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Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 040

J Brown – 27 April 2007

Vehicle Safety Checks

Every year a significant number of people are killed or injured by accidents involving vehicles
travelling to or from and often in the workplace. With better planning and awareness and the
appropriate use of vehicles these accidents could be avoided.

Employees have a duty to look after their own Health & Safety and that of anyone affected by
their work actions.

By law employers have to ensure that work equipment is in good working order. This includes
workplace vehicles. Vehicles should be regularly maintained so that they are mechanically
sound and roadworthy via vehicle service, road tax, insurance, and MOT.

Planned inspections are an important part of maintenance by the driver, these range from
basic safety checks before using the vehicle (water, oil, tyres, lights, indicators, wipers etc) to
regular maintenance inspections carried out based on time or mileage (Xmo Form 14.6.1 or
routine service).

Preventative maintenance is also required to help avoid failure during daily vehicle use, this
should be regular and frequent and enough to comply with manufacturers guidelines.

We need to pay particular attention to brakes, steering, tyres, mirrors, windscreen washers
and wipers, any warning lights or devices, i.e. hazards, fog lights, indicators, seatbelts etc, or
any hydraulic or pneumatic systems, oil and water.

If using a company vehicle it is your responsibility to ensure that the daily and weekly checks
are carried out and any defects or problems are reported to your supervisor ASAP. We must
all take our share of the responsibility for keeping our fleet on the road so that we can arrive
on site and get home safely. Therefore, please ensure that if your van requires servicing that
you inform the office immediately and we will endeavour to get it serviced as soon as is
practical, without putting you or anyone in danger.