Below you can find a summary of changes for Version 7 of the FORS Standard.
|
Version 7.0 requirement |
Summary of change between version 6.0 and version 7 | |
| M1 | FORS documentation |
Removal of the requirement for FORS documentation reviews to be recorded in the minutes of senior management meetings Removal of the approver name from the version control method |
| M2 | Records | No change |
| M3 | Responsible person | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
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M4 |
Staff resources |
Checks shall include requiring drivers to make a declaration of collisions that occur while working. Clarification that recruitment and selection procedure should be proportionate to, and mitigate the risks associated with, the vehicle types to be driven or operated FORS operators should document the organisational structure at operational team level where naming each individual is not practicable |
| M5 | Communication | Rewording of the driver’s declaration requirement to clarify that it is an annual declaration and for consistency throughout the Standard |
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M6 |
Vehicle fleet |
FORS operators should have a policy and procedures to manage the transition to lower environmental impact vehicles. This should include conducting a fleet review FORS operators should use this information to create a fleet replacement plan FORS operators may use the fleet replacement plan template to help evidence this requirement |
| M7 | Regulatory licensing | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| M8 | Health and safety | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| M9 | Complaints | No change |
| M10 | Transport infringements | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| M11 | Transport updates | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| V1 | Serviceability and roadworthiness |
A supporting procedure shall be in place to ensure that checks are completed on safety recalls Inspections and maintenance shall align with the operator licence and meet requirements of the DVSA Guide to maintaining roadworthiness The person undertaking safety inspections shall be technically competent and operationally aware of safety standards Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| V2 | Daily walkaround checks | No material change; minor wording change that the walkaround check shall also cover the load and any load restraint systems |
| V3 | Insurance | No material change; removal of reference to Professional indemnity insurance |
| V4 | Vehicle tax | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| V5.1 | Load safetyfor HGV | No material change; updates to the bullet points under safe loading and load restraint policy |
| V5.2 | Load safety for PCV | No change |
| V5.3 | Load safety for Vans |
Updates to the bullet points under safe loading and load restraint policy If the overall vehicle height is 9 feet 10 inches (three metres) or above, a height indicator shall be displayed in the cab showing the overall height of the vehicle and load in feet and inches. |
| V5.4 | Load safety for Cars | No change |
| V5.5 | Load safety for PLV |
No material change; wording changes throughout the requirement to reflect the change from P2W to PLV Load documentation may include delivery notes, risk assessments or method statements |
| V6 | Vehicle safety equipment | No material change; minor wording change for clarity and consistency |
| V7 | Tyre management | The tyre management policy shall meet the requirements of the tyre management system as outlined in the DVSA Guide to maintaining roadworthiness |
| D1 | Licensing |
Driver licence checks shall be conducted every three months. This frequency shall be increased for higher risk drivers, for example monthly checks for drivers with 6 or more penalty points Removal of reference to at no-cost service for licence checking service for drivers who are not licensed in Great Britain Rewording of the driver’s declaration for consistency throughout the Standard |
| D2 | Driving standards |
Rewording of the driver’s declaration requirement to clarify that it is an annual declaration and for consistency throughout the Standard Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| D3 | Staff inductions | No change |
| D4 | Professional development |
All required eLearning for drivers shall be completed as part of staff induction Removal of reference to the 10 per cent tolerance and therefore any tolerance in the number of drivers that haven’t undertaken FORS Professional Development shall be fully justified at audit An addition of FORS Approved safety eLearning module to Annex 1 to meet the mandatory FORS Professional Development requirements for drivers Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| D5 | In-vehicle communication | No change |
| D6 | Health and eyesight |
Rewording of the driver’s declaration requirement to clarify that it is an annual declaration and for consistency throughout the Standard Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| D7 | Working time and drivers’ hours |
