STEP 3 – CONDUCT YOUR AUDIT
WHO – will conduct the audit?
Audits are provided by our network of FORS Audit Providers who are contracted to conduct your audit.
Audit Providers undergo rigorous selection, training and are subject to continuous performance monitoring.
WHO – should be present at the audit?
It is essential that you have staff members available who are responsible for the transport operations of the company. These staff members need to ensure they are available and present for the entirety of the audit.
They need to have an in-depth knowledge of how the transport operation is run and managed on a day-to-day basis and will know where all of the required procedures, policies and transport documentation are located and archived.
Consultants employed by a fleet operation must not be the sole representative of the company during the FORS audit unless they are nominated on the Operator Licence or included on the organisation chart as required at M4 – Staff resources.
WHERE – will the audit take place?
Audits must be carried out at the operating centre being audited. Audits must not be carried out at the premises of a consultancy.
An operating centre is a site or depot where commercial vehicles operate from, where there is infrastructure that supports daily management, control and day to day operational deployment of a fleet. Note that the definition of FORS operating centre is not the same as the definition according to Operator Licensing.
If you would like to have more than one operating centre accredited, please check the FORS Accreditation Guide as the number of audits required is dependent on the number of operating centres covered in the scope of accreditation.
Audits can be conducted not only throughout the UK and Ireland but internationally.
WHO – will conduct the audit?
Audits are provided by our network of FORS Audit Providers who are contracted to conduct your audit.
Audit Providers undergo rigorous selection, training and are subject to continuous performance monitoring.
WHO – should be present at the audit?
It is essential that you have staff members available who are responsible for the transport operations of the company. These staff members need to ensure they are available and present for the entirety of the audit.
They need to have an in-depth knowledge of how the transport operation is run and managed on a day-to-day basis and will know where all of the required procedures, policies and transport documentation are located and archived.
Consultants employed by a fleet operation must not be the sole representative of the company during the FORS audit unless they are nominated on the Operator Licence or included on the organisation chart as required at M4 – Staff resources.
WHERE – will the audit take place?
Audits must be carried out at the operating centre being audited. Audits must not be carried out at the premises of a consultancy.
An operating centre is a site or depot where commercial vehicles operate from, where there is infrastructure that supports daily management, control and day to day operational deployment of a fleet. Note that the definition of FORS operating centre is not the same as the definition according to Operator Licensing.
If you would like to have more than one operating centre accredited, please check the FORS Accreditation Guide as the number of audits required is dependent on the number of operating centres covered in the scope of accreditation.
Audits can be conducted not only throughout the UK and Ireland but internationally.
WHAT – do I need for the audit?
On the day of the audit, the auditor will request to see evidence of the systems and documentation you have in place to manage each of the requirements set out in the FORS Standard. You will also be asked to demonstrate how you ensure your employees are aware of, and adhere to, the processes you have in place. Some examples of the type of records you will be asked to share are drivers’ eyesight checks, fitment of vehicle safety equipment, evidence of driver licence checks, risk assessments and vehicle maintenance plans.
To help you prepare for your audit, we’ve put together a list of documents that the auditor is required to see (list not exhaustive):