Martin Baggs, CEO of Thames Water gives us his thoughts on Romex Driver Protection.
JDR are an independent lift contractor what we have been working with over the past six months on improving their mobile workforce managament procedures – this video is a testimonial from them on our products and how Romex has helped improved his business.
According to industry experts including The Miles Consultancy, Fleet Innovations and Web Expenses, employees routinely exaggerate their business mileage claims by either rounding up the mileage on journeys they have made or adding in ‘phantom’ journeys they have not made.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) employers have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees while at work. This establishes the Duty of Care employers have to their employees which according to ACAS, means employers “should take all steps which are reasonably possible to ensure their health, safety and wellbeing".
We were delighted to be asked to provide an editorial piece recently for LAPV also known as Local Authority Plan and Vehicles. This is a key target sector for our business for many reasons but namely the Health and Safety implications of lone workers and those driving company vehicles whether it’s a car, bus or lorry. Our range of solutions were created to protect both employers and employees; employees as they go about their daily tasks and employers from prosecution for failing to protect their staff.
In our article we discuss whether a mobile phone is an essential business tool or a hazard and highlight details of the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) that requires employers to ensure the Health and Safety of all their workers whilst at work.
The convergence of existing technology and the correct utilization of existing business assets is, in the current climate, a topic for much discussion. Industry statistics have shown that smart phones are the largest growth area of the mobile industry with mobile phone technology advancing so far in recent years that there is very little we cannot do from our mobile phones, no matter what your profession.
Adept use of technology can make mobile workers measurable and also increase workforce productivity. But this is still early days and is really only being utilised in some industries. In our new management brief – Mobile Workforce Management Guide 2015 – we detail the results of an IBM survey where participants were asked to “estimate the extent to which mobility has improved overall workforce productivity today.” Interestingly, in three years time 40% expect improvements of 10-20% and 36% are looking for improvements of greater than 20%.
The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at The University of Sheffield, a UK-based research consortium, has developed a prototype for improving the workforce productivity of maintenance and repair operations in sectors such as aerospace, shipping, oil and gas. Using a combination of augmented reality and robotics, it is able to bring critical information and remote expertise directly to field engineers. Early use of the system has yielded reductions in capital expenditure from 3 to 7 per cent, increased production between 8 and 15 per cent and achieved 10 to 25 per cent operating cost savings. This is a great example of the adept use of technology to increase workforce productivity, reduce costs and in turn protect employees.
When will businesses take the lead by banning mobile phone use whilst driving?