The Coillte Driver Handbook in association with FTA Ireland

---

Forestry is one of Ireland’s largest and most profitable business sectors, employing more than 12,000 people and contributing over 2.3 billion Euros to the Irish economy.  To ensure that outputs from Ireland’s forests are transported and handled as safely and efficiently as possible, Coillte, the State forestry company, has announced a unique partnership product in association with FTA Ireland (FTAI), the country’s leading membership organization for the freight and logistics sector.

The Coillte Driver Handbook, produced in association with FTA Ireland, was launched today (20 September 2017) by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Mr Andrew Doyle TD.  The bespoke handbook is designed to ensure that Coillte’s haulage contractors’ drivers are aware of their statutory duties and safe working practices, and to increase awareness among forestry drivers of the potential issues they may face.

Businesses of all sizes could benefit from bespoke training and information services of this type, according to Aidan Flynn, General Manager of FTAI: “Haulage drivers and operators have a huge range of obligations to fulfil in order to ensure that they are fully compliant while undertaking their daily roles.  Coillte is to be congratulated for taking a proactive step in commissioning this handbook, which is a vital method of ensuring that all its drivers operate safely, efficiently and professionally.  As a significant consignor of transport and logistics services in Ireland, Coillte is actively demonstrating its commitment to the safety of all its operators and contractors, who will all receive a copy and I would urge other businesses across the Republic to take similar action to ensure that their drivers are completely aware of the risks and obligations they face when on the roads.”

Employers like Coillte can use a drivers’ handbook to explain rules and responsibilities for their drivers and contractors, outlining the latest legislative requirements and up to the minute operating procedures and safety issues.  Speaking at today’s launch, the Minister praised the initiative, commenting:  “Both the ‘Coillte Driver Handbook’ and the ‘Round Timber Transport Guidelines for Hauliers and Drivers’, which I am also launching here today, will help ensure the safe transport of timber on our roads. These two publications demonstrate the commitment of the industry to ensuring that existing standards are applied across the timber haulage sector.”
Des Phelan, distribution manager from Coillte, was clear about the benefits the new handbook will bring to the business: “With commercial timber production from Ireland’s forests reaching over 3 million m3 and projections that timber roundwood supply is set to rise to 7.9 million m3 by 2035, Coillte believe that it is very important that increased levels of roundwood transport is conducted in a safe and compliant manner. As members of the FTAI, Coillte were able to avail of a comprehensive haulier audit based on the FTAI accreditation scheme that identified key areas where improvements could be made. Our hauliers were very positive about the nature of the audit and the helpful nature of the FTAI auditors. We established a working group with the FTAI and a selection of our key hauliers which resulted in the creation of this bespoke drivers handbook addressing operational compliance in the transport of roundwood.”

FTA Ireland is fully equipped to develop bespoke manuals and other materials for its members to ensure that they operate in a compliant and safe manner, meeting all EU regulations.

 

---

---

---