Pest/Weed Fleet Safety – Why Should I Care?

Pest Control Equipment | Weed Control Equipment

Some key points from a terrific presentation at NPMA Pest World. Surprisingly, the presentation was attended mostly by fleet managers.  The number of owners and users of pest control equipment & weed control equipment fleets was suprisingly low.

Why should pest, weed & landscape company owners care about fleet safety? Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do while at work.

Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of work related injuries & fatalities

Average insurance claim:

Injury: $150,000

Fatality: $3,600,000

Other impacts of vehicle crashes on your Company:

- Increased insurance costs

- Bad publicity

- Employee not available for customer service, sales, etc.

Top Causes of motor vehicle accidents:

- Distracted driving

- Driver fatigue

- Aggressive driving

- Poor driving decisions

20% of most fleet’s drivers are responsible for 80% of crashes

Some suggested controls to address fleet safety:

Order motor vehicle reports on applicants/employees

Create a fleet policy

Have a plan in place for a crash

> Accident kit (instructions, advice, tools)

> Camera to record the scene

> Someone for driver to call when an accident occurs

Create a distracted driving policy -  Utilize driver tracking mechanisms

Provide regular, on-going fleet safety training

> Communicate safety expectations

> What is acceptable (crashes, tickets, etc.)

> Regular motor vehicle report reviews

> Training – defensive driving, safety policies & procedures, etc.

Vehicle selection & maintenance

The most important way to influence fleet safety?

HIRING!

Does your company require a road test for prospective employees?

I hope this helps.  Comments?

Excerpted with permission from:

Steven Bojan

VP – Fleet Services

Hub International Steven.bojan@hubinternational.com