three quarters of the tyre. For HGV’s the minimum tread depth is 1mm in the grooves of the tread pattern throughout a continuous band measuring at least three quarters of the breadth of the tread. Tyres with bald patches, bulges or cuts over 25mm long exposing the cords are also illegal and unsafe.
If you do, are you also aware that the penalty for an illegal tyre is 3 penalty points and a fine up to £2500. If you have four tyres that are illegal that could mean a ban from driving and a possible fine of up to £10,000.
Employers should be aware that an employee driving on business could expose the organisation to a charge of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring that same offence. You should have a robust Risk Management system in place to manage your vehicle maintenance. This leaves the organisation exposed to similar penalties. Also collisions that can be attributed to a defective tyre and a system is not in place to prevent that defect occurring could lead to charges under Corporate Manslaughter Legislation.
Most of the tyre fitting organisations like Kwik Fit will offer a service to come to your premises and check the legality of your vehicles tyres on a monthly basis. This system, if correctly used, could lead to any charges against the organisation being defended successfully. The alternative to this is to instruct your drivers to visit a local tyre company if they are unsure about the state of their tyres.
This applies to vehicles in the UK only, the rules are different in other countries.
Nigel Grainger
Senior Consultant
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