FM SHE P/S 018
Policy and Procedures for the use of Fleet, Hire or Personal Vehicles on University Business
Document review due: Nov 2018
Please Note: This is a controlled document, please ensure you are using the most recent version available at:
https://intranet.uclan.ac.uk/ou/fm/Pages/Health-and-Safety-Staff-Travel.aspx
Contents Page
1. Introduction 3
2. Scope 3
3. Legislative Requirements 3
4. UCLan Integrated Policy Statement 3
5. Definitions 4
6. Authorised Drivers 4
7. Health Surveillance for Vocational Drivers 5
8. Manager Responsibilities 8
9. Driver Training 9
10. Booking of Vehicles 10
11. Risk Assessment 10
12. Minibus Additional Issues 11
13. Insurance 12
14. Guidance on Driving Time 13
15. Seat Belts and Mobile Phone Use 13
16. Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking 14
17. Vehicle Security 15
18. Fleet Vehicle Checks & Maintenance 15
19. Vehicle Breakdowns 15
20. Procedure in the Event of an Accident 16
21. Key Contacts 17
Appendix 1. Driver Licence Checks for University Staff Driving on University 18
Business
Appendix 2. Vehicle User Self Declaration Statement for staff using their own 19
vehicles for business use
Appendix 3. Check for Vehicle Roadworthiness 20
Appendix 4. Facilities Management Transport Booking Form 21
Appendix 5. Example Generic UK Travel Risk Assessment 22
Appendix 6. Guidance on Driving at Night and in Winter 26
Appendix 7. Driving a Hired Minibus Abroad 28
Policy and Procedures for the use of Fleet, Hire or Personal Vehicles on University Business
1. Introduction
Many University employees use UCLan fleet, hire or their own vehicles as part of their work activity. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) has stated that nationally driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people do. Research indicates that about 20 people are killed and 250 seriously injured every week in crashes involving someone who was driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work purposes.
2. Scope
The following document sets out University Policy and Procedures for the use of Fleet, Hire or Personal Vehicles on University Business. It is intended to assist you in complying with relevant University procedures, the law and offers practical advice from the Institute of Advanced Motorists to help ensure your health, safety and welfare. It is applicable to all UK travel undertaken by staff on University business.
Additional procedural guidance also relevant to UK travel:
· Travel/Transport Environmental Management Procedure
· Fieldwork /Fieldtrip guidance
· Lone Worker guidance
Note: This document does not apply if you only use your own vehicle to commute to and from your usual place of work, though you may find the driving safety information useful.
3. Legislative Requirements
UCLan has a statutory duty of care to protect, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees whilst travelling on University business. Under the requirements of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, managers must ensure that all travel and its associated work activity is covered by a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and that appropriate control measures have been adopted.
4. University Integrated Policy Statement
UCLan, with over 2,700 employees, is one of Preston’s largest employers, and as such, contributes to transport impacts in and around the City. As part of its commitment to improve social, economic and environmental sustainability, UCLan seeks to manage its travel associated with core business travel, and where possible, travel by its member of staff.
In support of these principles, UCLan is committed to:
· Reducing the impact of UCLan’s related traffic on the environment and the local community by encouraging staff, students and visitors to UCLan to travel by more sustainable modes of transport, achieving this through an improvement in the choice and viability of other sustainable transport modes
· Improve management of all vehicles operated by UCLan to ensure a reduction in operational/legal risk, value for money and an improvement in the environmental performance of the University fleet
· Improved management of business related travel, especially car travel and associated mileage claims, through use of the business travel hierarchy
4.1 Environmental Considerations
The transport demands of fleet vehicles contribute to UCLan’s carbon footprint. The UCLan Sustainable Travel Plan (2013-2018) is the University’s strategic plan which aims to reduce the environmental impacts of University’s travel demands, including fleet vehicles.
In support of the UCLan Sustainable Travel Plan, UCLan has committed to the following:
· In October 2010 and again in 2013 UCLan secured ISO14001 accreditation for its Environmental Management System (EMS). The EMS contains Operational Controls which help manage and mitigate our significant environmental impacts, which includes travel and transport.
· The Operational Control for fleet vehicles is the Vehicle Replacement Strategy which ensures that vehicles are replaced with environmental considerations in mind.
5. Definitions
Authorised driver - University staff member who may drive on University business:
· Employed to drive a UCLan vehicle for example Mailroom or Late Bus Driver minibus;
· Authorised to drive a UCLan owned/hired/leased vehicle;
· Authorised to use drive their own vehicle for University business.
Fleet Pool Vehicle – vehicle owned or leased by UCLan that can be booked for use by a member of University staff for business use;
Minibus - a vehicle constructed or adapted to carry between nine and sixteen passengers, not including the driver;
Hired Vehicle – a vehicle hired by a member of University staff without a driver from an approved supplier for business use.
University business – A University work related activity involving the use of a vehicle e.g. driving to a conference to meet a business client, partner institution, visiting a student on placement, field trips, etc. Note this does not include driving a personal vehicle to/from usual place of work.
6. Authorised Drivers
6.1 All Vehicles (with the exception of minibuses and personal vehicles)
To drive any vehicle on University business whether UCLan owned, leased or hired, all drivers must be aged 21 years of age or above and held a full licence for 2 years, have no restrictions on their licence due to health reasons.
Note should any driver have 6 or more points on their licence (unless the 6 points are accrued for two SP30 speeding convictions), confirmation of cover must be sought from the University Insurers via the Insurance Helpdesk: email
6.2 Minibuses
To drive a minibus on University business whether University owned, leased or hired you must:
· Be over 21 years of age; (Some hire companies may require higher minimum age);
· Hold a current and full driving licence;
· Have at least two years driving experience on a full licence;
· For any driver who has 6 or more points on their licence (unless the 6 points are accrued for two SP30 speeding convictions) confirm insurance cover is in place from the University Insurers via the Insurance Helpdesk: email
· Have submitted copies of your driving licence to your College/School/Service and have them checked at least every 12 months;
· Have passed your car driving test before January 1st 1997, or if you passed your test after this date, you must normally have passed a second driving test to obtain a full D1 entitlement on your licence.
