Companies with small vehicle fleets already struggling to make sure they are compliant under the Health and Safety at Work Act are often not aware that a vehicle is a place of work as it is buried in the legislation.
The specific clause is here, and the Act also requires that anyone who drives as part of their work must receive training that is specific to the job, otherwise the company could be liable (or partly liable) in the event of an accident.
“Around 30% of all road accidents are workplace related. They cause personal trauma, vehicle downtime, administration costs, lost opportunities and increased insurance premiums,” says Darren Cottingham, director of DT Driver Training.
“The issue isn’t usually with the larger companies that can afford a dedicated health and safety manager, it’s with smaller ones where the owner has taken responsibility for safety in the workplace, or has delegated it to a person who is already overwhelmed with work.”
DT’s Fleet Driver Training Plan is a solution that provides cost-effective online learning to company drivers.
It consists of 32 modules covering driver health and safety, road rules, advanced driving, vehicle technology, plus specific licence endorsements for heavy vehicles, forklift and motorbikes.
Companies can generate reports for health and safety compliance.
“Once a driver has a licence, there’s usually no ongoing training or monitoring to ensure they remember the road rules, or understand health and safety implications.” added Cottingham.
“Taking steps to develop driver skills is an important part of any company’s health and safety plan, which is why we have got 10 packs of 5 driver accounts valued at $45 each to give away,” he says.
“Simply email contact@drivingtests.co.nz with the subject line Dieseltalk and your contact details and you’ll go into the draw to win,” says Cottingham.
The draw will happen on February 15 and you will be notified via email.
