Haulier NEWSLETTER
In this issue...
You said - we did
Fundraising at Tarmac
CRH Code of Conduct
July 2024
New safety observations
Understanding bridge weights
Wheel safety
SAFETY NEWS ON
YOU SAID WE DID
Safety observations can be very powerful to help identify and assess potential hazards and risks in the workplace and take steps to eliminate or mitigate these risks. This can help to reduce the likelihood of accidents and other safety incidents, as well as the potential financial losses associated with such incidents. If you raise a Safety Observation, we will support you and act to reduce the risk
Driver working out of Hayes was concerned about the way in which a customer was working on nightwork and refused to tip as they were asking him to tip asphalt whilst one side of his truck was down a hole, and the other side up on a verge.
He was verbally abused by the gang and put under pressure to tip, but stuck firm and contacted his haulier, who contacted the Transport Account Manager who completely supported the decision. The Transport Account Manager contacted customer about the abuse and making sure it was safe to tip. The customer dealt with the site personnel and brought planings in from another site to level the area which would then allow the truck to make a safe tip.
Big thank you to driver for raising this safety observation to make site a safer place for all deliveries.
Contaminated loads
Over the past few months, we have had increase of complaints regarding contamination in:
• Concrete
• Asphalt
• Aggregates
All the various issues could have been prevented by cleaning vehicle out correctly or using correct release agents.
It is very important that we try everything to reduce the possibility of any contamination complaints as someone will have to pay for material being returned or in some cases roads having to be re-laid.
Please make sure your drivers are aware of the importance of making sure the vehicles are not contaminated.
Fundraising at Tarmac
As you may be aware, Tarmac is driving forward with initiatives aimed at improving fundraising for selected charities. This year’s charity is the fantastic Transaid Organization. Transaid aim to tackle the appalling number of deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa - where poor road quality, transport management, and driver training, has resulted in road deaths becoming the third biggest killer, following only HIV/AIDs, and Malaria. This problem will only get worse as population numbers rise.
If you are interested in finding out more, you can visit the Transaid site using the following link: transaid.org/
One of our out of hours fleet planners Matt Bradbury has chosen to undertake a personal challenge to truly test himself.
On 9th October Matt will be heading to the Sahara Desert, as part of a larger group aiming to run/walk.
Matt said “or maybe crawl.... depending on how it goes, a double-marathon. Considering I struggled to run anything over 1500m in my younger years unless being chased by a dog, the prospect of 52 miles over the course of 2 consecutive days is a daunting - but still exciting - challenge. For those that know me, please rest assured I weighed this challenge up very carefully before committing to it (considering how clumsy I am the idea of falling over onto sand seemed more appealing than doing a Mountain challenge and falling off the side of a cliff....)”
“Anyone curious as to what I’ve let myself in for, feel free to check out the following link; actionchallenge. com/overseas-trips/saharan-challenge/itinerary/ where you’ll see my daily itinerary, the route I’ll be taking, and other information.”
“Whilst I’ll do my best to provide some pictures and keep people updated on my progress, for those of you in distribution I’m afraid will not be fitting myself with a tracker so you can check my progress on Masternaut....”
“Below I have attached a link to my go-fund-me page for this challenge. I would be very appreciative if you could please find the time to sponsor me as I attempt this challenge. Even if you don’t feel drawn to doing it for Transaid, I’d ask instead that you think of it as paying to keep me from coming back to the office when it’s over: gofund.me/e52b826d ”
Thank you for taking the time to read this - and thank you in advance for anything you kindly choose to donate. If you know of anyone else you think may be interested in donating, please feel free to pass the link to them.
CRH Supplier Code of Conduct
CRH is committed to the highest levels of legal, ethical and moral standards, which we set out in our Code of Business Conduct.
