Road Safety at Work has partnered with SafeCare BC to increase safety awareness when vehicles are used for work. This article, Road Safety at Work discusses employer responsibilities.

True or false? Employers are equally responsible for the safety of their employees, whether they are driving a company vehicle or an employee-owned vehicle for work purposes.
 
The answer is true. That’s because a car is a workplace. In the same way care homes, head offices, and client homes, when care workers are visiting, are workplaces. As such, employers must ensure that employee-owned vehicles driven for work are fit for purpose, roadworthy and operated in a safe manner.
 
“Employers have the right to set safety standards for employee-owned vehicles driven for work,” said Rick Walters, Road Safety at Work, Fleet Safety program manager. “Employers should periodically inspect their employees’ vehicles to ensure they meet legal requirements and company safety standards. For example, if an employee drives in winter conditions, does their vehicle have winter tires? Do the brake lights work? How about the windshield wipers?”
 
“Employers should restrict employees from driving any vehicle that isn’t up to safety standards,” added Walters. “Fortunately, RoadSafetyAtWork.ca has numerous customizable vehicle inspection and maintenance tools that will  help employees carry out and record effective vehicle inspections, as well as help employers, understand what information and reports they should gather and review to provide evidence that vehicles are being properly inspected and maintained.”
 
These include:

• Tips for conducting vehicle inspections  
• Customizable pre-trip vehicle inspection and mileage logs  
• Vehicle maintenance information 

“It’s tough to write a policy or procedure to address every possible hazard or circumstance driver may encounter,” said Walters. “However, employers can control what vehicles employees drive for work. Ensuring those vehicles are equipped for work and properly inspected and maintained are good first steps to improving employees' safety when driving.”