Additions of the frequency of downloading vehicle unit and driver card data and identifying and dealing with missing mileage and unknown event reports shall be included in the procedure for obtaining, processing and analysing the relevant drivers’ hours record and vehicle unit data Removal of the requirement for recording method and the supply of logbooks, print rolls or charts within the procedure Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| O1 | Routing | No change |
|
O2 |
Emissions, air quality, and environmental impact |
Requirement title change to include environmental impact Additions of diesel to AdBlue ratio, engine-idling elimination in accordance with relevant regulations and conducting basic due diligence to ensure that any low carbon fuels used are reputably sourced (such as through an assurance scheme) shall be included in the policy and procedures outlining the organisation’s commitment to environmental performance FORS operators should calculate well-to-wheel fleet emissions annually, making use of the FORS Emissions Calculator or a FORS Approved alternative |
| O3 | Road traffic collisions | No change |
| O4 | Passenger safety | Where vehicles are accessible to disabled people, the driver of the vehicle shall be familiar and competent with any operated equipment. |
| O5 | Specialist operations |
Rewording of the requirement to clarify that the non-hazardous waste operations requirements apply to upper-tier waste license holders only and longer semi-trailers added to list of example specialist operations For Longer Semi Trailers (LST), a procedure shall be in place, and formal notification to operate LSTs shall be evidenced. |
| O6 | Security and counter-terrorism | Merges the previous requirements of O6 and O7 into one requirement, no material change. |
| S1 | FORS Bronze | No change |
| S2 | Performance data |
Rewording of the requirement to reflect development of FORS Emissions Calculator Fleet well-to-wheel emissions data (GHG, NOx, and Particulate Matter) shall be calculated and reported using the FORS Emissions Calculator or a FORS Approved alternative Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| S3 | Environmental impact | New requirement – S3 Fuel, emissions and air quality requirement has been removed and replaced by S3 Environmental impact |
| S4 | Road risk | Evidence of insurance reviews changed to a declaration that a review with the insurance provider has been conducted within the last 12 months |
| S5 | Professional development |
Removal of reference to the 10 per cent tolerance and therefore any tolerance in the number of drivers that haven’t undertaken FORS Professional Development shall be fully justified at audit Annex 1 for drivers has been updated with FORS Professional Safe Urban Driving (SUD) and Van Smart (VS) training courses have been replaced with Safe Driving training course, and an addition of FORS Approved environmental awareness training programme or eLearning module to meet the mandatory FORS Professional Development requirements for drivers Annex 2 for managers has been updated with FORS Practitioner module FP16 Introduction to decarbonisation mandatory training requirement added for Fuel and Emissions Champion and FORS Practitioner module FP15 Road traffic collision investigation optional training requirement added for Road Risk Champion Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| S6 | Vehicle safety equipment |
Rewording and additions that encourage evolving best-practice, but with limited additional requirements For articulated vehicles, sensors shall be suitably positioned on the tractor unit to provide sufficient coverage but preventing activation solely on articulation of the trailer Vehicles of Direct Vision Standard Three-star or above, or with equivalent Progressive Safe System through the London HGV Permit Scheme are considered to meet S6 blind spot vision aids requirements FORS operators shall show consideration for the tolerance of cameras in older vehicles in their fleet replacement plans |
| S7 | Noise pollution | No change |
| S8 | Internal communications | No change |
| S9 | Sub-contracted services | No change |
| S10 | Fleet transition | New requirement |
| G1 | FORS Silver | No change |
| G2 | Recruitment and retention | No change |
| G3 | Decarbonisation strategy |
New requirement G3 Sustainable operations requirement has been removed and replaced by G3 Decarbonisation strategy |
| G4 | Staff travel | No change |
| G5 | Professional development |
Removal of reference to the 10 per cent tolerance and therefore any tolerance in the number drivers that haven’t undertaken FORS Professional Development shall be fully justified at audit Other minor wording changes for clarity and consistency only |
| G6 | Contracted services | No change |
| G7 | Managing fleet transition | New requirement |
| G8 | Environmental impact engagement | New requirement |