Tesco takes safety seriously

Changing driver attitudes and behaviour is key if companies are to truly manage their occupational road risk. To that extent Tesco.com - the online shopping subsidiary of Britain's number one retailer - involves its van drivers (or customer delivery assistants as Tesco calls them) in weekly Accident Review Board meetings.

"Drivers must feel involved, valued and listened to," said Cliff Cheeseman, fleet training manager of Tesco.com and the architect of the organisation's occupational road safety policy.

The constantly developing strategy presently covers more than 6,000 customer delivery assistants, almost 2,200 3.5 tonne Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen vans and close on 300 stores. All three numbers will rise considerably in the future - 400 more vans are on order this year and all will be speed limited to 60 mph - as the supermarket group expands its Tesco.com operation, which reported sales up 29.2% to £1,226 million in the 12 months to the end of February.

At the cutting-edge of Tesco.com's fourpronged policy is the organisation's obligatory duty of care responsibility for its customer delivery assistants and other road users; its concern to ensure it retains a responsible public image among its customers; and ultimately to reduce fleet operating costs by cutting crash rates and reducing wear and tear and associated van costs.

To ensure national standards are in place, Tesco.com employs its own customer delivery assistant trainers - 17 have been trained to approved driving instructor level - and the company works closely with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents on all aspects of its training and assessment including full legal compliance.

Responsibility

Mr Cheeseman, a long-time Tesco employee, assumed responsibility for Tesco.com's driver training programme in April 2005 - a time when the company was trialling a defensive driver training initiative in four stores.

However, Mr Cheeseman's view was that the programme was not simply about testing an individual's driving ability but that a cultural change involving attitude and behaviour was key. As a result, the programme kicks-in at the recruitment stage when potential customer delivery assistants are tested on their map reading skills and navigation ability and driving licence and eyesight checks are also made. A 60-minute on-the-road assessment is also undertaken. Staff driving licences are checked twice a year and eyesight annually. On becoming a driver, staff undergo one-day of classroom-based training and a day of on the- road training while undertaking customer deliveries. They then complete a driving validation report to demonstrate competence, known as the 'Bronze Driver Validation' - Silver and Gold standards are to be added later this year. The report will signify a pass or that further training is required.

During daily routine work drivers will complete 'at store vehicle checks', which will include completing the van record book, signing out the van and a hands-free mobile phone - calls are banned while driving - and a walk-round vehicle condition check.

Strict standards when in face-to-face or telephone contact with customers and when driving/parking on private property are also engrained into the customer delivery assistants as, said Mr Cheeseman, "they are Tesco's ambassadors outside of the store".

Finally, on returning the van to the store the vehicle must be prepared for the next driver, the van record book completed and any issues reported to management. The book acts as a full audit report in the event of inquiries from, for example, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency or the police.

Robust

"We want our driving staff to be responsible and that is why we have put in place a robust and sustainable policy. Tesco.com did not just want a 'tick-the-box' programme, but one that was 'live' and was continually evolving," said Mr Cheeseman, who is the only fleet operator to sit on the newly-launched 'Driving for Better Business' steering committee established by RoadSafe to promote the Department for Transport's programme.

Incidents, however minor, are investigated weekly by the Accident Review Board.

Composed of two randomly-selected customer delivery assistants, two driver trainers and a chairman, incidents are divided into 'non-preventable' in which case no further action is taken; 'preventable' in which the customer delivery assistant receives further training within 15 days; or a request for 'more information' is made and the incident is reconsidered at a later date.

"As any driver/vehicle incidents are judged by their peers it has the effect of changing behaviour," said Mr Cheeseman, who in two years has overseen a 28% cut in incident rates and an 11% reduction in incident costs, which, because Tesco.com self-insurers, impacts on the company's bottom line. In addition, the company's ADIs are trained to investigate 'serious incidents', which are classed as any crash in which a person is hospitalised or a van needs to be recovered.

Mr Cheeseman and his management colleagues review the whole Tesco.com fleet and customer delivery assistant operation every 12 weeks but, in reality, a process of continuous assessment is in place through the 'reality research' and 'driving performance report' into each driving employee's work. By working with the drivers and providing them with information and feedback we are raising standards as our records show. Any company taking similar initiatives must explain processes to their drivers and what is expected and why," he said. "The drivers then feel involved. Communication is vital."

Just as the business is expanding so the skills of the customer delivery assistants are to be further tested. They are to be put through ROADTest, the UK's first occupational advanced driving test for people who drive for a living or as part of their job.

The new addition to the programme has seen four of its ADIs trained as examiners.

ROADTest, which was jointly developed by RoSPA and DriveTech (UK) Limited, one of the UK's leading providers of risk management, driver assessment and driver training solutions, sets the benchmark standard for at work driving. Launched in 2006, it is aimed at preventing crashes involving people who drive as part of their job - particularly company car and van drivers, who have accident rates 35 to 50% higher than private drivers. As well as demonstrating outstanding driving skills, ROADTest candidates have to prove their understanding of key occupational road risk issues such as journey plans, safe speeds, fatigue, drink and drugs, mobile phone use and equipment storage. One of the first companies to introduce the test, Mr Cheeseman said: "We are constantly looking to raise driving standards. We need a high standard of driver who is competent in the mechanics of driving but who also recognises the importance of having a professional attitude at the wheel."

RoSPA rewards Tesco efforts

The company won the RoSPA MORR Trophy for its 'exemplary approach to work-related road safety'.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA chief executive, said: "Driving is the most dangerous thing that the majority of people do in the course of their working lives and managing workrelated road risk should be embodied in an organisation's mainstream health and safety policy.

Tesco.com has worked hard to meet its responsibility to manage this risk, both to its employees and all those affected by its road-related activities.

"The measures that have been taken, which are backed by top-level board support, have achieved reductions in accidents, demonstrating the significant business benefits to be reaped from taking occupational road risk seriously. I hope others will follow its lead."

Ryder Plc was highly commended and Cemex Logistics was commended in the competition for the MORR Trophy. In addition, 19 other organisations received non-competitive gold, silver or bronze achievement awards for their management of occupational road risk.

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