What is FORS compliance?
The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary accreditation scheme encompassing all aspects of safety, fuel efficiency, vehicle emissions and improved operations. FORS helps fleet operators to measure and monitor performance and alter their operations in order to demonstrate best practice.
Some Background
Crashes with lorries are dangerous, with almost a quarter of injuries (24%) caused by collisions with HGVs in 2015 resulting in fatal or serious consequences. This is compared to the average of one in eight (13%) vehicle crash injuries being fatal or serious.
Many different types of large vehicles share the road with pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists. Although there are relatively few collisions between large vehicles and these vulnerable road users, when they do occur, they often result in serious or fatal injury.
Vulnerable road user casualties in reported road accidents involving at least one HGV: GB, 2015
| Severity | Pedestrian | Pedal Cyclist | Motorcyclist <=50cc | Motorcyclist >50cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 55 | 20 | 0 | 21 |
| Serious | 131 | 87 | 4 | 110 |
| Slight | 310 | 270 | 18 | 170 |
| Total | 496 | 377 | 22 | 301 |
In recent years, most attention in the media has focussed on cyclists and HGVs rather than on pedestrians or motorcyclists and HGVS. However, as can be seen in the table above, far more pedestrians are killed or seriously injured by HGVs than cyclists, and the number of motorcyclist casualties is about the same as pedal cyclists.
The Benefits of FORS
FORS accreditation enables AE Faulks Ltd to demonstrate its commitment to managing road risk, reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency, all of which improve overall fleet road safety and lessen the wider impacts of its fleet operations.
FORS Silver Accreditation
AE Faulks Ltd is FORS silver accredited. A FORS silver accreditation is awarded to operators who maintain their Bronze accreditation and are able to demonstrate that they have developed driver licencing verification systems, their vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are equipped with a left turn audible warning system and their vehicles are fitted with blind spot minimisation devices.
What are the benefits of fitting vehicle safety equipment?
The main benefits of fitting vehicle safety equipment include:
- Improving drivers’ ability to see or detect vulnerable road users (VRUs), other road users and obstacles
- Warning VRUs of dangers of being in close proximity to vehicles
- Warning VRUs and other road users of a vehicle’s manoeuvre
- Reducing the incidence and potential severity of collisions
- Potential to assist collision investigations and counter fraudulent insurance claims
The following images highlight the type and location of equipment fitted to our tipper lorries we have available for hire on a daywork, load or contract basis.
Driver training
Our drivers are made aware of the importance of each piece of equipment and the purpose for which it has been installed. They are trained in the correct use of the equipment, and recognise that activation and deactivation of the system – where it might be applicable, appropriate or necessary – is an integral part of their job.
AE Faulks Ltd is a leading construction plant hire and earthworks company servicing the building and construction industries throughout the West Midlands and East Midlands regions of England. We are a FORS Silver accredited supplier of road sweepers and haulage services and offer plant hire in Leicester, Nottingham and Cambridgeshire.
