Introducing the CHAS Vehicle Compliance Scheme
Health and safety accreditation is a fundamental requirement for contractors in today’s workplace, especially in high-risk industries like construction, facilities management and utilities. However, one critical area often overlooked is the safety of work vehicles. The consequences of a fatal accident caused by poor maintenance in a vehicle can have a severe impact on your business’s reputation.
In 2022 alone, a shocking 29,795 individuals lost their lives or faced serious injuries on UK roads. It’s a grave statistic, made even more alarming by the fact that 1 in 3 of these accidents involved individuals driving as part of their work.
To tackle these challenges, CHAS has partnered with National Highways and Driving for Better Business to create the CHAS Vehicle Compliance Scheme. This scheme evaluates the compliance and safety of work vehicles and fleet operations across 14 key risk areas, including the driver, vehicle maintenance, record keeping, and safe working practices. By participating in this scheme, businesses can demonstrate to clients and stakeholders that they prioritise the management of work-related road risks, ensuring the safety and roadworthiness of their vehicles, as well as the competence of their drivers.
Many businesses view managing their vehicles as a necessary function, rather than a specialised skill. Consequently, they may lack a dedicated fleet manager to oversee vehicle management, leading to potential oversights in safety and legal requirements. These oversights can include driver entitlements, compliance with drivers’ hours rules, pre-use checks, regular servicing, inspections, and overall roadworthiness. Sometimes, the responsibility for a van fleet falls on an office administrator or receptionist who may not effectively manage it due to other responsibilities.
The CHAS Vehicle Compliance Scheme addresses these issues by providing a comprehensive framework outlining how fleets should be run. By completing the assessment, businesses can ensure they operate at the highest legal standards and adopt best practices, ensuring safety and demonstrating a commitment to excellence in fleet management.
Implementing effective vehicle management practices offers numerous additional benefits. Companies that manage work-related road risk typically experience fewer incidents involving their vehicles, leading to reduced employee injury, lower vehicle repair costs, and operational savings from minimized breakdowns and downtime. Furthermore, insurance companies offer discounts to organisations with robust fleet management processes, such as those certified by the CHAS Vehicle Compliance Scheme.
The CHAS Vehicle Compliance Scheme assessment is conducted remotely through our user-friendly portal. You submit your responses and supporting evidence by completing a straightforward set of questions and our experienced assessment team will then conduct an independent review. CHAS members also receive ongoing support and resources to learn about fleet best practices and improve safety. This scheme applies to light commercial vehicles (LCVs) weighing less than 3.5 tonnes.
CHAS charges an annual subscription fee for the Vehicle Compliance Service, determined by fleet size. For more information, click here or call 0345 521 9222 between 8am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday.
