Do I need a Motor vehicle policy?
If your employees drive a motor vehicle as part of their role, then the vehicle they use is defined as a place of work. As an Employer you have a duty of care to ensure that you provide a safe place of work. Have you considered this as part of your business structure and risk profile?
Driving is an everyday task that is frequently overlooked or underestimated as a risk to the employee and employer.
However, a motor vehicle policy and other simple actions may alleviate some of the concerns that can be raised.
The following are areas that you may want to consider assessing for your business to ensure you are doing all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate the risk associated with this legislatively defined “high” risk activity?
- Do your workers hold the correct valid licence for the vehicle they are operating?
- Do your workers complete journey management plans?
- Have you considered what your employee would do if their motor vehicle broke down?
- Do your workers work remotely? or in rural areas?
- Are work phones supplied for use in emergencies?
- Are satellite phones required because of poor or no reception areas?
- Do you provide roadside assistance?
- Have you trained your workers in changing a tyre?
- Do they conduct vehicle inspections before commencing a trip?
- Is there a preventative maintenance schedule in place?
- Is a defensive driver program and training required?
- Do you require GPS to track the vehicles?
- What is to occur if the employee receives any traffic violations?
- Is the employee a newly licenced individual?
- Who is responsible for any road tolls that are attributed to the employee’s journey?
- Has driver fatigue been considered?
- Has fatigue management training been conducted?
- What time of the day do your employees drive? Driving at dusk or dawn has an increased risk of contacting wildlife.
Driving in the holiday season
Below is some important information to be aware of as your preparations begin for the holiday season. Most of us will plan to enjoy the holidays with loved ones; though according to the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities, and Regional Development 9 people lost their lives in the holiday season of 2020/21 on Queensland roads. The national total was 30 road fatalities during this same period.
Please take care this holiday season on the roads and ensure that you or your loved ones do not contribute to statistics for the 2021/22 holiday season. Here are some tips to help prepare –
- Have your vehicle serviced, and ensure the vehicle is in a safe condition to drive.
- Be realistic with your journey times. You will be sharing the roads with lots of people on the move doing exactly the same as you.
- Be alert and maintain situational awareness.
- Plan rest stops.
- Drive to the conditions.
- Double check loads. Not just for your safety but for others using the roads.
- Minimise distractions in the car.
- Do not drink and drive.
- Prepare yourself. Do not drive fatigued. Rotate drivers if possible.
A Big Yellow Safety WHS consultant can guide you through the necessary steps with your WHS policy requirements. Contact us on 07 5655 4047 or book Free Consultation online.
Stay safe on the roads this holiday season.
The Big Yellow Safety team.