Driving at Work Safety Policy

The Trustee Board has devolved day-to-day responsibility for Health, Safety and Welfare to the Managing Director.    

The MD, and those acting on their behalf, will ensure:  

• Ensure that adequate arrangements are in place to achieve compliance with the policy; 

• MD delegates responsibility for undertaking aspects of these duties through line management & identified roles. 

The Managing Director will delegate to the membership of the leadership team the following responsibility:  

• Monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of Health and Safety activities and the Union's Health and Safety Policy and associated policies and procedures, and for ensuring that, at the strategic level, performance standards and timescales are adhered to;

• Chairing the Students' Union's Health and Safety Committee and ensuring it has the time, facilities and resources to carry out its business effectively;

• Keeping under review this Health and Safety Policy and the Health and Safety performance of the Students' Union. 

Health and Safety is a delegated line management responsibility requiring managers to undertake operational Health and Safety duties identified in this policy. Imperial College Union Line Managers to undertake the following:   

• Ensuring that departmental activities are conducted in accordance with Union policy, legislative, and other formal standards and that those hazards having the potential to cause harm are risk assessed and identified controls are implemented;

• Ensuring that employees receive sufficient information, training and supervision on Health and Safety matters;

• Union approved drivers must hold the necessary licences, training and qualifications to drive Union owned or leased vehicles. Where a driver discloses that their licence has been revoked, suspended or withdrawn for any reason or discloses that they are not medically fit to drive then they must be removed from the Unions Approved Drivers list;

• Ensuring that risk assessments work-related driving risks are carried out and identified control measures are implemented. This could include promoting the use of alternative forms of transport, providing approved drivers with any necessary training, supervision and equipment in order to reduce significant risks to a tolerable level;

• Driving risk assessments are monitored and updated as necessary;

• Ensuring that suitable insurance is always in place.

Individual members of staff, students and visitors have a legal duty to co-operate and comply at all times with the ICU Health and Safety Policy, instruction and training provided. Staff and students are responsible for: 

• Cooperate and enable implementation of this policy;

• Comply with local risk assessment and systems relating to driving activities;

• Consider the use of public transport in preference to using their own vehicle or Union or leased vehicle when travelling on Union business;

• Are medically fit to drive and meet the vision standards required to drive ;

• Hold the appropriate license, training or other qualification for the vehicle that they will be required to drive;

• Have a valid Ministry of Transport (M.O.T.) certificate, where applicable, and the necessary “business use” insurance if they are using a non-Union owned or leased vehicle for Union business;

• Comply with any statutory requirements placed on them by road safety or other legislation including the wearing of seatbelts, not using hand-held mobile phones whilst driving and not smoking in Union vehicles;

• Report any accidents or incidents that they are involved in when driving on Union business;

• Carry out appropriate user checks of Union vehicles prior to driving on Union business;

• Inform Activities Department of any vehicular faults that they identify as a result of their user checks. If as a result of any user check a vehicle is considered to be unsafe, then it must not be driven on Union business.

This policy applies to all Imperial College Union - Student Led Groups have a legal duty to co-operate and always comply with the ICU Health and Safety Policy, instruction and training provided. Student Led groups are responsible for:   

• Cooperate and enable implementation of this policy;

• Comply with local risk assessment and systems relating to driving activities;

• Consider the use of public transport in preference to using their own vehicle or Union or leased vehicle when travelling on Union business;

• Are medically fit to drive and meet the vision standards required to drive;

• Hold the appropriate license, training or other qualification for the vehicle that they will be required to drive;

• Have a valid Ministry of Transport (M.O.T.) certificate, where applicable, and the necessary “business use” insurance if they are using a non-Union owned or leased vehicle for Union business;

• Comply with any statutory requirements placed on them by road safety or other legislation including the wearing of seatbelts, not using hand-held mobile phones whilst driving and not smoking in Union vehicles;

• Report any accidents or incidents that they are involved in when driving on Union business;

• Carry out appropriate user checks of Union vehicles prior to driving on Union business;

• Inform Activities Department of any vehicular faults that they identify as a result of their user checks. If as a result of any user check a vehicle is considered to be unsafe, then it must not be driven on Union business. 

The Students' Union, whilst an independent charity in its own right, is an integral part of the Imperial College community and could not exist without the College. The Union and College work in partnership to ensure that adequate measures are in place to ensure health, safety, and welfare within the Union. The Union is committed to working with the Imperial College London Safety department and where appropriate, ensuring that the Union's Health and Safety Policy, Codes of Practice and arrangements are in accordance with the College Health and Safety Policy, Codes of Practice, and arrangements. 

The Union is in an unusual position in that whilst colleagues work directly for the Students' Union their contracts of employment are with the College. Whilst the Union accepts its duty of care and responsibilities, the College also has a duty to ensure, and support, the safe management and operation of the Students' Union.