Arval has produced a new guide for fleet managers based on Government guidance on keeping workplaces safe during the coronavirus crisis.

The new document, ‘Covid-19: A two step guide to vehicle safety principles’, takes the official recommendations and has distilled them down to three pages to help fleets return to work safely. 

Arval UK head of consultancy, Shaun Sadlier, explained: “The document delivered by the Government provides a strong basis for future fleet risk management of Covid-19 for businesses that operate company cars and vans. The content makes a lot of sense.

“However, it’s a lengthy document and we’ve created an abridged version that includes all of the relevant principles and ideas, but in a format that is faster and easier for fleet decision makers to use on a day-to-day basis.”

He continued: “The fact is that some industries are going through the process of returning to work very quickly and we are keen to provide ways of making this as easy – and safe – as possible for our customers. The new guide very much fits in with that thinking.”

At the outbreak of the pandemic, leasing companies vowed to help fleets with the unprecedented challenges they faced.

Arval UK says it has been in continual contact with fleets about how to effectively manage the risks associated with Covid-19 during the lockdown period.

“In a matter of weeks, a consensus had started to emerge about what best practice would look like for the majority of fleets,” said Sadlier.

“We are pleased to see that these ideas largely agree with those being recommended by the Government.”

Taking the official guidance and the ideas that have been developed by the industry itself, Arval says it now has a framework that can be used as a yardstick across the sector, which is crucial as the widespread process of returning to work begins.

Sadlier said: “Our consultancy team have been in dialogue with large numbers of fleets and helping them to make decisions that will protect their workers and their customers. Some issues are not easy to resolve but, almost uniformly, we have seen a people-first approach.”

‘Covid-19 Vehicle Safety Principles’ forms part of Arval’s ‘The Journey Goes On’ campaign to help the country get back to work safely.