The NAAFI fleet consists of both company vehicles and “grey fleet” vehicles – privately-owned vehicles used on company business. Safety and compliance management across the globe is a considerable task and the organisation has turned to RAC Risk Management for support.

Marcus Noble, head of RAC Risk Management, said: ‘NAAFI is to be applauded for its culture of corporate safety. These latest risk assessment, e-learning and driver training initiatives incorporated in the Permit to Drive will help to ensure that they fully meet their duty of care obligations to their workforce and they are totally in line with the latest health and safety legislation and recommendations.’

Richard Huysers, health, safety and environment manager at NAAFI, is responsible for introducing, leading and promoting this latest safety initiative. He said: ‘This incentive has been vital for NAAFI to further reduce its business risk from transport-related issues. It has both improved and tightened up our driver safety and awareness. The online driver and learner portal has been cost-effective to us, as a business we are spread geographically across the globe from Germany to the Falklands. We had a dedicated client manager at RAC who addressed culture change and embedment issues. I would strongly recommend the RAC Safe Driver programme as a partner strategy to any company wishing to take its health and safety seriously and reduce its business risk.’

Following a full audit to highlight key areas where action was needed to meet current legislation, NAAFI has launched the second phase of a ‘permit to drive’ programme. This incorporates Safe Driving Plus, an online interactive risk reduction system for corporate fleets which is designed to change behaviour and reduce accidents and injuries.

The permit to drive programme provides each individual driver with a unique login to the e-learning system where they are provided with the information they need to stay safe. The programme provides a personal action plan to reduce road risk. Drivers are given the option of registering to the programme when they sign up to comply with the mandatory company policy for driving at work.

After a comprehensive risk assessment, those identified as medium risk then go on to complete RAC’s e-learning module, while those identified as high risk undergo one-to-one training on the road with RAC instructors. Licence checks and business insurance checks are carried out and a permit to drive is provided on completion of all the required sections. The permit to drive is a clear, visual and fully auditable record of the status and eligibility of individual drivers; it is evidence that they have fulfilled the necessary criteria of the programme.

RAC’s e-learning is a unique phased programme with a series of modules. Each driver completes short training modules lasting less than ten minutes each, which serve to constantly reinforce key safety messages and the company fleet policy. The cumulative effect is better awareness of road risk issues and a change in driving behaviour.

If accidents do occur, then post-accident interviews are undertaken where drivers are encouraged to reflect on a learning curve from the accident. The process highlights the causes of accidents and creates an opportunity to intervene with a training remedy if applicable.

RAC Risk Management has also held a series of fleet risk management workshops involving key stakeholders and line managers. These have helped create and promote a positive culture for drivers both in the UK and abroad. They have introduced managers to the basic concepts of proactive occupational road risk management, while strengthening the understanding of the importance of safe driving practices and the implications of non-compliance.

Providing the tools and knowledge to assemble, implement, maintain and measure road safety and loss control practices in line with corporate safety policy and international law has been vital in the launch of the programme.