Page 7 - Tomlinson Times - Fall + Winter 2016

HEALTH & SAFETY
Health and Safety update:
Commercial Vehicle Training
Health and Safety is an excellent example of team work in action. Since there are Commercial Vehicle drivers spread across several of Tomlinson’s divisions, it is crucial that the driver, their supervisor and their manager all communicate with each other, and with the Compliance officer, Richard Holmes, to ensure each driver has the necessary training for their job. “Everyone has a part to play,” says Richard.
A Commercial Vehicle includes trucks that have a gross registered weight of over 4,500 kg, and in order to maintain compliance, each driver of a commercial vehicle must go through assessment and training on a regular basis.
Pre-hire evalua on: The assessment begins before the candidate has secured the job. Part of the applica on process is a ride-along with a supervisor, foreman or the compliance o cer from Tomlinson. The feedback will in uence whether the candidate is successful in their applica on or not. Any assessment will result in one of three possible levels: unsa sfactory - requires improvement - sa sfactory. If a driver ranks as unsa sfactory this is normally no ced at the pre-hire stage.
Speci c job training: Once a candidate successfully passes their pre-hire evalua on their speci c training plan is put into place. This begins with the new driver being accompanied by a much more experienced driver who works in the same role. This internal, hands-on training is e ec ve because it is so job-speci c.
3 - 6 month evalua on: A er 3 to 6 months employees undergo another assessment. At this point the Compliance O cer books a ride-along. Richard’s extensive training allows him to give comprehensive feedback on the individual’s performance and to create a training plan for each worker. This training is preventa ve, Richard explains. The idea is that we’re always aiming for a higher standard.
The Tomlinson Training program spans di erent types of training, both hands-on and theore cal to make sure workers have covered all the bases.
Skills-based training: This includes a comprehensive vehicle inspec on which takes 30 to 60 minutes. This is about assessing the driver’s understanding of the Health and Safety regula ons, the state of the vehicle, as well as their driving ability.
Post observa on evalua on brie ng: During this session, the assessor explains in detail the employee’s performance. The sta member acknowledges what has been discussed and the evalua on is signed-o . The assessment is forwarded to the Health and Safety department and kept in the employee’s training le. Anything dangerous is reported to the foreman and a revisit of the speci c training is scheduled if necessary.
In-class training: Tomlinson o ers various classes including: • Hours of Service
• Vehicle Inspection
• Cargo Securement
• Distracted Driving
• Vehicle Defensive Driving
• Professional Commercial
• Non-hazardous and Hazardous waste hauling
Personal training and competency is something the Health and Safety team track diligently. In their weekly mee ngs they discuss any accidents or incidents. These are followed up immediately, documented and remedial training is given where necessary. This is something drivers welcome, says Richard. Our sta strives for high standards and they desire the training which goes along with that. With our regular hands-on training, our in-class sessions, and our scheduled assessments, the whole team is commi ed to a safe environment.
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