FOUR leading names in the fleet industry have joined forces to launch a new company aimed at guiding fleets through forthcoming new health and safety at work rules.

Chris Howell, founder of driver training company DriveTech, Jeremy Hay, former managing director of Arval PHH, Peter Mason and David Faithful, solicitor and Fleet News columnist - have launched a new company called Risk Answers to help companies deal with forthcoming legislation, which plans to apply health and safety at work rules to company car drivers on the road, and the challenge of helping directors avoid corporate manslaughter charges.

The imminent publication of the Work-related Road Safety Task Group report will call on the Government and Health and Safety Commission to take action to ensure employers manage road risk in the same way as they manage other occupational health and safety risks.

The Berkshire-based company says that after completing a risk assessment it will recommend how a client can reduce its fleet risks and costs by at least five times the initial risk assessment fee.

Already Risk Answers is working with some of Britain's best-known companies, including Nationwide Building Society, Siemens Group and Mars.

Howell said: 'The Government's commitment to introduce in 2002 health and safety legislation will force fleet operators to seek advice and put in place written risk assessments and policy documents to prove compliance with their legal requirements. Additionally, the civil courts' attitude towards employment accidents will encourage insurers to recommend such services to their policy holders to reduce their claims profile.'