One of the UK’s largest vegetable growers has received the 2017 Lynda Chalker Award for its ‘outstanding commitment’ to improve the safety of its employees while driving for work.
The Lynda Chalker Award is presented annually by Road Safety GB to recognise an individual or organisation that has contributed significantly to road safety in the UK.
The 2017 Lynda Chalker Award went to East Anglian-based G’s Fresh, which supplies a comprehensive range of vegetables and other fresh produce to major retailers across the UK and Europe.
G’s Fresh’s 600-strong vehicle fleet includes cars, vans, buses, tractors and other agriculture vehicles, and transport and driving operations are described as the company’s ‘biggest risk’.
To combat this, G’s Fresh has developed a ‘health & safety journey strategy’ in a bid to significantly improve safe driving and operations, and the attitude of its employees towards road safety.
Presenting the award, Sonya Hurt, chair of Road Safety GB, said: “Due to the high road safety risks involved in the agricultural industry, G’s Fresh has introduced a number of processes to ensure a high level of safety and a low level of incidents.
“These include: tracking systems in farm vehicles which have significantly improved driver behaviour; a robust drivers’ induction package, with annual refresher training; regular ‘toolbox talks’; hotspot maps when new hazards are identified by drivers; compulsory assessments prior to driving any company vehicle; a monthly drivers’ competition based on telematics results; improved farmyard pedestrian and vehicle segregation; and regular medicals to ensure all drivers are medically fit to drive.
“All of this work is underpinned through a Farms Transport Strategy that strives to improve transport safety.
“Their approach to road safety is exemplar and something that many other companies could follow.”
The Lynda Chalker Award was presented to Gary Cullen, G’s Fresh senior safety and risk advisor, at the 2017 National Road Safety Conference in Manchester on 14 November.
The other nominees for the 2017 Lynda Chalker Award were
Mark Magee and Lesley Young (both from DVSA) and Jeremy Williamson, founder of
e-merge safer drivers.
Great ! Why not make it mandatory for all companies where there are drivers?
Judi.Best : Tunbridge Wells
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