Any business, of any size, can be prosecuted under the Act. But small businesses have nothing to fear if they take some practical steps
If employees drive their own vehicles for business these, like company cars, must be roadworthy, taxed and insured. Ensure drivers have appropriate insurance for ‘business use’.
After an accident everyone who’s been involved with the vehicle will be investigated. The most recent service or repair is likely to be checked first.
Vehicles must be ‘fit for purpose’. Selection criteria includes:
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Driver and passenger airbags
- 3-star Euro N-cap safety rating or above
- Roll protection, load restraints, object protection
- Vehicle safely/easily loadable/unloadable?
Air conditioning enhances drivers’s comfort; telematics and/or sat-nav aids the driver, reduces costs and, with effective route planning, saves time and driver fatigue.
Hands-free phone-kits are a legal obligation if calls occur when driving (but best practice is to not make/accept calls while driving).
Companies fulfilling their H&S obligations needn’t fear the Corporate Manslaughter Act, and running a safe small SME fleet can significantly reduce operating costs.
Further information on the Corporate Manslaughter Act
- Our Law section has more. Click on The Law and Corporate Manslaughter
- Another good source is The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) publication Driving at Work – Managing Work-Related Road Safety. It shows hazard assessment and steps to take to mitigate risk.
- If you want to know more about adding maintenance to your contract hire agreement, read our Advice Centre article. Click here for What is a maintenance contract?
