Posted By rjohn.t Business: servicing and maintainance of fuel tankers. It has come to light that our service employees do not have the relevant class 1 licences to drive these vehicles. However they are required to drive them around the yard. Are the employees required to have these licences?

Posted By George Wedgwood Lets get the reason for road licensing clear - they would require a LGV license to take the vehicle out on to the Highway. If your company was an 'O' License holder for their fleet (likely if you have such vehicles refuelling) and such guys drove them on the highway, you could loose the company 'O' License as a result if they got caught. If you drive workplace transport (i.e. these vehicles) on your site, you have to comply with the Workplace Regs etc., which demand competence as a basis for carrying out any workplace activity. Have they got the right competence for that task of driving the vehicles about the site? Clearly not if you are concerned about it. Yes, they may be able to 'do it' seemingly OK, but what if they run an employee over? Then you are in the poop as you have no record of their appropriate suitable training or accredited competence! Answer? Ban them immediately until (and if necessary) they take a fully accredited site-based assessment by a LGV trainer such as the FTA, and then they can do the specified task (but would still be unable to drive on the highway). Remember also that refuelling practices often necessitate work at height that may have to be separately assessed! Hope this helps, George

Posted By Mark Jarman Please also check with your motor insurers. Some may mandate that drivers have the correct full licence for the type of vehicle being driven, even when driving off the public highway.