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Not worth the risk

31/07/2006 | Channel: Logistics / Packaging

New statistics have revealed that almost one in three road crashes involve people who are using their vehicle for work. And that places managers in logistics and transport businesses at possible risk of jail under a new law, which came into force at the start of this year.

The new stats announced at the International Conference on Road Safety at Work,
and have been analysed by experts at leading training company Pivotal Performance. “It is up to managers to ensure that their employees have been given correct guidance on driving safely while working,” said Pivotal Performance’s Jane Gillham. Company directors and managers are in the firing line thanks to the Health and Safety Offences Act 2008, which came into force in January 2009. The law makes employers personally accountable for the safety of their employees during the course of their work. Breaches could see managers or directors jailed, or face Magistrates Court fines of up to £20,000. Jane added: “While you can’t control how an employee drives during work, you should at least give them as much clear guidance as you can to try and take as much risk out of driving as you can. With one in three crashes now involving an employee driving for work, the odds are too high for any manager to ignore.”

www.pivotal-performance.com