Recovery Members Update January 2012
Welcome to RHA Recovery Member Update!
Hello everyone and welcome to the latest issue of the RHA Recovery Member Update. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members a Happy New Year.
New Chairman
With Nikki’s Kings resignation we have been looking for a new chairman for RHA Recovery. We are very pleased to report that Derek Firminger has agreed to step up from the committee to take on the role.
Derek is very experienced and has been on the RHA Recovery committee since its inception seven years ago. He is a Director of the Ontime Automotive Group. Derek has served on many committees in his time on RHA Recovery including: Freight Transport APPG, HA Emergency Services (M25), HGV MOT Consultative Panel, Consultation Document for Statutory Fees and the IVR UK Management Panel.
We are sure Derek will bring his many years of management experience to the role and we wish him luck in his two year term.
Nikki has done a tremendous job under difficult circumstances and the committee would like to thank her for her hard work and dedication over the two years as chair.
The good news is that Nikki has agreed to stay on as a committee member for the next twelve months and the rest of the committee has agreed to do likewise.
Committee
We are still actively looking for three committee members and are particularly keen to find representatives from the north of England, Wales and East Anglia.
If you think you would like to get involved, the job entails meeting in Hatfield six times a year and after that it is as much as you want to make it. The job is very rewarding and you will help influence decisions that affect your fellow operators. If you have an interest please contact Dave Gregory on 07976 829927.
RHA Recovery Briefings
The recovery team will be holding a briefing in the London area in March 2012.Venues and dates are still to be confirmed, and details will be provided in our next newsletter.
Topics to be covered include R.I.S.C, the R/O licence, Redlights, Euro VI and the Olympics.
The briefing will be free of charge, however we will be asking for a donation of £5 pp which will be donated to R.I.S.C.
RHA Benevolent Fund
The Road Haulage Association Benevolent Fund (a registered charity) was established to help people in need who are connected with our Association. This includes members and former members of the RHA, their employees and former employees, and their dependants.
At the moment an RHA recovery member is being assisted by the benevolent fund. As a member you have access to this too! If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Frank Taylor (07968 409202) or Naomi Hirst (01733 842775).
Find-a-load
The RHA has re-launched its online service ‘RHA Find-a-Load’ to improve its current features.
NOW FREE FOR ALL - RHA MEMBERS CAN BULK UPLOAD
To try this new and improved feature simply visit: www.rha.uk.net/services/find-a-load
Coming soon – “Recovery Members Category”
Check Recovery members email updates and website for the latest news.
RHA Smart Safety
RHA Smart Safety from RHA training is a new and innovative way for organisations to manage their health and safety responsibilities, ensuring they are fully compliant. With this new easy-to-use online service, users will also have access to their own consultant and technical support.
RHA Training managers will carry out an initial risk assessment and information gathered is entered onto the online system using the unique risk assessment wizard, allowing users to take control at their own pace.
The online system has the tools and resources you need to complete many of the specific tasks that were identified in your initial risk assessment, using a simple traffic light based system. RHA Training managers will also provide ongoing support to RHA Smart Safety users, and as always, help and advice is available from your dedicated regional help-desk.
Benefits of RHA Smart Safety
• A standard 5-step risk assessment is used
• Choose features relevant to YOUR business
• Easy-to-use online system
• Receive regular updates
• Simple to use - step-by-step wizards
• Helpdesk / Technical support available
• Use your company logo on documents
How RHA Smart Safety can help your business
• Includes audit trail and reporting facilities
• Includes general policies, procedures, forms and risk assessment tools
• Manage YOUR performance
• Protect YOUR business from unexpected and unbudgeted costs
• Helps employers to protect staff from hazards
• RHA Smart Safety can help you meet your legal duties
Red Flag Alert
Reduce business risk through complete credit monitoring
Red Flag Alert is a credit risk, marketing and sales database with over six million records on businesses in the UK, from sole traders through to limited and quoted companies. It covers all aspects of business activity, enabling you to target, assess and monitor the performance of customers, suppliers and competitors.
The Sales Database
Red Flag Alert enables you to undertake demographic and sector searches to generate profiles of suitable customers for your business.
The health ratings clearly identify potentially good businesses, which will help to focus your new business sales activities.
The Credit Control Database
A vital element of credit control is proactive risk management. Red Flag Alert provides key functions that can assist your business in this area.
It can deliver accurate and relevant health reports on a business and also act as a fully automated credit monitoring service, which generates a real time email to you when a significant or critical action takes place in relation to a customer or suppler.
When Red Flag Alert can help:
• When the business is experiencing bad debt, slow payment and risk exposure.
• Where there is a need to identify ‘healthy’ new prospects/customers versus typical ‘marketing’ lists.
