Regular driver assessments are an important part of the safety and efficiency of any transport operation, but have you considered that having an RTITB LGV Driver Assessor onsite can help provide much more, including improved mental health for drivers?
An LGV Driver assessment is a one-on-one session between a driver and an LGV Assessor that takes about one hour. Safety, driving ability and minimising fuel consumption or component wear through driving style are some of the typical focusses for most periodic LGV Driver assessments (annually or sooner).
However, while these are all important factors, employers should be aware that these regular one-on-one sessions also provide a valuable opportunity for LGV Drivers to connect with a trusted colleague, in a safe environment, for open discussion and conversation. This is one of the many benefits of having onsite LGV Driver Assessors.
Why are these one-on-one assessments important for mental health?
With limited human interaction, the role of a professional LGV driver can often be a solitary one. During a four-and-a-half-hour drive, or indeed a full ten-hour shift, any minor concerns playing on a driver’s mind can easily escalate to feel like major problems. Left untreated, stress and other mental health conditions, such as depression, are likely to worsen, which can lead to lost man hours with drivers calling in sick.
Having an LGV Assessor onsite provides the opportunity for LGV Drivers to regularly share their concerns, and for the LGV Assessor to respond appropriately, either to help alleviate anxiety or, in more serious cases, to highlight concerns to relevant colleagues with a view to offering more suitable support. This can hugely benefit your drivers and your business which may not be so easy if assessments are outsourced.
The benefits of inhouse LGV Assessors
Whether they’re employed full-time in the role, or they are a skilled driver with additional responsibility, an LGV Driver Assessor can add significant value to transport and logistics operations.
For example, they can support the recruitment of good driverswith pre-employment driving assessments to ensure potential employees’ skills are up to standard. Their valuable skills can help businesses avoid disruption, particularly during peak recruitment times.
For regular drivers they can identify areas where intervention is needed and even assess job specific functions such as company delivery paperwork, loading, unloading or specific vehicle characteristics. It is important to note that the LGV Assessor should not provide remedial instruction, which is the job of LGV Instructors.
Acting as a valuable link between drivers and the transport management team, LGV Assessors may also provide information for compliance or help to plan training schemes. Furthermore, following an incident, Assessors can evaluate drivers which may be exposed to similar risk criteria. Through this analysis, accident causes can be identified, and negated.
How to train onsite LGV Driver Assessors
Available at the RTITB Instructor Academy or delivered on your premises, the RTITB LGV Assessor Training course is designed for very experienced LGV Drivers who want to progress in their careers to assess other LGV Drivers. It is also a useful step for someone interested in becoming an LGV Instructor, as training candidates benefit from an enhanced technical understanding of LGV driving.
What’s involved in the LGV Assessor training?
Courses typically cover driver licensing and eyesight checks, the assessment procedure, assessment route selection and directions to drivers. Driver marking sheets are covered along with report writing and accident, vehicle defect and periodical driving assessments.
To pass the LGV Assessor course drivers are usually required to pass an examination consisting of three elements. The first is a personal driving assessment followed by an associated knowledge multiple choice theory paper. They must then conduct a practical assessment of driving ability.
Training from RTITB should always be considered an investment and while mental health is not a specific topic within the LGV Assessor Training, well trained Assessors will possess outstanding communication skills, which are vital in supporting your drivers. In the male dominated logistics and transport industry, mental health is still very much a taboo subject so open communication is important.
For more information about LGV Driver Assessor Training, or to learn more about how an onsite LGV Assessor can benefit your business, please contact us.