Gate Checks – do you do them ?

Gate Checks and Driver Supervision I often have discussions with Transport Managers who state that they hardly ever see their Drivers as they leave the depot at 4:30 a.m. which sets alarm bells off in my head in terms of checking the quality of daily walkaround checks which are being carried out. The quantity of defects being reported throughout the day, or those identified as ‘driver-related’ at PMI, can point toward Drivers not carrying out a proper walkaround check but other factors, including vehicle age and the nature of the work can also play are part in these. In any case, these are very much reactive measures which do not prevent unroadworthy vehicles leaving your depot To monitor the effectiveness of daily vehicle checks we recommend a combination of auditing checks as they are done with the driver and carrying out regular ‘Gate Checks’ as the Drivers prepare to leave the depot. The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 details an employer is responsible for “the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees” with a key part of Supervision being to ensure that the arrangements for health and safety are complied with. Gate checks and auditing are also part of any effective maintenance regime and should be looked on not as an imposition but as a way of improving your business Should you need any help with getting Gate Checks, Driver or Compliance Audits carried out please contact us for further information