• Where an efficiency review is required on current credit control processes and data budget reviews.
• Where there is a requirement for a multi-function system to operate across all areas of the business – credit control, marketing, sales, finance etc.
Key Benefits
• Company health ratings and reports
• Unique insolvency scoring system
• Receive real time financial health warnings
• Minimises the risk of financial loss
• Identify healthy new business prospects
• Simple integration and instant online access
For further information on Red Flag Alert, please contact rha@begbies-traynor.com or 0800 072 8003
Auto Sock ……Brings you Home!
The AutoSock is a newly developed tire cover, aimed at increasing tire-to-road friction when driving cars & HGV’s on icy or snowy roads:
• Perfect temporary winter aid for vehicles
• Approved by TÜV SÜD and leading car manufacturers
• Certified as a Snow Chain equivalent in more and more countries
• Easy and fast to fit and remove, even in cold and difficult weather
• Lightweight and easy to store
• Comfortable while driving – does not cause noise nor vibrations
• Self-centering
• Reusable and machine washable
• Recyclable and environmental friendly
• Usable with alloy rims - even when metal chains are not allowed!
• No damage to rims
• Works on all vehicles with low clearance between tire and car body
• Improves electronic safety systems (ABS, ESP).
For further information click on the links below:
AutoSock – The Original Winter Traction Solution AutoSock – Fitting Instructions
Dates for your Diary
The Emergency Services Show 2012
The Emergency Services Show is being held on 21-22 November 2012. The RHA will be in attendance again this year and recommend that you pay a visit to the show.
For more info please click on the link provided http://www.emergencyuk.com
IVR Recovery Camp 2012
The Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR) has announced that 2012 will see the launch of the UK’s first ‘Recovery Camp’, to be held at Leicester Airport from 18th to 23rd March.
The five day/night advanced training event will give experienced recovery operators the opportunity to achieve ‘IVR Master Recovery Technician’ status, at bronze, silver or gold level. Following completion of the course candidates will receive a certificate to confirm their level of achievement plus a hi-viz vest emblazoned with the IVR MRT emblem and T shirt.
A maximum of twelve attendees will have an opportunity to achieve various VR Modules within the course, including VR21 Recovery Incident Manager (RIM)*.
Only when attendees have been confirmed, and modules requested, will modules to be included be announced.
The mornings will consist of theory sessions for winching calculations etc. plus brainstorming sessions, the rest of the time will be hands-on practical training, including driving training, followed by a debrief each evening.
The course will include numerous differing recovery scenarios including the recovery of fully loaded overturned vehicles.
Each attendee must bring a recovery vehicle, or recovery equipment as required, plus a casualty vehicle. This will enable the course to have access to twelve recovery systems and twelve casualty vehicles.
The IVR training team also plans to invite various recovery equipment manufacturers/suppliers and will ask them to carry out a short presentation showcasing the latest innovations and equipment. This will enable the attendees to have a chance to see, and more importantly use, the equipment in real life situations.
There will also be input from Fire & Rescue teams, Accident Investigation Police Officers and possible ‘hot fire training’ from Fire Personnel.
As well as the obvious technical side of Recovery Camp there will also be a great deal of emphasis on working together and socially some healthy competition.
Attendees will be divided into two teams of six, each with a team leader. Apart from the recovery challenges there will be other evening team events such as karting and paintballing. On completion of the course each person will nominate a ‘Best Team Member’ from each team, the winner from each team will then receive a special award.
Each team member must commit to remain on site for the duration of the course, this is a condition of attendance not an option. Shower and toilet facilities will be available on site with an area for caravans, camping etc. plus parking for those wishing to utilize their truck cabs.
Participants will be asked to bring food and drink with them and the teams will take it in turns to cook, with Team A cooking breakfast and Team B cooking Dinner – the next day the roles will be reversed. Gas BBQs, Cadacs and microwave ovens will be available.
IVR President and course designer/ tutor Nick Ovenden said; ‘This is an opportunity for the country’s top operators to share ideas and learn new techniques to enable rapid scene clearance at the roadside. If it is well subscribed and further IVR funding is available it may become an annual event. But for now it is very much a one off, a not to be missed experience.’
The cost of the course is being subsidised by the IVR, enabling the fee per person to be held at £500 plus VAT.
To apply to attend the Recovery Camp potential participants must firstly complete an application form. Applicants will then be short listed to the final twelveon a first come first served basis, according to experience and ability. The course is for experienced operators only and applications will only be accepted from those who carry out both heavy and light recovery on a regular basis.
For more information or to request an application form please contact Nick Ovenden at nickovenden@ashfordgroup.co.uk (*certification costs will be in addition to the main course costs)