Finance
Work Related Driving
Work Related Driving
For information on travel expenses and claiming for travel, please refer to the Work Related Travel Policy tab
What is Work Related Driving?
The Health and Safety Executive in collaboration with the Department for Transport and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have published Guidance for Employers on “Driving at Work – Managing work-related road safety”. This guidance clearly states their view that the requirements of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 apply to all work related activities, including “work-related driving”.
The Guidance states that it is essential to have an effective policy which covers the issue of work-related driving, clearly defining responsibilities for both the employer and employee and the arrangements for implementation. The purpose of this document is to ensure that adequate controls are in place to protect both the institution and the individual and to provide a set of standards, which form a framework within which all parties may confidently operate.
The guidance recognises that there are distinct categories of employees who drive as part of their work activities:
- Employees who are required to drive vehicles owned/leased by University of Worcester as an integral part of their employment (e.g. maintenance staff, campus services assistants etc)
- Employees who use hired vehicles for convenience on a casual basis, in order to undertake some element of their role within the institution (e.g. outreach work, business development, marketing etc)
The guidance establishes a framework for dealing with situations that may arise as a consequence of its implementation, e.g. identifying persons who are unfit to drive or are no longer permitted to drive.
Why does the University need this information?
As an employer the University has a ‘duty of care’ in relation to its employees. As part of this we need to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Executive Guidance for Employers for ‘Driving at Work – Managing work-related Road Safety’ and the current insurance sector standards.
We need to ensure adequate controls are in place to protect both the University and individual members of staff when driving, as recognised above, by means of a university work related driving policy.
Under the guidance the University is required to satisfy itself that employees are qualified to drive vehicles and are appropriately covered by insurance.
What do I need to provide?
You will need to complete a Work Related Driving Form in order to undertake work related driving in University owned or leased vehicles. The form can be found here.
How often do I need to complete the online form?
You need to complete the online form annually. If you wish to make mileage claims then your insurance must be up-to-date on our expenses system, and include Business Usage.
What happens if I incur penalty points on my license?
If you incur any penalty points during the course of the year you will need to update your details to reflect this.
What happens if I don't submit this information?
Without this information we cannot hire you a car or let you drive a University owned or leased vehicle.
What if I get diagnosed with a medical condition during the year?
If during the year you develop a medical condition which prevents you from driving, please let us know.
HIRING VEHICLES
What to do when collecting hire cars and vans:
Please check the exterior of the vehicle thoroughly before you get in and drive. Make a note of any marks, scratches and dents and take photographs as evidence. These should be reported to your Departmental Administrator or School Manager before you leave the campus, who should then inform Purchasing.
What to do when returning hire cars and vans:
When finished with the vehicle, return it to car park C (Woodbury). Check the vehicle for any damage. Any damage should be reported to your Departmental Administrator or School Manager immediately, who should then inform Purchasing.
ALL damage to the vehicle must be photographed as evidence for any claims that might be made.
Should you be in a motor accident, or cause damage to the vehicle:
You will need to take comprehensive photographs of the damage and complete a report adding any photographs on the Accident/Incident & Near Miss Reporting portal on the day of the damage occurring (or the next working day if it is in the evening/weekend) and send it to the Departmental Administrator or School Manager who booked the hire car. They will need to pass this information on immediately to Purchasing. If appropriate, the Insurance Officer will then report the accident to the Insurers and be given a reference number.
Please refer to the Vehicle Damage Procedure Checklist if in doubt.
DVLA details
In order to check that members of staff have a valid license and whether they have excessive points, an online check can be made here: www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
In order to do this check you will need your NI number, your driving license number and post code.
If you have any queries related to work related driving please contact Insurance who will respond.