Note: this latter requirement may be waived (under the small bus permit scheme) if:
· The driver fulfils requirements of the first three points above;
· The vehicle does not have a gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes (or 4.25 tonnes if there are any specialised equipment for carriage of disabled passengers);
· They provide the service on a voluntary basis;
· The driver receives no payment or consideration for driving the vehicle) other than out-of-pocket expenses.
There are no exemptions granted in respect of volunteer drivers outside the UK. Therefore, a full PCV D1 or D licence will therefore be needed for any trips to other parts of the European Union, see appendix 6. For further information on driving a minibus overseas.
Note: The University has been informed by the DVLA that a member of paid staff driving a minibus for a University activity would NOT be covered by the above waiver. Therefore, drivers must have a D1 entitlement on their license to drive a vehicle carrying between nine and sixteen passengers, not including the driver.
6.3 Personal Vehicles on University business
Personal vehicles can be used for University business with authority from their Line Manager provided that the driver has a valid driving licence, the vehicle is insured for business use, has a valid MOT, is regularly serviced and maintained and road worthy.
It is in the interests of the University to provide the most cost effective method of transport for business and for journeys of over 150 miles roundtrip a hire vehicle should be used.
Mileage rate allowances for cars and vans can be claimed by the driver and information on this is available from the University Finance Section.
6.4 Driver Licence Checks for University Staff Driving on University Business
It is essential that all University staff who drive or ride a vehicle for work/business purposes whether in their own vehicle, a hire car or a fleet vehicle have legal and valid driving licences so the University can meet its duty of care obligations and to ensure the staff member and University are fully insured in the event of a road traffic accident. In the experience of the Automobile Association 1 in 650 drivers are driving while disqualified and 1 in 300 with a revoked or expiring licence.
Since the 8th June 2015, the paper counterpart to the driving licence photocard is no longer valid nor issued by the DVLA. The paper counterpart was introduced to display driving licence details that could not be included on the photocard. Therefore neither the photocard or paper licence provide an accurate account of any driving endorsements or some vehicle categories. Instead, this information is held on the DVLA’s driver record system and can be viewed online or by post.
To assist the University to meet its duty of care and requirements of its motor vehicle insurance policy, staff driving for work purposes are now required to provide the University/ line manager with a hard / electronic copy of their DVLA driver record. This can be accomplished quickly and easily following the process outlined in Appendix 1.
7. Health Surveillance for Vocational Drivers
The University must consider whether there are any health conditions that may affect a member of staff’s ability to undertake driving as part of their job, therefore an assessment of a driver’s state of health will determine whether there are any current risks.
7.1 Driver Classification
UCLan has taken the decision to adopt the DVLA guidance and recommendations, which includes medical standards, for staff whose role involves driving on a regular basis. Based on the DVLA guidance, drivers will be categorised into Category 1 and 2 as follows:
Category 1 The University considers this to include the following groups of staff:
· FM Maintenance – involves driving vehicles around campus to maintenance/repair jobs
· FM Grounds – involves driving grounds vehicles
· FM Mailroom – involves driving fork lift truck & delivery vehicles
· FM Catering – involves driving delivery vehicles
· LIS Technicians - involves driving delivery vehicles
· Marketing – involves driving cars & vans
Category 2 The University considers this to include the following groups of staff:
· Safety Bus Drivers – primary role is to transport students out of hours
· School and Services staff using University/ hire company minibuses, people carriers or cars to transport colleagues and students to events/activities.
· Security – Emergency/incident response & regular patrol of campus
This list is not exhaustive and will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that all relevant staff are covered.
7.2 Criteria and Individual Case Assessment
An assessment will be undertaken of the individual’s health condition and how it affects them and this in turn will be assessed against the role or proposed role that they undertake.
To assess suitability and risk, consideration will include:
· Physical and mental fitness for the role
· Whether any underlying condition is under specialist review
· Impact of any medical condition on an individual’s ability to drive a vehicle
· Results of (any) regular monitoring
· Disabling episodes
· Side-effects from medication
For each case an evaluation will be conducted on an individual basis by the occupational health practitioner taking into account the driving standards and potential adaptations.
7.3 Pre-Employment Assessment
· It is important that the occupational health service is notified of all prospective employees whose duties will involve vocational driving for UCLan and what category of driver these would fall into i.e. Category 1 or Category 2.
· On identification of such employees, the Occupational Health Service will include screening procedures for drivers in addition to the normal standard pre-placement protocols and procedures.
· The prospective employee will be requested to complete a questionnaire which will be reviewed by the occupational health practitioner, who will determine whether there is a need for any further information from the individual, their GP or a specialist. The individual’s consent will be obtained before any contact is made for further information from a GP or specialist.
· The individual will be requested to attend the occupational health service for further assessment as follows:
Category 1 Standards:
· Vision (eye) Test
Category 2 Standards:
· Vision (eye) test - if corrective lenses are worn for distance vision, the occupational health practitioner will require a recent optician report (within four months of pre-placement assessment)
· Pulse and Blood Pressure
· Height and Weight
Additional tests will be offered to all employees as part of routine health and well-being procedures, for example, a urine test to screen for diabetes. These tests will be highly recommended but entirely voluntary.
On completion of the initial screening procedure and any additional tests, the occupational health practitioner will either pass the individual fit for the role or, if a health condition is identified, refer them to the occupational physician for further assessment.