THIS IS A MUST READ
In April 2016 the New Zealand Govt introduced the Health and Safety Act, however as a consequence of the ongoing physical harm, poor workplace performance and the still increasing financial costs to Govt and businesses, as early as 2018 the Govt felt the need to establish an independent taskforce to look at ways to reform the workplace practices.
The taskforce identified along with other problems driving remains the most hazardous activity New Zealanders undertake during their working day.
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR ORGANISATIONS WITH VEHICLES
In NZ, there are as many vehicles on the roads as people which exceeds 4.5 million with a large proportion of these used as tool of the trade vehicles or in other relevant business related activities. Approximately 70% of all new vehicles sold, in the passenger and light commercial vehicle sector, are for business use which demonstrates the high capacity of our vehicle fleet used for business purposes.
No matter what sector of industry every organisation has a requirement to conform to the new legislation whether they have 1 or 100 vehicle's the facts are that work vehicle's play a huge part of workplace accidents which bring harm to the employee, their families and the obvious related cost to organisations in terms of lost productivity and the huge financial burden on taxpayer through the Government.
Due to this finding understandably we expect that WorkSafe will pay greater attention to vehicle safety compliance than in the past.
Having a Vehicle Policy that states the organisation is not responsible for employees breaking the law in areas such as speeding simply will not cut it. By not introducing all practicable steps you are allowing the employee to endanger their life, the public’s, bring the employer into disrepute as well as exposing them to a range of serious offences by the business's PCBU (Person Conducting a Business Undertaking) right through to the individual employee.
HOW DOES GPS MANAGEMENT HELP
The information gathered from a GPS system will help you implement and monitor your employees around all aspects of driver behaviour.
It never ceases to amaze us that a business’s survival is being put at risk when we hear an Owner or Manager with vehicles has given no thought as to the effects a single Health & Safety Event / Breach, caused by one staff member.
Comments like, “we’ve never had any major "injuries or deaths” or "it’s too expensive", or "we only have a small amount of vehicles” is laughable.
In regard to the costs...........