Masterlease is highlighting best practice by asking whether Santa has taken account of the health and safety regulations for his workforce and got his sleigh in order.

In an era of growing regulation, health and safety is a key consideration for any business and a number of rules apply, says the leasing company.

The impact on fleet users can be far-reaching – for instance, HSE guidance states that employers are liable where there is sufficient indication that an accident is due to a failure in safety management.

So as Santa prepares for his annual trip will his sleigh take the huge load and see him safely through the big night?

According to Masterlease, all he needs to do is check this list to find out if he’s complying by all the rules.

• Is his licence valid for driving a sleigh?
• Is his load secure and has he checked the sleigh won’t ride too low?
• What’s his annual mileage?
• What insurance does he have in place and does it cover international travel?
• Is he under pressure to work long hours to get the job done?
• If there’s a breakdown en route does he have a back-up plan in place?

Robert Kingdom, head of marketing at Masterlease, said: “For all industries where driving is an intrinsic part of the job it’s essential that businesses are aware of their responsibilities and continually re-evaluate working practices to meet current regulations.”