Silver version 5 - FORS - Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme

GOING FOR SILVER

Silver accreditation confirms that you employ good practice and comply with the requirements laid out by the FORS Standard. By achieving FORS Silver accreditation your fleet will be compliant with the CLOCS Standard for Construction Logistics and with TfL’s WRRR (Work Related Road Risk).

Your route to Silver accreditation

Getting ready - FORS Standard version 5

Please check your scope of accreditation in the FORS evidencing system before submitting your application to make sure you include all operating centres in scope, but no more than that. Remember that there must be a minimum of 45 days left on your Bronze accreditation when submitting evidence for a Silver application for the first time. For re-approval of Silver, there must also be 45 days left on your Bronze and also on your Silver accreditation.

FORS has produced a number of templates to assist you with evidencing specific requirements, as listed below.

S6 Vehicle safety equipment
The FORS Standard version 5 requirement S6 Vehicle safety equipment stipulates that operators must evidence that HGVs are fitted with enhanced vulnerable road user safety equipment using the FORS vehicle safety equipment report. This report is in the form of a template which you will need to populate with the relevant information.

The spreadsheet based template is available to download from the relevant section of the evidencing system or you can click the button below to access the templates for S6.

You can check the FORS Vehicle Safety Equipment Guide here for details on how to meet all vehicle safety equipment requirements, including S6.

S7 Noise pollution
FORS has revised this template to help you meet requirement S7 Noise pollution. Whilst this template is not mandatory to use, you are encouraged to use it to ensure that you cover all aspects of the requirement. However if you have your own template which contains the same information, this will be accepted as evidence and should be uploaded in the usual way. The template will be available to download from the relevant section of the evidencing system or you can click the button below to access it.

S6 Vehicle safety equipment

S7 Noise Assessment

Check the frequently asked questions to help you prepare for the audit, as well as the section below on how to avoid the most common audit failures

Top reasons for audit failures and how to avoid them

READ – the most common reasons for audit failures and tips on how to avoid them

Reasons for failure	Tips and guidance Make sure you are able to demonstrate that you have…
S5- Professional development
Failure for drivers to have complete annual safety eLearning module in the past 12 months Failure for drivers to have undertaken training on road risk and the safety of vulnerable road users (Safe Urban Driving or FORS Approved course) Failure for drivers declared to match training completed information provided Failure to provide Professional Development Plan (PDP) Failure to attach training matrix or CSV Failure to identify managers/drivers	Maintained the Bronze training for at least 90 per cent of your drivers. This means making sure the mandatory safety eLearning is still in date or a new safety eLearning module has been undertaken within the past 12 months Got all your drivers and all other staff involved in the fleet operation trained in accordance with the mandatory training requirements listed at Annexes 1 and 2 of the FORS Standard. This includes the new LoCITY eLearning requirement and SUD or a FORS Approved course that includes on-cycle where applicable *Top tips* Training undertaken can be demonstrated by accessing the FORS Professional training register and downloading the CSV file which lists all qualified personnel. If you want to use the recently launched Training dashboard to evidence how you meet this requirement, make sure you read the full guidance within the dashboard so that you submit accurate training records A PDP in place that is updated for Silver and includes the names of ALL drivers and other staff involved in the fleet operation The PDP and completed training can be evidenced in the same document. Certificates can also be uploaded to demonstrate that mandatory training has been completed
S8 – Internal communications
Failure to produce or upload your annual communication plan Failure to attach examples of communications	Evidenced your annual communication plan covering topical issues as detailed in the demonstration of the FORS Standard Provided examples of communications, such as copies of emails, memos, posters, toolbox talks, in cab signage etc
S4 – Road risk
Failure to provide work related road risk (WRRR) policy Failure to provide supporting WRRR documents Failure to provide evidence of insurance review	Policy and supporting procedures in place which provide evidence of details of road risk data management to enable effective and efficient analysis (policy and post-incident collision management procedure) Provided evidence of the system used to monitor road risk and analyse the data. This can be a screenshot of the system used to record the data Provided evidence that the Road Risk Champion has completed the required course (see Annex 2 of the FORS Standard for details of the mandatory training for the Road Risk Champion) Evidenced any initiatives you have to reduce road risk Evidenced any insurance review meetings within the previous 12 months *Top tips* Make sure you remember to upload your updated policy Evidence of training for the Road Risk Champion can be copies of certificates or a screenshot of the FORS Professional Training Register, or using the FORS Training dashboard Evidence of road risk reduction initiatives can be examples of toolbox talks, posters on noticeboards, driver training etc Evidence of insurance review meetings can be copies of minutes of the meeting(s) held
S3 – Fuel, emissions and air quality
Failure to provide updated policy Failure to provide evidence of recording/management for emission data recording CO2, NOX or PM	Provided a copy of your policy and supporting procedures Evidenced that the Fuel and Emissions Champion has completed the required course (see Annex 2 of the FORS Standard for details of the mandatory training for the Fuel and Emissions Champion) Evidenced the system used to monitor fuel and emissions Provided evidence of any initiatives you have implemented to reduce fuel consumption and emissions *Top tips* Make sure you remember to upload your updated policy Evidence of training for the Fuel and Emissions Champion can be copies of certificates or a screenshot of the FORS Professional Training Register, or using the FORS Training dashboard Evidence of the fuel and emissions monitoring system can be a screenshot of the system used demonstrating reports that evidence fuel/emission data recording Evidence of fuel consumption and emissions reduction initiatives can be examples of toolbox talks, posters on noticeboards, driver training etc

Application

FORS operators applying for initial FORS Silver accreditation must have at least 45 calendar days left on their Bronze accreditation. To gain Silver accreditation, FORS operators must provide evidence for every OC in scope of FORS Silver accreditation, demonstrating that they meet the specific requirements for Silver. Where multiple OCs are in scope of the Silver accreditation, this may be evidenced in one upload. This must be carried out by accessing FORS online and submitting evidence via the evidencing system (please refer to section 4 of the FORS Standard for details of the Silver requirements).

Progression to Silver is not mandatory and there are two routes available to organisations – for more information, please check section 4 of the FORS Rules and Procedures. You can also check the special unified audit frequently asked questions page.

To apply for Silver, click here.

No physical audit takes place for FORS Silver.

Accreditation decision

You will be informed of the outcome within 15 working days of submission of your Silver application. If your application is not successful you will be asked to provide further evidence via a follow-up Silver submission within 30 calendar days of initial notification of your result. If you don’t achieve Silver within the 30 calendar day follow-up period, a new full submission is necessary.

Certification

The scheme administrator will email the primary contact with the application outcome, attaching a copy of the FORS Silver electronic certificate if successful. The certificate includes all locations in scope of accreditation. For organisations with Single Operating Centre Accreditation (SOCA), once Silver accreditation is achieved, one extra year will be added to the Bronze accreditation, meaning they will only need a Bronze re-approval audit every two years for as long as the Silver is valid. A new Bronze certificate will not be issued. However the organisation’s Bronze expiry date will be updated on FORS online. For organisations with Multi Operating Centre Accreditation (MOCA) and Internal Audit Fleet Accreditation (IAFA), no extra year will be added to the Bronze accreditation when Silver is achieved.

Documents you must read

You must comply with the requirements of the FORS Standard, which must be read in conjunction with the following documents:

FORS Rules and Procedures
FORS Terms and Conditions
FORS Compliance and Enforcement guidance

Click here to access all documents.

How much does it cost?

Your FORS fee is made up of the annual subscription fee (based on fleet size) and an audit fee (based on the number of operating centres accredited). Use the Fees link to access more details.