EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Use of private cars and provision of tools

Two teasers to take your minds off what presents to buy this Xmas.
Working across multiple sites we have been using our vehicles to carry devices, test equipment and tools, apparently our car insurance doesn't cover loss or damage to these items. How do other departments manage the transportation of these items?
Do all Trusts provide all tools and test equipment to their EBME department or is it expected that technicians will provide their own basic tool kit?

This trust provides the required tools for all technicians. The use of cars was an option until it was realised the amount of claims for mileage equated to the purchase of departmental vehicles. Therefore 2 vans have been purchased and are used extensively to provide a service to the community.

The Trust provides all tools and test equipment required although I do have a little neon screwdriver that goes everywhere with me and lives in my top pocket..we go back a long way

We have a "company car" that is justified by the home-based patients we cover and a portion of the income covers the leasing of this vehicle. It also gets used, when not out on home-based patient visits, to cover our other work in the community as well as "ferrying" stuff between the two DGH sites.

Own car usage Use to be a problem in another place I use to work, although they too, now, have a "company car".
My problem is that I don't/didn't want to transport grungy medical equipment in my shiney new car.

I also didn't want to run the risk of contamination, as at the timem my little 'un was a baby.

Would you trust these decontamination certificates. I wouldn't like to have a snot filled suction pump in the boot and then on the way home call into the bakery and stick my "petit pain" in the same spot.

Besides the insurance issue of the equipment, is your motor insurance adequate to cover you for business miles, some don't, and if they do it's normally an extra charge.
Does your employer pay this?

I LOOKED INTO THIS A FEW YEARS AGO AND FOUND THAT YOU ARE NOT COVERED ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE TO CARRY MEDICAL EQIUPMENT UNLESS YOU TAKE OUT A SPECIFIC COVER THAT STIPULATES WHAT YOU CARRY.
OF COURSE THE SAME APPLIES TO TRAVELLING IN YOUR DUTY, UNLESS YOUVE TOLD THE INSURANCE YOUR NOT COVERED, TRY FILLING IN A CLAIM "WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM / GOING TO ?" ETC.
WHY WHERE YOU GOING THERE ?
ONCE YOU MENTION WHAT YOUR UPTO THEYVE GOT YOU.
THEN AGAIN SOME PEOPLE TAKE THE RISK AND DONT HAVE A PRANG FOR YEARS.
AS FAR AS INFECTION RISK IS CONCERNED. IF YOU CARRY ANYTHING THAT COULD REPRESENT A RISK YOUR SUPPOSED TO DISPLAY THE RELEVANT SIGNAGE, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU CARRY A COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDER. OTHERWISE THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.
LOTS OF EMPLOYERS FLOUT THE RULES CONCERNING THE TRANSIT OF STAFF / GOODS BECAUSE THEY THINK THE H &SW ACTS WILL COVER THEM.
SO BEWARE THE REQUEST TO USE YOUR OWN MOTOR TO COVER DUTY CALLS UNLESS YOU ARE 100% SURE YOUR NOT LIABLE. BEACAUSE YOU CAN LAY YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR ON IT WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG YOULL BE ON YOUR OWN.

Congratulations on reaching your "century", posts that is not age

Hope to join you in two more inane posts

keep on runnin

ALL TOOLS AND TEST EQUIPMENT IS PROVIDED BY OUR TRUST WE HAVE THE USE OF SMALL VAN TO TRAVEL TO OTHER SITES THE ONLY TIME WE USE OUR OWN CARS IS FOR OUT OF HOURS CALL OUT THEN NO EQUIPMENT IS CARRIED IN OUR OWN CARS

All tools & test equipment is provided by the trust.

As for transport, we have to use our own cars for both day-to-day travel and for on-call duties.

Using your own car is a pain - as soon as you move it someone takes your space and the parking facilities are dire. At least it leads to some creative thinking on how & where to park your car.

Personally, I would be happy to use public transport to get to work, except that it would take me an extra 4 hours to get to work.

All tools and test equipment are supplied by the hospital.

We use our own cars and claim.

Using BSM's view that he'd like to use public transport.

Do you actually use your cars because you want to or to be "co-operative", or is it actually part of your Terms and Conditions/Job Specification that you "must have access to a car" or just "have a current clean driving licence".

It would just be interesting to know, one way means "good faith" exists in as much as your employer gets the benefit of not having to provide you with transport, the other way is a direct point to your employment i.e. no car - no job