Where do I stand?

LegacyUser

So long story short, my job requires me to drive to different sites across the country using company vans. We had our own in house mechanic but he left the job 3 weeks ago. In the meantime, the transport manager got one of my colleagues, who is in no way a mechanic, to replace the back brake pads on a van. The manager is known for cutting corners. I was in the garage on the day and asked him if he was doing the brakes because I reported the pads worn to the transport manager, and he said he was but he was not happy about doing it as he was not a mechanic.

Last Friday, I was driving it from the south of the country to Offaly. Not long after coming off the motorway, one of the rear brake callipers came loose and caused the van to stop abruptly. Luckily I was only doing maybe 30kmh. Had this had occurred on the motorway, the consequences could have been disastrous. I rang the transport manager explaining what had happened and he arranged for the van to be recovered. When I got to the repair centre, the mechanics commented on how they have never seen anything like this before and that it was very dangerous.

After the incident, I sent a lengthy email to HR and the transport manager detailing the events along with photos of the damage. I stated that I was disappointed with the I was just talking to the guy who replaced the brake pads and he told me that just after the incident happened, the transport manager pulled him aside and said “if anyone asks, you didn’t go near that van”.

Any advice on how to proceed with this?

LovelySpuds

Workvehicleissue wrote: »

So long story short, my job requires me to drive to different sites across the country using company vans. We had our own in house mechanic but he left the job 3 weeks ago. In the meantime, the transport manager got one of my colleagues, who is in no way a mechanic, to replace the back brake pads on a van. The manager is known for cutting corners. I was in the garage on the day and asked him if he was doing the brakes because I reported the pads worn to the transport manager, and he said he was but he was not happy about doing it as he was not a mechanic.

Last Friday, I was driving it from the south of the country to Offaly. Not long after coming off the motorway, one of the rear brake callipers came loose and caused the van to stop abruptly. Luckily I was only doing maybe 30kmh. Had this had occurred on the motorway, the consequences could have been disastrous. I rang the transport manager explaining what had happened and he arranged for the van to be recovered. When I got to the repair centre, the mechanics commented on how they have never seen anything like this before and that it was very dangerous.

After the incident, I sent a lengthy email to HR and the transport manager detailing the events along with photos of the damage. I stated that I was disappointed with the I was just talking to the guy who replaced the brake pads and he told me that just after the incident happened, the transport manager pulled him aside and said “if anyone asks, you didn’t go near that van”.

Any advice on how to proceed with this?

.

antix80

Workvehicleissue wrote: »

Any advice on how to proceed with this?

Wait for a HR response and don't drive until you can be sure the vehicles are safe.

I don't think there's a law in Ireland about people who aren't mechanics doing car repairs, but your employer has a duty of care towards you and must provide a safe working environment.

Strumms

The employee doing the work is as much to blame, he’s a fûcking idiot...

He’s only lumbered with the work because he was mouthing out of him that he could do it...and when they tried to make him, possibly with a sweetener, he agreed.

What he should have done was email management refusing as “I’m not current with the type of vehicle therefore it’s unsafe for me to attempt”...

That’s saying if anything goes wrong, managers are in the shît.

cml387

Strumms wrote: »

The employee doing the work is as much to blame, he’s a fûcking idiot...

He’s only lumbered with the work because he was mouthing out of him that he could do it...and when they tried to make him, possibly with a sweetener, he agreed.

What he should have done was email management refusing as “I’m not current with the type of vehicle therefore it’s unsafe for me to attempt”...

That’s saying if anything goes wrong, managers are in the shît.

Actually the manager would probably disavow all knowledge and leave the guy who changed the pads swinging.

Strumms

cml387 wrote: »

Actually the manager would probably disavow all knowledge and leave the guy who changed the pads swinging.

If there is a paper trail as in email, you are covered.

dreamers75

Get your vans DOE`d like a normal company, get the receipt and claim expenses.

Dont get involved in the bollix thats going on.

OMM 0000

Certainly you should not be driving until they hire a new mechanic.

The fact that they are trying to cover up what they did is very worrying.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/health_and_safety/health_safety_work.html

Employers have a duty to ensure employees’ safety, health and welfare at work, as far as reasonably practicable. To prevent workplace injuries and ill-health, the employer must take certain actions. These include:

* Provide and maintain a safe workplace which uses safe plant and equipment
* Prevent any improper conduct or behaviour likely to put the safety, health and welfare of employees at risk

Seems quite clear the employer has been negligent here.

I think wait for what HR have to say.

Strumms

HR will probably just try and sweep it under the carpet.

My guess knowing the HR mindset will be to request that the ‘mechanic’ in question provides them with a copy of his cert or relevant qualification that enables him to do this work and they will keep it on file, that will cover their asses while he covers their balance sheets by doing extra..