What you need to know
If you and your employees use company vehicles, regular maintenance checks are needed to ensure the vehicles are well looked after, fit for purpose and road worthy.
The employee / driver must complete a vehicle check prior to every use, they aren’t expected to be experts or mechanics but a thorough visual check should be carried out, kicking each tyre to make sure it has enough air in is not classed as a thorough check. It’s a good idea to provide staff with a standard checklist to use so that everything is covered and during the check any damage or defects should be noted and then reported immediately.
What the driver needs to check
The visual check of the vehicle and typical items to have on your checklist are as follows:
- Lights – do they all work correctly?
- Tyres – are they inflated and do they have sufficient tread?
- Wheel fixings – are they secured fixed?
- Bodywork – is there any damage or any loose parts which could fall off?
- Windscreen and mirrors – are they chipped or cracked, can you see clearly through them?
- Oil – does the warning light come on and are there any visible leaks around the vehicle?
- Seatbelts – do they clip in securely?
- Trailer coupling – if using a trailer is the coupling correctly secured?
- Load and other equipment – if carrying a load is it correctly secured?
The employer must ensure that all vehicles have regular safety inspections, which includes removing non road worthy vehicles from use, in addition to the usual services and MOTs. Employers also need to ensure that the drivers are aware of their responsibilities and ensure that checks are completed and records saved.
What are the consequences of failing to complete the above?
Failure to complete vehicle checks and adequate maintenance can have serious repercussions. The most common issues are that a vehicle will breakdown or will be involved in an accident. Both are costly to the employer and in the event of an accident this could also lead to the driving receiving points on their licence, a fine or even a ban. Having a vehicle off the road will also impact on the productivity and profitability of a business and having company vehicles involved in accidents can also have a negative effect on the reputation of the company particularly if damage or injury are suffered.
Do you have questions about driver checks?
Give us a call at CUBE HR on 01282 678321 and we’ll be happy to advise you and we have policies and templates available to meet every HR need.
We also have a YouTube channel with loads of handy videos
