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

Maybe depts can adopt the govt 'green' policy to
cut out short car journeys.
Take the car to a train station 2 miles away.Wait
2 hours for the train in the cold. Walk 1/2 mile
to the bus stop, complete with broken glass & a
drunk. Wait 1/2 hour for the bus. Arrive 1/2 mile from your destination, now for simple walk with
your tool kit,test equipment & spare parts.
Only to find that because your late they have
started the list, and you'll have to come back
another day. Still you can always get a taxi back!!!

I think Ffloyd is going to have a word with you Mercury Men chaps about your negativity

With reference to the "using public transport", whilst I was earning my corn as a field service engineer during the fuel crisis, it was suggested by the service manager that we should use public transport when we "ran out" to get to hospital sites.

I envisaged the scenario as proposed by Mercury Man, needless to say I declined the suggestion to do "admin at home"

Luckily the fuel crisis subsided before the issue became too "dire"

Thats right Dave, remember that buses only give off 'green' smoke!

I think we were only requires to have a "full, clean driving licence".

However, one engineer had no car when he started and this was frowned upon by the powers that be as he could not travel any distance for work purposes. They even looked into contract hire and passed this info on to him.

We do, however, have to work in a 50-60 mile radius of the hospital as we service health centres & some domicilliary patients.

Public transport is not an option out here, so we have to use our own. My £180 insurance covers me driving myself around for work purposes and my(??) tools, but obviously not test gear and that new, boxed, Keymed video system inside that I've just uplifted.

Then again, as this is a £400 Volvo 740, any hit it took that could trash its contents, would probably be non-survivable by its driver also!

Sorry exitwound, I've seen and heard your car, and you were well conned if you paid £400 for it

Thanks for all your replies - a full clean driving license was essential but the provision and use of ones own vehicle appeared to be voluntary! Under Crown Immunity (remember that?) it was assumed that all would come right if an incident occured. With the passing of Health Authorities and the emergence of Trusts these issues have been overlooked and/or never properly understood as to who was doing what, transporting what etc.
As far as I can tell we are covered to use our vehicles to transport ourselves between sites, BUT not to move tools, test equipment and devices. Commercial insurance is available but not from all insurers of choice, one example is an additional £120 on top of the normal premium.

Our Trust insist we use our own vehicles but also insist that our insurance covers us for "use in person in connection with the employers business". There has never been any mention of insuring the tools or equipment - which are all provided by the Trust.
Incidently, how do people get round the problem of transporting pressurised gas cylinders in their cars ? Our fire officer reconned we should have warning notices in the windows in case we were in an accident and the fire service then got upset because they found an oxygen cylinder in the vehicle. Sometimes cylinders are just a part of the equipment (like insuflators) so it's easy to forget and just stick it in the boot !

Morning Roy

The best advice I can give on this one is to attend one of the Industrial Gases & Associated Equipment Safety Training Workshops - Be Sure Be Safe .

All aspects are covered that should answer any pertinent questions, I thoroughly recommend the course to all those involved in any way with gases.

Very informative and helpful, easy to understand presentations that really bring home the importance of gas use, transportation, etc.

General cost is about £95+vat. Contact: Frank Yarwood at Gas Safe.

Tel No.: 01606 784466, e-mail: franky@gas-safe.demon.co.uk

B.O.C. Gases work closely with them and further guidance ont his matter is available from your local representative, it could be Patsy Morris on mobile telephone number: 07810 757719.

Hope this helps Roy. Happy New Year to you and the rest of the mob out there.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. I'll look into that - sounds useful.

All the best.