How FORS Compliance Benefits You And Your Business
If you’re a fleet operator, you may well have heard of FORS compliance. It’s a voluntary system with almost a decade of established history behind it. Now with well over 4000 members nationally, it’s renowned as a valuable set of standards that both benefit the wellbeing of vulnerable road users and brings a range of advantages to fleet operators. What’s more, at Vision Techniques we stock several products that can help operators meet these standards with the minimum of hassle and expense.
What Is FORS Compliance?
FORS stands for the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme. Launched by Transport for London in 2008, the scheme sets standards of legal compliance, safety efficiency and environmental protection for operators to adhere to. Those who succeed are awarded either a Bronze, Silver or Gold level of accreditation, depending on their level of commitment.
While it’s not compulsory to attain in order to run a successful business, FORS compliance offers multiple benefits to those who hold it. The distinction of being FORS-accredited gives the operator a demonstrable sign of their commitment to managing road risk, as well as reducing their carbon footprint while boosting their operational efficiency. This not only earns them credit and professional respect from within the industry but in many cases can help attract contracts and other forms of business from clients who admire the operators’ ethics and initiative. Silver compliance is one of the most common goals for many operators.
As part of the qualifications required to achieve a Silver certification in FORS Compliance, operators must ensure that:
- Any vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are equipped with an audible warning system for reversing or turning left
- High-quality camera systems are installed around the vehicle to minimise any possible blind spots
The good news is that here at Vision Techniques, we stock a number of products that can easily help you meet these requirements, setting you well on your way to Silver FORS certification.
How VT Can Help You Attain FORS Compliance
There are any number of products amongst our range which can help you meet the standards set by the scheme, both in terms of audio and visual elements, but our experts at Vision Techniques have identified a select few which are particularly well suited for the job.
One of these is the VT 56 Ball Camera, which is designed to solve the occasional issue of tricky angling with vehicle cameras. Because of its spherical design, it’s capable of being positioned at any angle, easily eliminating any blind spots that might not be covered by more traditionally-designed cameras.
You might also be interested in the VT 150/180 Vehicle Camera. As its name suggests, it boasts an extremely wide field of view, which makes it a useful stand-in for several cameras that might otherwise be necessary to cover the same area. In fact, only a few VT 150/180s are needed to maintain a complete unbroken circle of vision around the entire HGV, which makes this design especially useful in city centres.
Finally, our VT Banksman excels in the role of helping drivers to maintain rear awareness. It’s an award-winning, sophisticated radar technology that’s fully programmable, providing the driver with both visual and audible warnings when it judges a collision to be imminent, protecting either the integrity of the vehicle or the safety of vulnerable road users.
As we’ve touched upon, these are just a couple of the products in our huge range of vehicle safety technology. While the above three products are fantastic examples of how we can help, you might find examples of our range that are even better suited to your needs. For blindspot elimination, you can browse our extensive range of vehicle cameras, or give our experts a call on 08455 911 434 for any advice or answers to your queries. We’re here to help!
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