Have you got a fleet safety plan?

With the changes to Health and Safety legislation almost upon us, perhaps it’s time for you to formulate a fleet safety programme which will protect not just your employees, but you as the Person Conducting a Business. For any company with a fleet of vehicles of any size, a formal fleet safety plan can provide a number of advantages, including improved safety, employee satisfaction and the potential to improve fleet efficiency. According to the specialist insurance website www. travellers.com, an effective fleet safety programme must be comprehensive, up-to-date, and instituted as a part of your company’s safety culture. It should be thorough, reaching each employee who gets behind the wheel. Here are eight key factors of a fleet safety plan. Travellers recommends that all drivers are properly identified, including those who drive their own vehicles or rented vehicles on company business. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and management must commit to a proper buy-in to the programme. Driver selection. All drivers should be properly and thoroughly screened to help create a safe and reliable team, and this applies to anyone who drives on company business, not just those who employed specifically as drivers. Training is just as important to drivers as it is to any other part of the business, so that all drivers understand vehicle safety policies and procedures, including instruction in defensive driving. Managing how the drivers are performing, on an on-going basis, is an important part of any fleet safety programme, so there should be hardware and software in place to ensure that drivers are following fleet safety rules and driving safely. Accident management is another important part of a fleet safety programme. Accidents do happen, but if there are processes in place this can help cut accident costs, and can also reduce the potential for future losses.