Terms of Reference

National Highway Sector Schemes (NHSS) are bespoke integrated quality management schemes. They aim to ensure all work is carried out to the highest standards of professionalism, using only properly trained and competent staff. They also place a strong emphasis on health, safety and the environment.

NHSSs are primarily designed as complementary standards to ISO 9001 for organisations working on the UK’s road network and in the case of NHSS17/17B it expands on the recommendations and requirements contained in PAS 43 in order to make NHSS17/17B a robust standard for the rescue and recovery industry.

The Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR) have administered the NHSS17/17B National Training Scheme on behalf of National Highways (formally, Highways Agency and Highways England) since 2006. In doing so setting the vehicle recovery training standards contained within the NHSS17/17B. Within the role of administrator, the IVR holds the professional register for vehicle rescue and recovery operators and produces the roadside skills and identity card to those operators that have met the NHSS17/17B National Training Scheme standards.

In February 2023 all members of this Executive formally re-endorsed/endorsed NHSS17/17B as the required compliance standard for their respective organisations when partnering with the recovery industry for example for National Highways contracts and police contracts.

The purpose of this Executive is to:

Further endorse NHSS17/17B as the minimum standard for any roadside operator to work on any part of the strategic road network, and to promote NHSS17/17B as the minimum standard.

Ensure that the highest safety standards remain at the forefront of the agenda by providing the opportunity to discuss current and emerging issues that may affect NHSS17/17B standards, the role of this executive of experts extends to, but is not limited to, exploring best practice from each of their unique viewpoints and identifying potential solutions.

Provide, guidance support and expertise, and to ensure the highest standards are maintained across all aspects of the NHSS17/17B standards.

Membership is focused in order to ensure involvement from organisations with particular expertise and responsibility for frontline leadership. There are six members of this Executive, consisting of the following bodies:

National Highways (NH)
National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC)
National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC)
United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO)
Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR)
National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA)

Further representatives/specialists may be asked to join the Executive in an advisory capacity from time to time as required.

A maximum of three representatives from each body can attend an Executive meeting.

The position of chair of the Executive and the secretariat was agreed at the inaugural meeting.

The necessary quorum for a meeting to take place is a minimum of three from differing functions, e.g. Institute of Vehicle Recovery/NTDA, relevant emergency service and National Highways.

Meetings will aim to be held annually or wherever there is a requirement. Meetings and extraordinary meetings may be called at any time, by any member, where there is a specific issue to deal with. Requests for a meeting should be made in writing to the Executive secretariat.

Minutes of each meeting will be taken and stored by the Executive secretariat. The secretariat should put in place a contingency plan to use if they are unable to attend.

To formally endorse, promote and support the National Highway Sector Scheme 17/17B (NHSS17/17B) as the recovery industry’s minimum standard in order to raise and maintain safety standards and good practice on the strategic road network.

To provide an expert, joined up, high level communication mechanism when any dialogue or consultation with government agencies such as DfT, HSE, or any other agency requires expert knowledge about vehicle rescue and recovery, in order to raise and maintain safety standards on the road network.

Utilise Executive expertise to initiate corrective action where gaps are identified in relation to NHSS17/17B standards and safety risks, specific to vehicle rescue and recovery, and monitor
improvements.

To be proactive in ensuring the standards remain current through generational changes / challenges, by utilising the Executive’s expertise to highlight potential concerns regarding a safety standard or understand the trends where an additional safety standard may be required, examples as follows:

• Data sharing and info sharing around the strategic road network
• Progressive changes/challenges with EV and hybrid vehicles
• The introduction of hydrogen vehicles
• The imminent roll out of driverless vehicles
• Net Zero challenges when considering all the above
• COVID and the risk associated with another pandemic

The nominated secretariat should send out an agenda for each meeting. Standard agenda items to be included:

Members present
Apologies
Approval of previous minutes
Matters arising from the previous minutes
Any other business
Date of next meeting

Drafted 17 February 2023

v1 22 February 2023 ratified by all six panel members at inaugural meeting

v2 28 February 2023 ratified by all six Executive members 4 written 2 verbal (group name change)