New technology helps increase driver safety
28 October 2026 by CSG
Waste management specialist CSG has invested in new technology which allows tanker drivers to seek live advice when faced with a challenging situation.
CSG has upgraded the Proactive Driver Assist (PDA) system in its vehicles to allow drivers to generate last minute risk assessments electronically rather than on paper.
This makes the risk assessment process quicker and easier, allowing them to share photos of the problem with line managers whilst on site to find solutions to complete work safely.
CSG completes more than 20,000 domestic septic tank cleaning jobs every year. Many of these homes are in rural locations and have narrow lanes and driveways which are difficult to navigate in larger vehicles.
Andy Hall, Health and Safety Manager at CSG, said: “The majority of properties our tanker drivers visit are in rural locations where there are a wide variety of obstacles, including narrow driveways and lanes, fences, ornaments and parked vehicles requiring complex vehicle movements.
“The system prompts the driver to carry out a last-minute risk assessment to consider whether there is a safer way of completing the job to prevent injury and damage to vehicles or customer property.
“Sometimes the solution is as simple as asking the customer to move a parked vehicle or using a longer hose to reach a customer tank, or it may mean returning to the property on another day with a smaller tanker.”
The system not only prompts the driver to risk assess as they arrive at a property, but also at any time during work.
“For example, if site conditions change when we are working, the driver can flag it on the system and seek advice as those conditions change,” said Andy. “This might be changes in weather conditions impeding safe access or the poor condition of a tank which is only revealed whilst it is being emptied.
“We’re improving the culture across the business and embracing technology to give our team more confidence when they are on site. This in turn ensures our customers are satisfied and everyone is safe. Adding near miss reporting to the PDA has also helped drive a culture of proactive reporting preventing minor collisions from occurring.”
CSG is also working to educate its drivers on the true cost of incidents, including the implications of vehicles being off the road for repairs and the time it takes for managers to complete paperwork and arrange repairs.
The company is investing in the training provided internally to driving assessors. This includes advanced driver training, practical tanker rollover prevention training to manage high centres of gravity and responding to emergency manoeuvres.
Meanwhile, the Direct Vision Standard is being fitted to all new CSG HGVs even though it is only required currently in London, this improves driver awareness of pedestrians and cyclists in blind spots across the fleet.
Andy said: “All of these measures together are ensuring our drivers are as safe and prepared as possible for the challenges ahead of them.”
CSG employs hundreds of drivers across its 30 UK sites, who either transport domestic waste for disposal or industrial waste for treatment. They drive a wide variety of vehicles, including high-performance vacuum tankers, long-distance articulated liquid ring tankers and 44-tonne HGVs.
