MOBILE DEVICE POLICY

As part of our overall health and safety policy, RJC is committed to reducing both the risks to our employees when driving Company plant/vehicles and the risks to other road users.

This Policy includes all staff whether they are operating Company vehicles/plant or use their own. Employees using vehicles for work must never make or receive calls or program a mobile device (for example: sat nav units, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, mobile phones, tablets and laptops), whether hand-held or hands-free, whilst driving. This includes sending or reading text messages, notifications or emails from any hand held or portable device.

While there is no specific law that states a driver can’t have headphones on, audio devices can detract from your ability to drive safely. This is because headphones can block out traffic sounds, emergency sirens, level crossing signals and even noise made by pedestrians or cyclists, making you a potential hazard for other road users.

Even when not driving and engaged in other work activity you may, whilst wearing audio devices be:

• Oblivious to other risks around you.
• Unaware of colleagues who require assistance.
• Miss an important safety critical direction.
• Appear unprofessional.Persistent failure to follow this Policy will be regarded as a serious disciplinary matter.

  Senior Managers must lead by example, both in the way they themselves drive and by not tolerating poor mobile device practice amongst colleagues.

  All Drivers must ensure:

• They do not to answer calls, send text messages or emails whilst they are driving.
• They understand their responsibilities not to use a hand-held or hands-free mobiledevice whilst driving and that either:
  • phones are diverted to voicemail.
  • phones are switched them off.
  • passengers are asked to answer calls.
• Journeys are planned to include driving breaks which provide opportunities to check messages and return calls.
• Do not program or use any interactive feature on a sat nav whilst driving – if a route needs to be re-planned whilst driving then employees must pull over at a safe designated location and switch off the engine before re-programming the route; alternatively, a passenger may reprogram the route
• Employees must not wear headphones/Audio Devices whilst driving or engaging in other work activity’s this includes walking around site.All Managers must ensure:

• Ensure that drivers of HGV vehicles use navigation devices which take into account

height and weight restrictions when planning a route, if any other system is used then sufficient prior route planning must be conducted to ensure that the vehicle is compliant with all height and weight restrictions along its intended route

• Work practices do not pressurise staff to use a mobile phone while driving; compliance with the mobile phone policy is included in team meetings and staff appraisals and periodic checks are conducted to ensure that the policy is being followed.
• Ensure that drivers of STGO HGV vehicles do not use sat nav devices but follow the route specified on the Movement Order.
• Challenge unsafe attitudes and behaviours,
• Encourage staff to drive safely.
• Ensure compliance with this Policy is included in team meetings and staff appraisalsand periodic checks are conducted to ensure that the Policy is being followed (such checks are conducted in accordance with our monitoring, reporting and investigation procedures and are designed to enable lessons to be learnt which could help continually improve our future road safety performance)

  It is a criminal offence to drive (or have another person drive) a motor vehicle (including motorbikes) while using a “hand-held” mobile phone. This includes any device performing an “interactive communication function by transmitting and receiving data” but excludes two- way radios.

  “Driving” includes sitting in a stationary vehicle with the engine on. It is the act of using a phone, not just a certain type of phone, which is prohibited. Even a “hands-free” phone can be considered “hand-held” if it is held at some point during a call’ however, operating a mobile while in its holder will not be considered an offence.