Preventing WorkRelated Roadway Collisions

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Preventing Work-Related Roadway Collisions

• Presented by the Transportation Health and Safety
  Association of Ontario

October 28, 2008
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Session Outline
The Positive Benefits of Managing Road Safety
Legal Provisions and Requirements for Road Safety
Recognize the Trends and Indicators in Road
Safety
The techniques of Identifying, Assessing and
Controlling Hazards
Review Best Practices and complete a Road
Safety action plan
Safety Culture Influences Road Safety
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Collision, Injury and Fatality Stats and Trends
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Who are occupational drivers at your company,
types of vehicles driven, exposure?
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The Multiple Benefits of Managing Work-Related
Road Safety

• Prevent injuries and fatalities
• Improved morale/Staff retention
• Less cost claims, legal, fines, insurance,
  re-training, hiring, vehicle replacement, damaged
  cargo, damage to property
• Enhances the safety culture at work
• Less investigation time, resources and paperwork

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The Multiple Benefits of Managing Work-Related
Road Safety

• Increased business opportunities fewer missed
  orders customer goodwill enhanced.
• Positive impact on employees lives could spill
  over into driving behaviours off the job.
• Enhanced corporate image. Demonstrates due
  diligence and social responsibility.
• Less work rescheduling.

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The Multiple Benefits of Managing Work-Related
Road Safety

• Less chance of CVOR violations job security
  issue - competitive edge for the company.
• Less down time for repairs to vehicles and
  property damaged
• Positive impact on Health and Safety system, i.e.
  less emergency service responses, hospital stays,
  incident management on highways, rehabilitation
  of injured employees.

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Canada Labour Code Part II and Regs
Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regs
Other Related Road Safety Laws
Review of Legal Provisions and Responsibilities
National Safety Code
Highway Traffic Act
Criminal Code of Canada
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Criminal Code of Canada Relevant Provisions

• Section 217.1 Duties of persons directing work
• Section 219 Criminal Negligence

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Highway Traffic Act

• Important References
• S.16 - 23 of the Act Reg. 424/97 - CVOR
  operator information - Part II Or Regulation
  contains information on Safety Ratings
• Section 82.1 and Reg. 512/97 Impoundment of
  Commercial Motor Vehicles

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Highway Traffic Act

• S. 107 of the Act Reg. 575 - Inspection of
  Commercial Vehicles over 4500k/g
• Reg. 4/93 - Hours of Work
• (See also S. 17 - Employment Standards Act
  Limits on Hours of Work)
• Reg. 363/04 - Load Security

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Highway Traffic Act

• Seat Belts - Section 106 of the Act Reg. 613
• Demerit Point system s.56 of the Act Reg 339/94
• Rules of the Road Part X - Sections 133 191.

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Legal Responsibilities Other Applicable
References and Laws

• National Safety Code
• Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act -RSO 1990
  C.25

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Important Factors Influencing Road Safety
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Safety Culture
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The Place to BeginDeveloping a Road Safety
Policy
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Elements of a Road Safety Policy

• With worker input, the policy states but is
  not limited to a company road safety commitment
  company expectations and requirements about
• Drivers licenses suspension and revocation
  notification abstract reviews, (regular
  monitoring of qualifications) insurance coverage,
  traffic violation reporting and disciplinary
  action collision investigation and review,
  remedial training, new employees, reporting areas
  of concern i.e. schedules, deliveries, routes
  and mandatory seat belt use.

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Elements of a Road Safety Policy

• Vehicle condition - outline driver
  responsibilities about routine vehicle checks,
  annual inspections understanding and using
  safety features, reporting defects, damage.
• Trips taking safest routes, breaks and fatigue,
  alternate arrangements, speeding, inclement
  weather, reporting delays.
• Legal Compliance i.e. reference to HTA Rules of
  the Road etc.
• Driver education (requirement to complete a
  defensive driving course, refresher training,
  assessments, fitness to drive, and the reporting
  of changes in driver medical conditions.

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• Elements of a Road Safety Policy
• The monitoring role by management is clearly
  stated.
• Encourage suggestions for improvement.
• Senior management signature, dated distributed
  and understood.

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Pathway to Success A Six Step Road Safety Plan
to Follow
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Step 1 Identify Hazards
Step 2 Identify Who Could Be Harmed
Step 4 Assign Controls
Step 3 Evaluate, Assess Hazards Risks
Step 5 Implement Controls
Review/Monitor Continuously Improve
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Step 1 Sources of Information

• Employees who have first hand information about
  driving hazards. Focus group input.
  Interdisciplinary teams, surveys
• Safety Representatives/JHSC members
• Records review Collision investigations,
  driving records (abstracts) for each driver,
  insurance records, industry and company stats
  WSIB MTO (CVOR)
• Observations, driver assessments, reports.

