March 2010, Work Truck - Feature
Risk Management: Best Practices of a Safe Fleet Operation
Is your fleet safe? Minimize driver risk and lower accident rates through a safety and risk management program. Whether outsourced or run in-house, a comprehensive program is critical.
By Cheryl Knight
Drug & Alcohol Tests Key
Another key component to operating a "true" risk/safety management program is drug and alcohol testing. Motor carrier safety regulations must be followed strictly. If drivers do not comply, the company's response must be defined. Will driver rehabilitation be allowed or will the driver's services be terminated?
"The philosophy and mindset around drug and alcohol testing is extremely important," Emerick said. "Everyone handles it differently, but you need a clear and consistent path to where you're going."
Drug and alcohol testing policy should address the following areas:
■ Pre-employment testing.
■ Zero tolerance versus second chance.
■ Driver drug and alcohol training.
■ Supervisor training.
■ Recordkeeping.
Report & Investigate
Because every accident could lead to possible litigation, accident reporting and investigation policy is a cornerstone of any risk/safety program. Emerick recommends for each incident, investigate the root cause and use that information to enhance the safety program.
"Every accident and near-miss should be investigated," he said. "And make sure to review your policy a few times a year and assess your current methods for collecting and evaluating accident reporting and investigation."
After an accident, Emerick also advises supervisors teach drivers what to say, what to photograph, and how to gather information. Elements to consider when analyzing an accident or near-miss include information about frequency (driver/vehicle), category of event (backing/excessive speed), location, time and data, and root cause (mechanical/driver fatigue).
Inspect & Maintain Vehicles
Businesses that keep vehicle inspection and maintenance top of mind often save time and money, the foundation of this critical step in a risk and safety program. Operating safe vehicles on the highway is a must because maintenance issues are increasingly cited in vehicle crashes.
"This step has to be systematic," Emerick said. "Implement day-to-day maintenance and inspection."
Additional areas of importance include accurate recordkeeping; pre- and post-trip inspections (conducted, documented, and reported); inspections by qualified personnel; and proper documentation of repair completion.
Maintain Good Records
The final element in a risk management policy should involve recordkeeping. Motor carrier safety regulations require records be maintained for a specific period of time, which can be a very cumbersome process.
"Proper maintenance and accident records must be on file when the DOT comes in to assess a motor carrier's safety fitness," Emerick said. "The majority of time is spent looking at records, and having a systematic approach to how you can look at those records will make that process go more smoothly."
In addition, benchmarking is critical in reassessing a risk/safety policy.
"If you don't know where you started, you can't show the return on investment as you move forward," Emerick pointed out. "Or if you don't know where you started and things go bad, you don't know why it's turning worse without that base."
Paint a picture of where your business sits today regarding risk/safety, as well as where you need to be each quarter, Emerick recommended.
"Many times, executives understand numbers better than they understand safe practices or activities," Emerick concluded. "And the more common way of doing that is with hard and fast numbers."