Novadata has introduced an Unforeseen Events Record book to help businesses remain compliant with Drivers' Hours regulations and protect the business's Operator Licence.
Novadata has introduced an Unforeseen Events Record book to help businesses remain compliant with Drivers' Hours regulations and protect the business's Operator Licence.
Novadata has introduced an Unforeseen Events Record book to help businesses remain compliant with the Drivers' Hours and the Working Time Directive and protect the business's Operator Licence.
It allows Operators to record the cause of a driver's break being missed before the infringement if they encounter an unexpected delay, such as a traffic accident.
They simply call their manager ' hands free ' and ask them to record the event in the Unforeseen Events Record book along with any instructions from the manager.
If drivers do exceed their hours, they must make a note on the digital tachograph printout or an analogue disk. But now, using the Unforeseen Events Record book, the manager can take details of any unforeseen event and create a robust record of why the driver may not be able to take their break on time, supplementing the tachograph record.
Three copies are generated; one is given to the driver as soon as possible so they can show the police or other authority if stopped for a spot check; the second is filed in the company records with the digital readout or analogue tachograph chart to explain any breaches; and the third remains in the Unforeseen Events Record book for future reference, creating a company log of unforeseen events.
‘Explaining to the Police, a Traffic Commissioner or the DVSA why a driver did not take a break at the right time can be difficult, especially if it was a minor event some weeks earlier,' said Derek Broomfield, Chairman of Novadata.
‘Only major traffic incidents have historic records, so it may be difficult to prove retrospectively that the incident occurred.
‘Our Unforeseen Events Record book was devised to record an event even before it has prevented the driver from taking the required break. It forms a robust record of the incident, explaining why the break was not taken on time and demonstrating the Operator's serious commitment to obeying Drivers' Hours regulations.
‘As with so much compliance, the secret to safeguarding your Operator Licence or Restricted Operator Licence is to be proactive. This new product allows you to record the event with its time and date before the unforeseen event has become a problem that might breach Drivers' Hours requirements.
‘In an inspection, this helps to demonstrate that you are forward thinking and also provides a reassurance for drivers, as it can be stressful to realise that they will not be able to take their break in accordance with the law.'
