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By William J. Keller
Enterprise Fleet Management
Many businesses have workplace policies for vacation days, sick days, hiring, benefits, tuition reimbursement, substance abuse, dress code and more. But for companies that have a fleet of vehicles or employees who drive on company business, a driver safety policy can be an important one to have in place.
A driver safety policy may affect several areas of a business, from vehicle insurance rates, worker compensation claims and risk exposure to reducing downtime due to worker injuries and vehicle repairs. And, as with other business situations, it is the employer’s responsibility to take appropriate actions to commit to enforcing policy standards.
Businesses interested in developing a driver safety policy may begin by forming an internal committee comprised of representatives from various departments, such as human resources, sales, risk management, purchasing, safety, legal, as well as rank-and-file employees. The committee may review existing policies and determine if all elements are common practice, uniformly enforced by management and followed by drivers.
A professional fleet management company also may be able to help by providing a basic set of driver safety policy guidelines, but it is up to a business to customize its own set of guidelines, as well as enforcement practices and penalties. Once guidelines are established, they should be provided in writing to all drivers and the employer may ask drivers to sign a copy indicating that they have read and understand the policy. This may ultimately be advantageous in a future situation where an employer may be held responsible for what a driver "did" know or "should" have known.
Various components of a driver safety policy may include some of the following:
- Background information and purpose – indicating who is covered by the policy, whether the policy applies to personal vehicles as well as company-owned vehicles driven for company business, and what kinds of past driving records, background checks or other measurement criteria will be used to qualify drivers.
- Policy specifics – pertaining to everything from use of seatbelts for drivers and occupants to use of cell phones, including compliance with different state laws regarding their use, to taking certain prescription medicines, eating while driving, and more.
- Traffic violations or accidents – outlining who is to be notified, how situations will be investigated, who will file specific reports, how negligence and/or fault will be defined, and what kind of follow-up will take place if it is determined whether an accident was preventable.
- Corrective actions – providing very specific language regarding the driver safety policy for minor violations, major or repeat violations, as well as DUIs, preventable accidents and citations for speeding, to name a few.
There are a number of sources that offer additional information about driver safety policies, including NAFA Fleet Management Association and Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), as well as government sources such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
William (Bill) Keller is assistant vice president of Enterprise Fleet Management’s Corporate Risk Department and works with Enterprise’s team of accredited coordinators to serve the fleet accident management needs of businesses with mid-size fleets. In addition to supporting a comprehensive set of environmental initiatives that includes helping customers purchase verifiable greenhouse gas emission offsets, Enterprise pledges to match a portion of each customer’s greenhouse gas offset purchases up to a total match of $1 million. Enterprise has been recognized with the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) "Blue Seal of Excellence" award for 15 consecutive years, an industry record. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.efleets.com or call toll free 1-877-23-FLEET.
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On July 18, 2013, a formal award
ceremony was held to recognize the access and industrial services team from the
Safway Services Benicia Branch. Working onsite at the Valero Benicia Refinery,
the company earned Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection
Program (VPP) Star status once again.
In 2009, Safway Services, a member of multiple AGC chapters, became the
first subcontractor in California to earn VPP Star status, the highest level of
safety recognition available. VPP sets performance-based criteria for safety
and health systems. Sites then establish cooperative relationships between
management, labor and OSHA to help assure safe and healthful working
conditions.
At the formal award ceremony
recognizing Safway’s achievement, Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson noted that
the city was home to three VPP Star status companies: the Valero Benicia
Refinery, Safway Services and Guarantee Electrical. She put their achievement
in context by noting that among the 1.8 million businesses in California, only
75 hold VPP Star status.
In addition, the office of
Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla presented Safway with a certificate of recognition
from the California legislature during the event. Other dignitaries attending
the ceremony included those from the office of State Senator Lois Wolk, the
office of Congressman Mike Thompson, the U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA,
Cal/OSHA, VPP, the Valero Benicia Refinery and Guarantee Electrical.
"This success belongs to the access
and industrial team members who have embedded safety into their daily routine,"
says Safway Group President and CEO Bill Hayes. "By working together as a
family and watching out for each other, everyone is able to go home safely at
the end of the day. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Valero for
their support and their own excellent safety and health systems."
Cal/OSHA reserves Star status for
employers and employees who demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention
and control of occupational safety and health hazards. They must also develop,
implement and demonstrate continuous improvement of their safety and health
management system.
A formal award ceremony attended by local and California state dignitaries recognized Safway Services Benicia Branch for retaining its elite Cal/OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star status. Those present included (L-R) John Hill, vice president & general manager, Valero Benicia Refinery; Lisa Trecartin, U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA; Ken Hoehn, Guarantee Electric superintendent; Iraj Pourmehraban, VPP area manager; Maria Ilomin, Safway industrial manager & trainer – Western Division (and also VPP special team member Cal/OSHA); Mike Evans, Guarantee Electric VPP coordinator; Jeff McDermott, Safway project manager; Elizabeth Patterson, mayor of Benicia; Bill Hayes, Safway group president and CEO; Tomi Van De Brooke, district director from the office of Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla; Lisa Chavez, district director from the office of Sen. Lois Wolk; Lisa Matta, district manager, Cal/OSHA and Rick Ullerich, senior safety engineer, Cal/OSHA.
About Safway Group
With more than 90 locations in the
U.S. and Canada and a growing system of distributors worldwide, Safway Group
companies deliver efficient, high-performance multiservice solutions – The
Smart Way™ – by collaborating, communicating and sharing resources. Offering
experience and expertise in access, scaffolding, insulation, fireproofing,
surface preparation and coatings, Safway Group companies include CL Coatings;
Industrial Coatings & Fireproofing; Redi Insulation; Safway Atlantic;
Safway Services; Safway Services Canada; and Swing Staging. With the largest
engineering staff, an exclusive project management system, award-winning safety
excellence and a full line of products and services, Safway Group companies
design and implement innovative, quality solutions at the lowest installed cost
for projects of any size and scope. Safway has been an industry leader since
1936. Safway Group companies serve the petrochemical, oil and gas, power,
refining, marine, manufacturing, transportation and commercial construction
industries worldwide. For more information about Safway Group, visit: http://www.safwaygroup.com/.
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