Understanding Health and Safety
The Health and Safety at Work Act: 1974, requires employers to take appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their activities when at work. This includes times when they are both driving or riding at work, whether this is in a company or hired vehicle, or merely in the employee’s own vehicle.
To minimise occupational road risk (reduce collisions whist driving for work) organisations must undertaken a comprehensive driver health & safety assessment to minimise risk, current health and safety legislation requires it.
Businesses who have opted out of offering the traditional company car to employees (sometime called “Grey Fleet”) believing that moving to a cash-for-car, personal contract purchase scheme or letting the employee use their own car when driving for work removes their health and safety responsibilities, it does not.
Driving for work is one of the most dangerous work-related activities performed by an employee.
Fatal road collisions are treated by the police as ‘unlawful killing’ until proven otherwise. If and when appropriate they may interview the employee, managers and directors.
Under today’s legislation, if the company’s actions or lack of them (failure to comply with Health and Safety at Work Act 1974) are deemed to have contributed to the death/deaths, the company’s directors/owners may be charged with corporate manslaughter.
Organisations that don’t act are gambling with the lives of their staff and are therefore failing to provide an appropriate ‘duty of care’. In doing so, they are missing the opportunity to reduce vehicle operating costs and protect their ‘brand image and brand value.
Directors and managers need to address this issue and put occupational road risk on an urgent agenda!
Fill in the form to receive more information about Driving For Work or call our dedicated Fleet Management Team on 01765 645020.
We look forward to hearing from you.