Disciplinary action.....

gpost

Oh and one last thing to add.... This happened while I was doing them a favour and working beyond my hours to cover someone who went sick last minute! and this is the thanks i get lol. Shocking. Cheers for all your help.

Leedash

What company do you work for ?

Googlewhacker

LEEDASH wrote: »

What company do you work for ?

Probably not best to post that...

madmittens

OP, sorry - I've only had a quick skim of the posts, but it's not clear what you do/what 'sites' you work on?

Is it possible that you are required to wear HV whilst driving so that you don't exit your vehicle without, on a construction site (for example)?

Have you had a formal safety induction for the role you're expected to carry out? Task-specific briefing? Had the PPE requirements explained?

jazzyman01

Few things.

I am somewhat confused over why you would say you were not wearing your hi-viz jacket in the cab because you were too hot rather than because you were not aware that this was a requirement?

That said, you have been invited to a formal disciplinary hearing, you have been told it is because of not wearing hi viz not only in the cab but around the company premises. Were you given the right of having a colleague attend with you? It is your right to ask for any supporting evidence i.e. copies of the relevant paperwork to show that the jackets must be worn inside the vehicle. It would seem some points for your defence would be a) no requirement to wear a hi viz in your cab is identified anywhere in the company policies/procedures b) have had no ppe training to suggest that you should be wearing hi viz in the cab c) you have always worn your hi viz outside of the cab since your manager raised the fact that this was a requirement in xx. d) you are happy to comply with any h&s requirements if you are aware of them. e) apologise you will ensure that it will not happen again and request training....

DCodd

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/9/5/CP01_1.pdf

It may be prudent to have someone accompany you into the meeting. If nothing else, you will have a witness to the proceedings.

The link above is to the ACAS website and a PDF document detailing the requirements for both sides when dealing with disciplinary proceedings.

jobbingmusician

jazzyman's points above are good, but I would also add that you are conscious of H & S and had read the company handbook. When you read the breakdown procedure, which says that you should 'get out of the vehicle and put on safety gear', you realised that you shouldn't be wearing a high vis jacket in the cab, especially since you had already realised that it reflects in the window and detracts from safety.

dacouch

gpost wrote: »

Yes sorry, evidence is my boss saw me driving without it on. When he questioned me, I agreed that I wasn't wearing it. He asked why not, and I told him I was too hot driving with it on (this was the honest reason as I dont have air con and do alot of manual lifting). He said he has warned me about it before. Although im sure I was told before about wearing it on site (which I always do) and not about wearing in a van. I just can't really understand why he hasn't just given me any document about correct procedure instead of going straight to 'disciplinary action'

Tell your boss that if he saw you driving without a Hi Viz then you obviously don't need it otherwise he would not have seen you

Yorkie1

If the times when they allege you failed to wear hi-vis on site, predate the informal conversation from your boss, and none were after then, I think you can legitimately argue that they should not now be included in the formal disciplinary action as a matter of principle. If they weren't serious enough for formal action at that point, and you haven't repeated it since, then it shouldn't be escalated now.