Vehicle (Car & Van) Inspections - Workplace Inspection Checklists
Driving may be one of the most hazardous working activities in the UK
The government’s Work-Related Road Safety Task Group estimates that up to a third of all road traffic accidents involve someone who is at work at the time. This may account for over 20 fatalities and 250 serious injuries every week.
Managing the risks to employees who drive at work requires more than just compliance with road traffic legislation. The Health and Safety at Work etc 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 the time when they are driving or riding at work, whether this is in a company or hired vehicle, or in the employee's own vehicle. There will always be risks associated with driving. Although these cannot be completely controlled, an employer has a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to manage these risks and do everything reasonably practicable to protect people from harm in the same way as they would in the workplace.
Road deaths and serious injuries in the UK, through 2021 alone accounted for 1,608 deaths and 26,701 serious injuries according to Brake, the road safety charity, so any steps that can be taken to help reduce those statistics should be given serious consideration.
The lists below are practical considerations for employers.
Drivers should be:
1. competent and capable of doing their work in a way that is safe for them and others;
2. properly trained;
3. sufficiently fit and healthy to drive safely and not put themselves and others at risk;
4. provided with information that will help them reduce risk (eg recommended tyre pressures);
5. provided with appropriate advice on driving posture.
Vehicles should be:
1. fit for the purpose for which they are used;
2. maintained in a safe condition and fit for the road.
Journey planning should:
1. take account of appropriate routes;
2. incorporate realistic work schedules;
3. not put drivers at risk from fatigue;
4. take sufficient account of adverse weather conditions.
Good to Go Safety provide a fleet vehicle safety inspection checklist, designed to encourage drivers to carry out essential pre-use vehicle safety inspections checks of their car or van prior to a journey. These walk round check sheets can be built into a fleet management policy and help to ensure the safety of the vehicle whilst reducing maintenance costs. This system helps employers meet their legal duty of care to ensure the safety of staff whilst they work, in accordance with various separate laws governing occupational driving including The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, PUWER & The Road Traffic Act 1998.
The introduction of a systematic vehicle maintenance and safety programme allows fleet managers to receive a signed and dated vehicle inspection checklist which can be used as evidence of an active and up-to-date maintenance programme in the event of an accident. Some of the basic vehicle checks covered in the book include the engine department for oil, screen wash, battery etc; whilst lights, mirrors, tyres and documentation are amongst the various external checks and it even includes details on the driver to ensure their license is in date and that they are fit to drive – all of which can be seen to cover many of the considerations listed above in one simple and affordable solution.
Fleet Vehicle (Car / Van) Inspection Books - 25 Checklists
PUWER requires that work equipment is suitable and safe for its intended use, regularly inspected and maintained and that employees are properly train..
£6.20
Fleet Vehicle (Car / Van) Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit
PUWER requires that work equipment is suitable and safe for its intended use, regularly inspected and maintained and that employees are properly train..
£37.10
Fleet Vehicle (Car / Van) Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit
PUWER requires that work equipment is suitable and safe for its intended use, regularly inspected and maintained and that employees are properly train..
£109.50
Fleet Vehicle (Car / Van) Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist
Our car / van safety poster has been designed to highlight key components of a standard car or van and reinforces the importance of completing vehicle..
£21.77
Inspection Information Station
The information station will provide your workplace with the ideal central location to store inspection check books. Organising your inspections an..
£233.20
Inspection Wallet and Pen
A handy wallet that not only provides additional protection from the elements but also gives inspectors a solid writing surface to complete inspection..
£6.20
Weather Resistant Inspection Holder
These industrial strength pockets have a press seal fastening to keep important documents clean and dry. An ideal solution for storing check books, in..
£6.31
Inspection Book Dispenser
Allow the storage of checklists in a central location for quick and easy access to important inspection checklists. Provide workers with the ideal ..
£13.25
News
Work-related fatalities in the UK 2023/24
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have released the 2023/24 statistics for UK work-related fatal injuries and according to these statistics, there were 138 deaths across all UK workplaces in 2023–24 with the construction industry accounting for more than a third of the total with 51 fatalities. The new figures, which can be found here, show that the annual number of work-related fatalities has remained broadly similar for over a decade. Additionally, as per previous years, male workers co...CONTINUE...
Company and director fined after a catalogue of serious injuries
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation following an incident at Code-A-Weld, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth on the 19th November 2022. A man (54 years) was airlifted to hospital and placed into an induced coma after being struck by an object whilst manufacturing steel cable drums for the offshore industry. During the manufacturing process, the jacking set-up failed, causing parts to strike the man in the face. This caused extremely serious injuries in...CONTINUE...
When did you last check your car?
2% OF ALL ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO VEHICLE DEFECTS AND FAULTS Given that the National average age of UK vehicles is 8 years, it's no surprise that faults such as tyre blow outs, broken lights and smearing window wipers are causing accidents across the UK. ONLY 44% OF PEOPLE INSPECT THEIR CAR PRIOR TO TRAVELLING FOR WORK.. and of that 44% who do complete checks... • 30% don't check their oil levels • 42% have a warning light on their dashboard • 57% ...CONTINUE...
Man spared jail for unsafe work on own home
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted a thorough investigation following a site visit to a property where a man was carrying out unsafe work on his home in Manchester. The HSE served enforcement notices to put work to an immediate stop in August 2020. During their initial visit, the Health and Safety Executive found that Abdul Rehman had engaged operatives to help him build an extension to the property on Kings Crescent in Old Trafford. At the property there was an extremely uns...CONTINUE...
