Flannery Plant & Haulage Ltd – Going for Gold

Flannery Plant Hire (Oval) Ltd was incorporated in 1972 by Patrick Flannery. Initially based adjacent to the Oval cricket ground the company has grown rapidly and subsequently moved to Middlesex where today our Head Office is based just metres from Wembley Stadium. Further depots have been opened in Newport, Birmingham, Manchester, Northumberland and Aberdeen, allowing the business to deliver nationwide coverage.

The family business is proud to have achieved over 45 years of excellence in providing plant hire, ancillary equipment and haulage to the construction industry and its associated support services. Through listening to our client’s specific requirements and keeping abreast with the latest legislation, the company has become known as one of the leading plant hire specialists even throughout the rapidly changing industry. explains John Moran our company Director. We take a real pride in all that we do and that is reflected in the high levels of repeat business. No two jobs are the same and sometimes throw up some unique challenges especially when moving loads through our major cities.

We came across FORS when tendering for work across London. We found that FORS dovetails our business principles and ethics. When we looked at the requirements and benefits of joining the scheme, we saw that they fit perfectly with our ethos of improving safety whilst complementing our drive to improve fuel efficiency and reduce our environmental impact.

We achieved our Bronze, Silver and Gold Accreditation first time. FORS did help us by providing E-Learning training and tools that improved the policies and procedures like Collision Management Toolkit etc. John Moran is our FORS practitioner and he has benefited from all the FORS training courses.

The performance management toolkit really helped us set our targets for reducing our carbon footprint and improving our MPG. FORS has helped us improve our filing systems and procedures.

Progression to Silver and then Gold was our aim from the outset as we wanted to be a leader in providing a safe and productive fleet operation. To hold the Gold standard is seen as very prestigious and showed our customers that our operation is managed at the highest level possible.

We have used the FORS performance management toolkit to set our targets and monitor our fuel usage. We also have all our drivers complete the FORS E-Learning modules. We have implemented the FORS Collisions Management toolkit as well.

“FORS has helped us set our targets on reducing wasted fuel and improve our MPG across the whole fleet.” – John Moran Director and Transport Manager

“FORS has helped us manage our record control and forward planning of training.” – John Moran Director and Transport Manager

In the past 12 months (January 2018 to December 2018) we have managed to reduce our accidents by 33% compared to the previous year (January 2017 to December 2017).

• • We get all my drivers to complete a comprehensive Medical Declaration every 12 months even though the FORS Standard states once every 5 years. It’s also mentioned in the drivers handbook that if they at any point in time start suffering from a medical condition they need to notify the company ASAP as well as if they need to start taking medication prescribed by their GP or over the counter drugs. We will then investigate it to see if it’s still safe for the driver to be driving for the company and we may even ask the driver to get a letter from his doctor informing the company if he is still able to drive for the company. We will then start doing more driver assessments on the driver to make sure he isn’t a risk to the company or anyone on the road.
  • After a frustrating period of being unable to recruit HGV Drivers that possessed the desired level of both technical and personal competencies, in Sept 2017 we saw great benefit in taking a “blank canvas” and being able to immerse that individual in our Companies processes, procedures and products and we put one of our drivers through his HGV drivers licence. Before we had the opportunity to formally advertise the initiative, we were inundated with applications from contacts of friends and business associates all keen to put forward young candidates for the opportunity, this has continued to be the case to the present day, where we currently hold a waiting list of candidates. Since 2004 we have had two Apprentices successfully complete the in-house scheme, both have been young individuals with no previous professional driving or transport experience. We also advertise on the Indeed recruitment website.
  • All our operating centers are sited in the middle of industrial estate’s by choice. There are no local residential housing near any of our operating centers at this time. We deliver construction equipment across the UK. Some construction sites will be located near to residential housing and schools etc. We require a delivery plan from the construction company giving us options of the most opportune time to deliver or collect. We will work with them to make sure this is correct. Most of our loads follow an STGO permit which will also take into account such factors as noise disturbance. We time our deliveries to take place outside of night time or early hours. Our clients are tier 1 contractors who are all signed up to the considerate constructor’s scheme and follow their code of practice. London is also covered by the London Lorry Control scheme.
  • Our vehicles are fitted with reversing bleepers which can be briefly silenced by the driver if ever needed. Our HGV,s are fitted with an exhaust stack system which reduces the noise levels generated by the exhaust. We also fully train our drivers on how to use and operate all items of plant that they deal with so they are competent in using and operating thereby reducing the time the delivery takes and accurately delivering the machines and equipment to reduce running time of the machines. We have also changed all of our low loader trailers and rigid vehicles to electric power packs to operate the rear load ramps rather than engine driven power take offs reducing both fuel consumption and noise levels. This follows the quiet deliveries Good Practice Guidance from DFTAs we are a haulier and we move all our clients products we can’t use alternative methods of transport as we don’t know what we are going to be asked to collect or deliver and where in the country we will be ask to go. We are replacing all our vehicles with Euro 6 lorries as and when they are due for replacement. We have looked at electric vehicles and because of the weight we carry and the distance we travel there isn’t an alternative method that we could use.

We will continue using what FORS has taught us to improve our MPG and reduce any wasted idling we might have and keep our Parking fines and Charges to as low as possible, until our drivers don’t receive any at all. We are replacing all our vehicles with Euro 6 lorries as and when they are due for replacement. All new lorries have the passenger lower door window fitted as well. We have also ordered the new Tesla Lorry.

We sent all our supply chain and customers a letter informing them that we are currently FORS Silver accredited and that we are in the process of applying for our FORS Gold. We recommend they join FORS if they haven’t already. As a company we really proactively promote FORS to all companies that we come across, we believe in the scheme and know that it will save lives of all vulnerable road users across the country if all companies and individuals follow the scheme. We promote FORS on our vehicles, our website, our email signatures and clothing.

Gaining FORS Gold Accreditation shows how dedicated we are as a company to improving road safety and the safety of all vulnerable road users in London as well as nationally. We will continuously use what FORS has taught us to help reduce our carbon footprint and make the roads so safer for everyone that uses them. We have also managed to make a significant saving by reducing our fuel usage and improving our MPG.

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