We place business ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the forefront of all our business dealings, including those with our suppliers, both direct and indirect, recognising that they are key stakeholders in the success of our business. Not surprisingly, our procurement requirements are very high; we expect our suppliers to share our desire to be the best, to be innovative and efficient and quality driven. Above all we only choose suppliers who share our unwavering commitment to good ethical practices and who meet our standards in respect of health & safety, human rights and environmental stewardship. This Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) sets out these CSR requirements and how we want to ensure your compliance. In return, we strive to be a fair and honest partner, firmly believing that relationships built on trust and integrity will be sustainable and beneficial for all. Please find below link to our CRH supplier code of conduct, please make sure you read www.crh.com/media/2984/crh-supplier-code-of-conduct-2019.pdf
HIGHLIGHTS Safety
New safety observations
Safety observations are vital to any business to help with safety improvements.
We have listened to various comments around current ways to report safety observations and have now produced a QR code that reports directly into our Safety system which will help getting these to the right people and with feedback on the outcome.
So, you will all have received email with poster for your region and over the next coming weeks your drivers will receive QR code sticker to place in cab or on back on OneCard.
Please encourage your drivers to report anything they feel is unsafe.
RMX tare weights
In order to maximise use of our ICH RMX fleet we are going to establish the tare weights for all our RMX vehicles.
Safety observations Midlands A&A Logistics
This is to ensure we are loading our vehicles to their true capacity. In order to establish accurate tare weights vehicles should be clean, free from build-up, full of fuel and fully watered when going to weigh off.
Please note, failure to tare vehicles on a Tarmac weighbridge by 9th August will lead to us unable to use your services. This will also become an annual process that will need to be done every January going forward. Any more details or support contact your Transport Account Manager.
Understanding bridge weight limits
We are seeing many complaints for drivers going through weight restricted areas. Make sure you and your drivers understand the weight limit signs.
I am sure you would not want to be told that you or one of your drivers have been reported to police for going through a weight limit.
Remember they go on the gross weight of the vehicle, rather than the actual weight of the vehicle at the current time.
What will the police hit you with? Will it be 3 points and £100 fine, or will it be more than that?
SAFETY Wheel
CogLock provides the ultimate wheel security solution to help protect operators and their fleets. Specifically designed to prevent wheel detachment, CogLock’s innovative design provides a visual indicator, secure locking mechanism, and streamlines maintenance
Developed by Chris Coghill, a qualified technician with more than 15 years’ industry experience working across the board as workshop controller, service manager, depot manager and fleet engineer, he has a good understanding of the issues often faced by fleet operators.
Having seen first-hand the gravity of a situation when a wheel has come off a truck, Chris wanted to create a product which helps to reduce the risk of wheel detachment, and he is inviting operators to trial the product.
THIS VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH COGLOCK WHEEL SECURITY PRODUCTS
Scan the QR Code for Operating and Repair Instructions.
Chris says: “In my experience, the primary cause of wheel loss is attributed to operator error. But CogLock offers three unique features of indication, locking and ease of maintenance to ensure truck wheels remain where they should be.”
CogLock is suitable for all HGVs, buses and coaches and is aimed at all fleet operators, customers who have experienced wheel loss in the past or continue to see issues with loose wheel nuts, and vehicle providers including leasing operators and new truck sales.
Chris adds: “A number of household names have already agreed to trial CogLock. It is perfect for anyone who wants to prevent wheel loss and improve the safety of their fleet.”
“An initial trial will need to run for 2-3 months to allow time for a vehicle to go into the workshop for maintenance and for an operator to get a good idea of the benefits.”
“By signing up to these early trials, operators can play a key role in the future of vehicle wheel security and improving safety in the industry as well as providing CogLock with real world feedback and ensuring we have developed the best product possible.”
CogLock’s first USP is its visual indicators which alert vehicle operators and drivers to any loosening of wheel nuts, which should be picked up in regular vehicle checks. Secondly, the device actively engages to lock the wheel nut in place, ensuring the wheel remains securely attached under various driving conditions. Finally, it helps to streamline maintenance by eliminating the need for technicians to remove ancillary devices from the wheel nuts when checking their condition and tightness on routine maintenance.
Full training will be provided to maintenance workshops as part of the trial. In addition, any vehicle fitted with CogLocks will also be issued with a door decal with a QR code, which will provide operating and repair instructions to any driver or technician who hasn’t yet received training on the product.
