BSI Promotes Kitemark Garages to Fleets

The BSI Kitemark campaign is promoting its registered garages to businesses and fleet managers as a way of “eradicating any potential dangers.” According to a press release published on 23 January, fleet managers can be reassured that by using a Kitemark garage the risk of poor repairs has been lowered, not just the cost.

In its report BSI refers to the Health and Safety Offences Act 2008, which came into force on 16 January 2009. This new Act increases penalties and provides courts with greater sentencing powers for those who break health and safety law. Therefore managers who turn a blind eye to maintaining the company’s business cars regularly will be more severely punished. The importance of specifically replacing car tyres was also highlighted.

Judith Hackitt, Health Safety Executive Chair said: “It is right that there should be a real deterrent to those businesses and individuals that do not take their health and safety responsibilities seriously. We will continue to target those who knowingly cut corners, put lives at risk and who gain commercial advantage over competitors by failing to comply with the law.”

Eric Friend, Certification Manager, BSI Product Services, added that to avoid the risks fleet managers should choose a Kitemark certified garage: “By inspecting garages prior to accepting them into any scheme you assess their customer arrangements and provision of the services they offer, but the Kitemark scheme does go further by looking at the equipment, site facilities, staff competence and training, each garage is inspected and all gaps/errors non compliance to the standards have to be addressed before they gain their Kitemark Licence.”

To obtain the Kitemark garages must address key areas: customer service, customer satisfaction, customer facilities – such as waiting areas, staff competencies – the quality of workmanship in the garage, their ability to use the equipment available, technical inspection and importantly fair and transparent billing.

Further details of the HSE’s current advice on assessing the risk of driving at work can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg382.pdf.