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Step 1Areas for Hazard Identification

• Driver competency, licensing, training, fitness
  and health, review collision frequency, remedial
  training required?
• Vehicle is it suitable, condition, has the
  required safety equipment, ergonomically safe,
  collision protection?
• Trip safest route, time of day, safe
  scheduling, reasonable distances, weather
  conditions, unrealistic delivery times and number
  of calls required (do these requirements
  encourage speeding, unsafe driving?)

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Step 2Identify who could be harmed

• Drivers, passengers, other road users,
  pedestrians.
• Identify potential high risk groups within your
  company - could be young or newly qualified
  drivers and/or long distance drivers for example.

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Step 3Evaluate/Assess the Risks

• List and decide what category of risk you are
  dealing with A- Major, B Serious, or C - Minor.

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Assessment Definitions

• Hazard is defined as a source or situation with
  the potential for harm in terms of injury illness
  damage to property, the environment or a
  combination of these. (OHSAS 18001)
• Risk Ratings Based on the analysis of
  probability and severity, given the hazard, you
  can then rate as
• A - Major - If the condition or practice is
  likely to cause loss of life or extensive loss of
  equipment or material.
• B - Serious If the condition or practice is
  likely to cause a serious injury resulting in
  temporary disability or property damage that is
  disruptive but not extensive
• C - Minor a condition or a practice that is
  likely to cause minor non-disabling injury or non
  disruptive property damage.

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Step 4 Assigning Controls
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Risk Control Measures

• Recruitment and selection
• Medical screening
• Orientation and ongoing safety training
• Job aids, notes, documents, safety information
  sheets.
• Collision investigation, incident recording, root
  cause analysis and correction.
• Administrative controls - Policies, Procedures

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Risk Control Measures

• Bonus and Incentive Programs THSAO Safe Driver
  Award Program Is your company registered?
• Preventative maintenance
• Vehicle inspections
• Near-miss reporting and analysis
• In-house safe driving awareness campaigns
• On-road driver assessments
• Risk awareness and defensive driving education
  sessions
• Ergonomic checks and considerations

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Risk Control Measures

• Identifying the safest routes
• Specifications for safer vehicles (additional
  safety equipment ABS, Air bags, mirrors etc)
• Ensuring drivers are fit
• Monitor road conditions communicate to drivers
• Substituting alternative means of transport where
  practicable i.e. public transit, trains etc.
• Teleconferencing instead of in person meetings
  if you can, limit the amount of driving required.
• Have a systematic (policy, people and
  procedures) risk management capability. Use
  planned approach.
• Management of Work Related Road Safety
  Research finding No 44 Dept for Transport UK

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Step 5Record Findings

• Demonstrates that you consulted those affected
• Demonstrates that you dealt with obvious hazards.
• Documentation is an important part of due
  diligence.

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Step 6Review/Monitor/Continuously Improve

• Regularly ask are the risks suitably controlled?
• Revise controls if necessary.
• Does it take into account new routes, new
  drivers, new equipment?
• Maintain a cycle of continuous improvement.

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Hazard Identification, Assessment, and Control
Sheet based on the identified hazards. (You can
add other hazards that apply to you!)
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An examination of best practices and action
planning using the Road Safety Checklist.
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Selected Resources and References

• Canadian Legal Information Institute
  www.canlii.org
• Driving at Work - Managing Work-Related Road
  Safety Health and Safety Executive
  www.dft.gov.uk/roadsafety
• E-Laws www.e-laws.gov.on.ca
• Ministry of Transportation www.mto.gov.on.ca/eng
  lish/safety
• Motor Vehicle Safety Tip Sheets - download from
  www.thsao.on.ca

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Selected Resources and References

• Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
  www.trafficsafety.org
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and
  Health www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-119/
• Ontario Road Safety Annual Report 2002
  www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/orsar/orsar02
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
  Managing Occupational Road Risks
  ww.rospa.org.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
• Tool Kit for Assessing and Managing Occupational
  Road Risk - www.dft.gov.uk

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Selected Resources and References

• Transport Canada Road Safety In Canada - An
  Overview www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/stats/overview/20
  04/menu.htm
• Transportation Health and Safety Association
  www.thsao.on.ca/publications/RoadSafetySUMMARY.pdf
  
• Working Safely Behind the Wheel WCB Alberta
  Publication - SB0003-99 ISBN 0-9685940-2-6
  www.wcb.ab.ca/workingsafely/safewheel.asp
• WSIB www.wsib.on.ca Prevention Reference
  Road Safety

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• Promote a safe driving culture within your
  organization.
• Identify driving hazards/risks, assess and
  control them, monitor to ensure that controls are
  adequate, revise and continuously improve.
• Involve senior management, managers, supervisors
  and workers who drive.
• Its worth the effort! It benefits everyone!