Top 6 Ways to Protect your Construction Fleet
Are you looking to reduce accidents, insure your fleet and minimise the repairs and maintenance costs of your construction vehicles? If so, look no further because in this guide, we’ll break down the top ways you can protect your construction fleet.Get a quote from an insurance professional today
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Why should you prioritise construction fleet safety?
Safety should be a top priority when it comes to evaluating your construction fleet. There is a duty of care to employees and the public, which means that the Health And Safety Executive will ask what safety protocols are in place if they ever needed to investigate an incident.
A comprehensive health and safety policy will help to protect a business and the public against accidents and injuries, and reduce down time for the company and extra costs incurred through higher insurance premiums.
There are serious risks that can come from not prioritising the safety of your construction fleet, including:
- Injuries
- Accidents
- Thefts
- Lawsuits
- Fines
- Insurance claims
Not only could you experience financial losses, but it could also damage your company’s reputation.
Can fleet insurance protect construction site equipment and vehicles?
Yes, with comprehensive cover from FleetCover, we can provide your business with fleet insurance to cover all kinds of construction site equipment and vehicles.
We know how important it is that you have a reliable fleet of vehicles to make sure your business is running as smoothly as possible. You need to be able to get your team and equipment to job sites quickly and effectively, which is why it’s important you have the right fleet policy in place.
What construction vehicles and equipment can be protected by a fleet policy?
In general, construction vehicles are private and commercial vehicles, and they include but are not limited to:
- Forklifts
- Cranes
- Compactors
- Excavators
- HGV vehicles
- Bulldozers
- Tractors
- Cars and vans
Top ways to protect your construction fleet
There are easy ways you can protect your construction fleet and business, and to help, we’ve broken them down below.
Develop safety policies
Developing concrete safety policies, KPIs and parameters are probably one of the first and easiest steps you can take to improve your fleet safety. This gives your drivers and machine operators a clear understanding of what is and isn’t considered safe at your workplace.
Once you have drafted the documents clearly stating the safety policies for your fleet, it’s a good idea to ensure that your drivers understand and accept the policies and potential repercussions for not complying with the rules and regulations.
Securing your vehicles
Use adequate locks on your vehicles, such as King Pin locks and additional wheel or security locks and Garrison locks. Other additional physical vehicle security measures and also tracking and immobiliser systems are really important too.
Don’t leave belongings in your vehicles
Electronics, such as laptops and mobile phones, are extremely theft attractive. Leaving these items visible in your vehicles might tempt opportunistic thieves to try and enter.
The items themselves won’t be covered under the insurance, but the cost associated with the repair of the vehicle will either have to be absorbed by the business or claimed for under the insurance.
Invest in fleet insurance
Fleet insurance policies give you the peace of mind knowing that all of your construction vehicles are covered and protected under one policy. Under a fleet policy, you insure the vehicles rather than the drivers, meaning your drivers can legally drive any vehicle within your fleet, subject to the policy terms and conditions.
In case an accident does occur, you can also have peace of mind knowing that if a driver is involved, you won’t have to deal with the hassle of individual insurance policies.
Driver incentives
Rewarding good driving practices is another way to improve your fleet safety and also to reduce fuel bills. By rewarding good driving behaviour, it encourages your team to drive safely and to be more aware of any hazards.
Maintain your vehicles
Preventative maintenance is key to improving fleet safety, since drivers will only be operating vehicles and pieces of equipment that are safe and checked by a qualified mechanic.
This will reduce the chances of drivers facing mechanical failures, breakdowns or accidents.
