If you drive, when is the last time you checked the tyres on your vehicle? Do you know the rules that are applicable and a do you know how to check that you’re operating within the rules? You may not have your own vehicle, but do you travel in one – how is its tyres? And what has this got to do with your organisations compliance?
UK Tyre Safety
For cars in the UK the minimum depth of the tread on tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. However, is that the only factor? There are types of tyre that you should not mix on a vehicle. Tyres don’t just get worn due to age and use, other factors including emergency braking, incorrect tyre inflation and wheel alignment. Not only that, poor road surfacing can easily damage a tyre. Some car manufacturers recommend replacing a tyre at 3 millimetres. Depending on where you are driving and the weather conditions you may need to avoid running too close to legal limits.
Did you know that a tyre running at the legal minimum takes a further 8 metres to stop on a dry road at 50mph – that’s a life and death distance to a pedestrian and possibly you. Also, did you know you could do a simple check with a 20p coin*.
How does that relate to my organisation?
Now let’s draw the analogy you’ve been waiting for: Your organisation is the vehicle, the driver is the board, passengers are the staff and clients and the tyres are the regulations with which you should comply. You could even say the road is your purpose and other road users are your potential customers – but that might be going too far!
It’s easy to forget to check your alignment with the legal requirements set for your organisation. The rules, guidance and measures change regularly and you need to keep up with what the current situation. There may be industry good practice and self-imposed standards which need consideration. If you do run close to the minimum requirements of the law, then you should be clear on the risks. You should also have plans in place to respond should the worst happen.
Going back to your car, if you heard that the minimum tread limit was changing significantly what would you do?
- Complain how unfair it is?
- Work out how to get around the new rules?
- Worry about whether your tyres are still legal?
- Vex over the cost and time it’s going to take?
- Run out and do some simple checks so that you know exactly what you need to do?
Option 5 would allow you to discover exactly needs to be done to become legal. This allows you to put budgets and time aside to do what is necessary. The other options are just wasting valuable time.
The new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) is a significant change in the processing of personal data. You will probably need to take some action in your organisation. Waiting to the last moment to start planned will not take the requirement away. Delaying could raise your costs as helpful resources becoming thin on the ground.
Why should we be GDPR ready?
Just to finish the analogy, you can run on illegal tyres and get away with it, but changes in road conditions might see you hurting yourself and others along with the ever present chance of prosecution. Tyre checks should be done regularly and remedial actions taken promptly, a one time check like the MOT does not cover you from having an non-roadworthy vehicle.
Not checking your compliance with new regulations may see you damage your reputation, profits and customers and even face fines. Moaning about it, trying to dodge it or worrying about it is not an effective strategy. Go and do some simple checks and find out what you need to do to become legal under the new rules.
* See also the 20p tyre test
