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26/05/05 Fleet News - Safety should be a fleet way of life
Sir – Whilst in agreement with the concerns raised in the article ‘Smaller fleets fail on safety checks’ (Fleet News, May 19), it would be foolish for larger fleet operators to become complacent and believe that they have implemented effective safety measures.
It is encouraging that the issue of safety is finally getting the attention it deserves. By rights, this should have been on the corporate agenda since the first vehicle was driven on company business. It is absurd to think that an issue with such far-reaching implications as employee and corporate wellbeing has not been a priority.
Although safety measures are being taken on board, we are yet to see true examples of best practice. The use of driver training programmes, increasing legal and physical checks on drivers and improving vehicle maintenance are adequate as short-term improvements but they are not a long-term safety solution.
Firstly, safety must be embedded at the heart of company culture and embraced by all employees. It must be a way of life; not merely viewed as a process of legislative compliance that, once achieved, will take a back seat to the next emotive corporate issue.
Secondly, it must be constantly monitored to evaluate progress and maintain continuous improvement. There are frequent announcements around the next safety and risk management solution, but there is no mention of a continual, monthly gathering and analysis of data to assess the effect and impact of a safety initiative. Surely this is one of the fundamental rules of business success that the industry is currently ignoring? If data is not at the centre of a risk management initiative, how does a business know whether it is improving or where modifications should be made? Companies that ignore this, or who cannot generate the necessary level of detailed information on fleet, cannot have a successful, long-term safety strategy to minimise risk.
Until all businesses, regardless of fleet size, realise that there is no ‘Band-Aid’ solution to effective safety strategy, programmes will continue to be flawed and the true benefits to fleet performance will never be truly realised.
IAN MCKENZIE
Group business development director
FMG Support
