EROAD has hired a global expert in workplace safety to advance its mission to help customers reduce their transportation risk, thereby achieving fewer vehicle accidents, deaths and injuries.

Chris Evans has 21 years‘ senior management experience leading company strategy in health, safety and the environment (HSE) and risk management in the UK and international markets. He was previously in the Middle East where he was HSE manager for Petroleum Development Oman, and joins EROAD as health and safety stakeholder manager.

The appointment supports EROAD‘s commitment to build its own market-leading HSE culture, but will also provide benefits to customers by applying Evans‘ expertise to the HSE products and services EROAD offers, particularly in New Zealand.

Evans said managers on work sites wouldn‘t think of leaving unsupervised workers undertaking hazardous activities.

“Driving is one of the most hazardous activities many employees undertake, and EROAD‘s system can significantly minimise that risk – especially as it can be done remotely without interfering with a driver‘s ability to operate,” he said.

Evans said he was attracted to the EROAD role because of the vision and openness of its senior team. Having worked most of his career in large, international corporations with tens of thousands of employees, working with overburdening historic management systems, Evans said a desire to build an exemplary HSE culture was a major attraction.

“The focus for many of these large organisations is how to simplify their HSE management models, which become ineffective. A chance to build a market-leading safety culture is inspiring, leveraging EROAD‘s experience in building user-friendly health and safety tools.”

EROAD CEO Steven Newman said the company was delighted to welcome Evans to the team.

“Alongside RUC payments and fleet performance, health and safety compliance issues are a huge focus for our customers in New Zealand, and we are already seeing this in how customers use our online depot and the information we can provide,” he said.

“These issues affect not just heavy transport fleets but all companies with team members on the road, whether or not they are professional drivers.

Chris‘s international expertise at the forefront of HSE and risk management practice will help us not only be the best HSE company we can be, but also help our customers in innovative ways.”