Tesco delivery drivers have voiced confusion and frustration regarding the company's safety protocols in the wake of an incident where a pensioner was struck and killed by one of the supermarket's vans. The death of 79-year-old Susan Margaret Hofsteede in September has led to a series of updated safety instructions for drivers, but the evolving guidance has reportedly created disarray.
Drivers have reported that initial directives issued on a Monday stated that vans must not be used if their reversing cameras were non-operational. However, this policy was reportedly reversed within a day, with drivers then being informed that vehicles with non-working cameras could be returned to service. This rapid shift has led to concerns that safety is being compromised due to operational pressures, such as delivery backlogs caused by too many vans being taken off the road.
"A lot of us were really happy that they'd finally seen sense and helped us be safer on the roads. Now, it feels like they've gone back on it and it's a kick in the teeth," one staff member was quoted as saying. "The whole thing is a mess. They rolled it out and then rolled it back almost straight away. Everyone is completely confused and this is a safety issue."
Ms. Hofsteede died after being hit by a reversing Tesco van as she walked near her home in Bangor, Wales. The inquest into her death, which is scheduled for later this year, heard that her provisional cause of death was a traumatic brain injury. The driver of the van was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was bailed pending further inquiries.
Following Ms. Hofsteede's death, Tesco implemented mandatory van maneuvering training for all drivers. Literature provided at the time instructed drivers to "Always wait for the reverse camera to display before reversing the van." This was formalized into a new policy this week, stipulating that vans could not be operated without a functioning reverse camera.
However, email guidance issued on Tuesday indicated a revision. "Following a further review and new information received today this guidance has been revised whilst we await a further update," the communication stated. It added that vehicles previously classified as "van off road" solely due to a reversing camera or alarm defect could be returned to service.
A Tesco insider suggested that no decisions had been reversed, but that the initial guidance had led to a "high rate of false positives," resulting in the unavailability of working vans. The company reportedly paused the rollout of the guidance to simplify the reporting process and is issuing updated instructions on safe reversing procedures. Vehicles with genuine camera issues will still be removed from service.
A Tesco spokesperson stated, "Alongside the clear guidelines and training we have in place to support our colleagues when making home deliveries, we are rolling out new guidance that vehicles with camera issues should be taken out of service until they are repaired. We will keep colleagues updated as our plans progress."