Worker drowns and loses life two days later
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation was carried out after the death of a construction worker. Gary Webster, a 60-year-old man was repeatedly pulled under water after his boat capsized during routine cleaning of the River Aire. Mr Webster and another worker (who managed to swim to safety) had been removing debris at the bottom of the weir gates at Knostrop Weir. The accident occured when the boat they were using was pulled into churning water due to the considerable rush of w...CONTINUE...
Managing workplace hazards
Managing hazards in a business is fundamental to maintaining the safety of employees. Under UK law, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all employees. This means it’s an employer’s responsibility to identify the hazards facing their employees and implement measures to mitigate them. It's fairly common for employees (and in many cases, management) to be unaware of the hazards they face regularly. Those who haven't encountered an accident often feel ...CONTINUE...
Workplace Equipment Inspections - Construction - Farming - Warehousing
Numerous health and safety accidents or incidents occur every day due to equipment being used in the workplace that is improperly managed, maintained or is not made for the intended purpose. Industries such as farming and agriculture, factories, warehouses and construction are all high risk due to numerous equipment types being used daily. Employers are required to ensure that all the workplace equipment provided to employees is regularly inspected and maintained in safe working order. Th...CONTINUE...
Forklift Engineer Seriously Injured during forklift servicing
A 47-year-old grandfather sustained multiple fractured vertebrae on the 14th November 2019 at a Pirelli Tyres' factory in Carlisle. The forklift truck engineer was in the process of servicing a truck when two metal skips fell from a stack of waste tyres, crushing Mr Weightman against the ground. A HSE investigation found that in order for Mr Weightman to work on the forklift truck, he had to move the truck. He was however, unaware that the truck was positioned to stabilise the skips. This...CONTINUE...
Motorsport engineering firm fined following HSE inspection
A motorsport engineering firm based in Kent has been fined after Britain’s workplace regulator identified numerous health and safety breaches. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Hispec Motorsport Limited - a specialist designer and producer of aftermarket brake upgrades for road, race, track, and kit cars. During their visits, the inspectors found serious breaches of the law and enforcement notices were issued. The subsequent investigation found the busin...CONTINUE...
22-year-old carpenter sustains fatal head injury
On 30 October 2019, Niall McCormack from Kettering, Northamptonshire had been working with another carpenter at a new build construction site in Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. The pair were removing trusses from a pack, to then spread and install across there building. As they were in the process of spreading, a gust of wind caught a spandrel panel, pushing it against the remaining trusses in the pack. Both the truss pack and spandrel panel fell into the work area, hitting Niall McCorma...CONTINUE...
Worker crushed at London Heathrow Airport
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation after an employee of Dnata Ltd was crushed to death at London Heathrow Airport on the 23rd February 2022. The incident occurred during the unloading of baggage containers from an Emirates Airbus which had arrived from Dubai. The employee walked underneath a high loader (a raised platform similar to a scissor lift) in order to access the other side of a trailer. At the same time the high-loader operator lowered one of its tw...CONTINUE...
Why you should complete daily forklift inspections
Forklift truck inspections can increase productivity by up to 25%. Additionally it will reduce breakdowns by 70% and lowers forklift truck maintenance costs by 25%. Depending on the type of forklift truck, costs and technical sophistication, a broad spectrum of maintenance strategies should be applied. A faulty forklift truck may significantly slow or completely halt your entire production process. Poor maintenance strategies can reduce the overall productive capacity of a warehouse by 5...CONTINUE...
Tragedy at Go-Kart Centre
Capital Karts in Barking, East London has been fined almost £120,000 after an incident on the 6th August 2021. Newham youth group organised a fun filled day at Capital Karts with a group of teens, however the day turned to horror when one of the teens had to be resuscitated at the venue after her hijab (a traditional muslim headscarf) got caught in a go karts drive axle. Ruwaida Adan, 15, died in hospital of hypoxic brain injury and asphyxiation four days after she visited Capital ...CONTINUE...
Banksman loses leg in MEWP accident
A food manufacturing company has been fined following a serious incident at its premises in Wirral. Sharon Bramhall had been supervising four members of staff as they completed high-level cleaning tasks during a night shift on the 22nd April 2022. She had been acting as a "banksman" as the MEWP turned at a right angle into the warehouse and struck Sharon, crushing her left leg. The 58-year-old had to have her left leg amputated below the knee following a incident at Baker & Baker Products ...CONTINUE...
The easter bunny uses TakeAIM
TakeAIM are proud to announce that the easter bunny has begun using TakeAIM. Santa Claus contacted the easter bunny after they had success in the north pole using TakeAIM. Santa's team used the system to assess toy quality and inspect Santas sleigh prior to flight. Santa encouraged the Easter Bunny to try TakeAIM and we can now confirm they are using it in the run up to Easter. The easter bunny is able to assess, inspect and manage their eggs with TakeAIM! They're able to check th...CONTINUE...
Sub-contractor loses life in hospital
An investigation was conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the death of a sub-contractor hired by NG Bailey Limited. Alistair Hutton, lost his life whilst working on a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) along an unfinished corridor of the Baird Family Hospital in Aberdeen on 18 January 2023. The 51-year-old immediately lost consciousness, when his head struck a metal lintel. Mr Hutton, who lived in Forfar, was pronounced dead less than an hour after the i...CONTINUE...
