Chain of Responsibility checklist

The printable CoR self-audit: duties, systems and the evidence an investigator would ask for, phrased as questions you can answer yes or no.

How to use it: Run it quarterly with the people who actually schedule, load and manage transport work. Every no becomes an action with an owner and a date. Keep completed copies, they are themselves evidence of due diligence.

Our exposure

• We have listed the activities that put us in the chain (consigning, scheduling, loading, receiving, managing premises).
• Someone owns CoR for the organisation, by name.
• Executives receive transport safety reporting and their review is minuted.

Scheduling and speed

• Delivery and job schedules are checked against realistic drive times before release.
• Drivers can raise an unsafe schedule without penalty, and each report is logged.
• We do not incentivise on-time arrival in ways that reward speeding.

Fatigue

• We know which drivers are fatigue-regulated.
• Work and rest records are collected and retained (three years).
• Someone reviews records for breaches on a schedule, and reviews are logged.
• Breaches lead to documented action.

Vehicle condition

• Every heavy vehicle movement starts with a completed pre-start check.
• A failed check stops or escalates the vehicle automatically.
• Defects are tracked from discovery to completed repair in one trail.
• Completed scheduled maintenance is logged and overdue services are visible.

Mass and loading

• Documented mass limits exist per vehicle and combination.
• Loading procedures cover restraint, and loaders are trained on them.
• Weighbridge or loading records are kept where mass is close to limits.

Partners and contracts

• Contracts with transport partners address CoR duties explicitly.
• We check partner accreditation and safety systems before engagement.

The one-day test

• For each yes above, we could produce the checks, reports and supporting files within one day.

Completed by: [name] · Date: [date] · Actions raised: [list]

Last updated 10 July 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice.