After 18 months of belonging for one agency and another. and still very much aware of my own limitations i have as a new driver It makes me laugh at how irreseponsible the agencys and companies put the health /safety of agency drivers last. And i am also very much aware of my own failures in allowing them to do this.
This point of view is from an agency driver only not a full time emplolyed driver whom is properly inducted
For example the number of sites i have turned up at and i am given a 50 page booklet to read and then sign each page stating I HAVE BEEN INTRUCTED IN etc whatever it may be is definatley breaching the duty of care to provide a safe system of work
In my other role out side of driving i practice health and safety and if i were to open my mouth i would not get work
These companies are big well known companies as well
If i were to complain to the company they would not give me work
If i were to complain to the company on the day of reading /signing the Induction/Booklet on Health and safety, they would work me that day then not give me work
If i refuse to sign it i would not get any work
If i were to complain to the agency whom in its literature state that they take H/S seriously they too would not give me any work.
If i were to write to the head office vice chairman of the company using the whistle blowing procedure. he would probably welcome my comments for bringing it to his attention and look seriously into the matter of not properly inducting Agency drivers as the companys name would be damaged but then the agency would loose the contract and my name would be viled and i would not get any work
On the road i drive slower than other drivers usually about 50mph not to drag out a job to earn more money but to error on the side of safety and if there is something im not sure of i ask, but even that has its draw backs because if your too slow guess what you dont get work
There must be other drivers whom are also in this position and at the end of the day if i injure somebody through my own neglect its going to be me whoms cops for it because i signed their booklets or whatever papers declairing that i have been propley instructed/inducted into their Health and safety.
I am a cash cow for the agency, but its my licence that i put at risk
comments please
Been in a few places where they expect you to sign all sorts of H&S before you get the work - just bypassing their own systems. If there is doubt about anything then I always go back to them and ask, other than that I always take my time and don’t take shortcuts.
On the road i drive slower than other drivers usually about 50mph not to drag out a job to earn more money but to error on the side of safety and if there is something im not sure of i ask, but even that has its draw backs because if your too slow guess what you dont get work
If you drive at the speed limit then you will be slower than 95% of drivers, I tend to stick to the limits AND back off the limiter by a couple of mph on the motorway, find it makes it easier going and gives you a little extra to deal with overtaking pillocks…
G
goofball:
After 18 months of belonging for one agency and another. and still very much aware of my own limitations i have as a new driver It makes me laugh at how irreseponsible the agencys and companies put the health /safety of agency drivers last. And i am also very much aware of my own failures in allowing them to do this.
This point of view is from an agency driver only not a full time emplolyed driver whom is properly inducted
For example the number of sites i have turned up at and i am given a 50 page booklet to read and then sign each page stating I HAVE BEEN INTRUCTED IN etc whatever it may be is definatley breaching the duty of care to provide a safe system of work
In my other role out side of driving i practice health and safety and if i were to open my mouth i would not get work
These companies are big well known companies as well
If i were to complain to the company they would not give me work
If i were to complain to the company on the day of reading /signing the Induction/Booklet on Health and safety, they would work me that day then not give me work
If i refuse to sign it i would not get any work
If i were to complain to the agency whom in its literature state that they take H/S seriously they too would not give me any work.
If i were to write to the head office vice chairman of the company using the whistle blowing procedure. he would probably welcome my comments for bringing it to his attention and look seriously into the matter of not properly inducting Agency drivers as the companys name would be damaged but then the agency would loose the contract and my name would be viled and i would not get any work
On the road i drive slower than other drivers usually about 50mph not to drag out a job to earn more money but to error on the side of safety and if there is something im not sure of i ask, but even that has its draw backs because if your too slow guess what you dont get work
There must be other drivers whom are also in this position and at the end of the day if i injure somebody through my own neglect its going to be me whoms cops for it because i signed their booklets or whatever papers declairing that i have been propley instructed/inducted into their Health and safety.
I am a cash cow for the agency, but its my licence that i put at risk
comments please
Why do you think agencies have become so popular over the years? It allows companies to be “flexible” and they can employ “flexible people” and if “flexible people” don’t like it they can “flex off!”.
but flexibility has no get out clause for health and saftey law