NASP member associations have raised the issue with DVSA on numerous occasions and asked for a clearer line of sight on when waiting rooms may reopen, as trainers are already starting to be left out in the cold as Autumn arrives. To date no further positive feedback on this issue has been received from DVSA, and no indication of when waiting rooms may open has been given.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) wrote to the agency in September highlighting that the failure to provide adequate sanitary facilities and waiting spaces to customers (and what HSE deems as ‘workers’ in this context, i.e trainers), is contrary to health and safety legislation and regulation.

DVSA have maintained to date that it is difficult to open waiting rooms across the board due to the challenges of ensuring social distancing (and need to limit exposure for all users to COVID-19), staffing challenges, and the issue at some test centres that waiting rooms are being pressed into service as extra office space to allow staff to socially distance.

NASP no longer finds these reasons acceptable and points to other public and private sector (including retail) service providers who are able to manage their services and accommodation to provide both employees with a socially distanced and safe working environments, and service users similarly with socially distanced and safe waiting rooms and reception areas.

Whilst NASP will continue to raise this issue with both DVSA and HSE, we also recommend that individual trainers, concerned about their welfare heading into the winter months, also make a complaint directly to HSE.

To make your complaint go to:

https://hsegov.microsoftcrmportals.com/workingsafelyenquiries/

Once there, click on first box and select, Safety of customers, Visitors and Contractors, the rest of the form is self-explanatory,

In the details of your enquiry, you should state the test centres you use and the fact you are left standing out in all weathers, this would also be a good place to mention the lack of toilet facilities if that is an issue at your centre.

ADINJC has also written back to HSE after our recent communications with them to ask what the situation is with regard to their talks with DVSA.  We will of course, as always, let you know as soon as there is any news.  We are very conscious that this is a cause of concern for many of our members.

Do let us have any photographs of ADIs waiting outside test centres!