The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has revised a national voluntary consensus standard that defines core elements of a fleet safety program to help organizations protect workers on the road. There are 3.5 million fleets in North America that have 32 million commercial vehicles.
ANSI/ASSP Z15.1-2024 Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations outlines industry best practices for the safe management and use of motor vehicles owned or operated by an organization. The standard provides guidance to fleet managers and safety professionals for creating written programs and policies; enhancing safety through speed management and driver training; addressing impaired and distracted driving; implementing routine vehicle inspections and maintenance; and conducting proper incident reporting.
鈥淭his safety standard is significant because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related fatalities,鈥� said ASSP President Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP. 鈥淭hese tragic incidents are avoidable. Employers need expert guidance on how to identify and manage risks their workers face on the road.鈥�
The revised standard strengthens requirements for incident reporting and analysis, and includes modifications that address today鈥檚 vehicles, technologies and operating environments. 鈥淭he best way to manage workplace hazards and keep workers safe is to incorporate a structured, proactive approach that assesses risks, identifies system gaps and implements best practices,鈥� Walaski said.
Organizations that make fleet safety a core value also help reduce the economic and reputational costs of crashes involving their workers. That may include medical care, vehicle repair, liability, lost productivity, environmental impacts and damage to the company鈥檚 reputation.
The Z15.1 subcommittee that revised the standard consisted of 11 safety and health experts from insurance, academia, government and other fields. The inclusive process took 2陆 years. Voluntary consensus standards provide the latest expert guidance and fill gaps where federal standards don鈥檛 exist. Companies rely on them to drive improvement, injury prevention and sustainability. With government regulations being slow to change and often out of date, federal compliance is not sufficient to protect workers.