Aiming high is the best defence
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The answer is: • Honour your undertakings; • Operate your maintenance system exactly as you have undertaken to do; E Respond when something happens. If you receive a prohibition, is it due to a fault in the system? If it is, fix it;
m Apply your mind and your judgement to checking drivers records—do not simply rely on computer print-outs; m Look at the scheduling of your drivers' work. Are you asking them to do too much? Can they do it within their legal hours?
m Meticulously train your traffic office and maintenance staff, and make sure that they understand your responsibilities; m Look at your HSE policy, including areas of potential danger—carry out risk assessments.
Finally, make sure that you as the boss have a record of everything that has been done so that you are immediately aware if anything is going wrong and can respond to it.
These records will help you maintain your standards and avoid the pitfalls which could result in the nightmare scenario. In the event of a problem they could also convince the prosecuting authorities that you have not been guilty of gross negligence or conduct which falls far below what can be reasonably expected.
In the future only the highest standards will be acceptable. Depart from those standards at your peril.