As a fleet manager, it’s important that you can count on your drivers. You also have a legal duty to ensure that your drivers are fit to operate their vehicles, under The Management of Health and Safety at Work Act 1999 and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
In this post we’ll discuss some driver screening techniques that will help you build a competent and safe fleet of drivers.
For more information on how we can help you and your fleet, get in touch with us on 020 8290 9099 or email us at commercial.motor@anthonyjones.com.
Medical Screening for HGV Drivers
Often, when people talk about driver screening, they are specifically referring to driver medical screening.
The medical screening should begin with a GP’s note, which will confirm that the driver is fit for work. But HSE suggests that you arrange for additional tests by driving standard specialists, as “fit for work” might not necessarily be the same as “fit to operate an HGV”.
The HSE lists certain medical standards for workplace transport drivers. There are separate standards for employees who hold an ordinary driving licence (Group 1), and for drivers who operate HGVs and public service vehicles (Group 2).
How Often Should You Conduct Medical Screening on HGV Drivers?
The HSE advises that you judge a person’s fitness for operating a vehicle on a case-by-case basis. They suggest you screen:
- All new drivers before employment
- All drivers aged 45 or over at five year intervals
- All drivers aged 65 or over annually
- Any drivers who miss more than a month of work due to illness or injury.
Screening Drivers for Medication
Whether it’s an over-the-counter pill or a prescription, medication may affect a driver’s fitness to operate their vehicles.
It may be considered a breach of privacy to ask a candidate or an employee to list all of the medication they take. But you can still specify your policy on medications in your contracts of employment
Essentially, employees should talk to their GPs or pharmacists about any possible side effects of any medication they take. If the GP or pharmacist mentions any potential adverse effects that could compromise safety, then the employee must inform you.
Once you get this transparency, you can then make a judgement as to whether the driver should stop operating their vehicles until you can establish the nature and extent of any side effects.
Screening Drivers for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs
It is a criminal offence for drivers to operate vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs. But there is no UK law that says that employers must test their drivers.
Alcohol and drug screening tests do exist, and different companies take different approaches:
- Drivers are required to complete medical tests when applying for or renewing their HGV licences, and these will often include drug and alcohol tests. Some companies take it for granted that their drivers have no issues with drugs and alcohol so long as they’ve passed these medical tests and they hold a relevant licence.
- Some companies arrange for random drug and alcohol tests throughout the year. This may help ensure your drivers stay compliant, but some may find this intrusive.
- Other companies arrange for drug and alcohol tests following accidents or other incidents on the road.
In any case, you may wish to test all potential new drivers as part of your wider medical screening, before you hire them.
Licences and Other Documents
You will need to ensure that all drivers are qualified to drive their work vehicles, whether they are company cars, LGVs, or HGVs.
For every driver you hire, you should request to see:
- A relevant driving licence (for example, they will need a Class 1 licence to operate most HGVs).
- An up-to-date Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC).
Convictions and Cautions Screening
You may also want to screen your drivers for any prior convictions on their record.
Under UK law, when applying for a vehicle operator licence, drivers must declare the following convictions or cautions:
- Serious offences (e.g. any conviction that led to imprisonment for more than three months).
- Road transport offences (including any related to work hours and rest periods).
As part of your driver screening, you could ask candidates to undergo a DBS check, which may highlight any prior convictions on their record. For example, a DR10 conviction indicates that they have a prior conviction for drunk driving.
Many employers may choose not to employ drivers with such histories, even if they are spent convictions. But of course, it’s entirely up to you. Perhaps you’ll choose to give a driver with a previous conviction a second chance, on the proviso that they’ll undergo routine testing for drug or alcohol use.
You can read our full guide to driving convictions.
Ongoing Driver Screening
As we mentioned above, you have a duty of care to ensure that every driver in your fleet is qualified to operate their vehicle safely. This is an ongoing duty of care, meaning that you should periodically assess all of your drivers to ensure they’re staying compliant.
We’ve already discussed how often you should arrange for medical tests for your drivers, and how these should increase in frequency as your drivers get older. We’ve also discussed how different fleets take different approaches to ongoing drug and alcohol screening.
Beyond this, you need to ensure that all of your drivers meet their CPC requirements. Each driver needs to complete 35 hours of ongoing CPC training every five years. You can read our full guide to the CPC rules.
Specialist Fleet Risk Management From Anthony Jones
John Donaghy, Senior Manager, Commercial Motor and Fleet Risks says:
“Effective driver screening, both at the point of recruitment and ongoing, is an essential part of fleet risk management.
“If you can evidence the steps you take to ensure your drivers meet all required safety standards, then it can help you make a saving on your commercial fleet insurance. Your insurer may recognise your commitment to road safety and driver standards, and you may pay lower premiums as a result.”
“At Anthony Jones, we’re always happy to discuss strategic risk management with fleet managers. We’ll show you how you can get the best for your fleet, and we’ll help you access the specialist cover you need at a competitive price.”
For more information on how we can help you and your fleet, get in touch with us on 020 8290 9099 or email us at commercial.motor@anthonyjones.com.
