Assessing risk in the context of road safety

Centre for Transport Studies

ICPS London April 2014

Assessing risk in the context of road safety

Safety management systems in Europe and the UK

Heather Ward


Risk of death and serious injury on the roads of the world

• 1.24 million killed on the roads each year

• 20-50 million sustain non-fatal injuries

• Young adults between 15 and 44 years account for 59% of global road traffic deaths


Factors leading to collisions

• Fatigue - sleepiness• Drink and drugs• Foreign drivers• Overloaded or poorly

maintained vehicles• Illegal speeding and other

violations• Mobile phones and other

distractions• Road related features


Governments pass legislation to regulate conduct of drivers - important to reduce risk factors leading to road deaths and injuries • speed limits, • safety-belts and child-restraint laws, • helmet laws, • blood-alcohol concentration limits, • daytime running light requirements, • mobile phone laws, and • licensing regulations.



European Regulations governing working goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, buses over 8 seats, and coaches over 15 seats

• Size and weight of goods vehicles • Drivers’ hours of working• Maximum speed of goods vehicles • Mirrors, side and rear under-run protection


EU permitted length, weight and height

length weight height

Buses and coaches

12m rigid 18m articulated

4.57m

Rigid hgv 12m 18 tonne n/a

Articulated hgv

16.5m18m with trailer18.5m road train

40 tonne44 tonne if road friendly suspension

n/a


Maximum driving time to address fatigue

• 9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

• 56 hours in a week • 90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks


Top speed is limited

National speed limits for vehicle type and weight apply when lower than the top speed which limiter controls. Tachographs give speed driven.

– Bus - 100 km/h– Coach – 122 km/h (in UK 100km/h) – HGV over 3.5 tonne 90 km/h


Some safety features on HGVs

• Nearside turning vehicles dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians as can get caught in blind spot. Mirrors are required

• Under-run protection helps stop cyclists and pedestrians being dragged under the wheels. Solid ‘skirts’ are best but side and rear protection required


Each country responsible for enforcement of EU regulations on their own roads

• Each vehicle must be fitted with a tachograph to automatically record speed, distance, driving time and rest time

• All UK and European drivers on UK roads legally required to record their activities and produce them on demand to police or DVSA

• Operators/employers must download weekly record from each driver and keep for one year


Driver and Vehicle Services Agency and Police •Check authorised load weights and type of load permitted •Check vehicles (lorries, buses and coaches) for roadworthiness and mechanical faults

• DVSA conducts statutory testing and issues certificates

•Look at tachograph records •Make sure driver has a valid occupational driving licence•Issue penalty notices and impound vehicles


Safety management systems for occupational road risk in the UK

• The casualty problem• Legislation, regulation and

enforcement• Driver responsibilities• Operator/company

responsibilities• ISO39001 and safety

management


Road users killed or injured by an at-work driver/rider


The casualty situation

Commercial vehicles involved in about 19% of fatal collisions in 2013

This is a big issue which has been difficult to resolve

Vehicle type

Percent of total

Rate per billion veh km

Bus and coach

2 26

Light van

6 4.1

HGV >3.5 t

11 10


Who is responsible for work related road safety?

• The European Union through vehicle and driver driving time standards

• Department for Transport for road safety policy and statistics

• The Police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for enforcement and compliance

• The Health and Safety Executive for work place safety and risk


Europe and UK do not regulate cars and light vans used for work

• The EU regulates commercial vehicles but the employer still has responsibility for managing their risks

• A company where cars and/or light vans are used for work needs a good road safety management structure with a written policy and clear lines of management responsibility

• The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for workplace safety


Health and Safety legislation

• The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to ensure the safety of their employees whilst at work and ensure members of the public are not put at risk by work related driving activities

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires employers to assess and manage risks to employees and others.


Some reasons given by companies for not managing work related road safety (Source Driving for Better Business)

• My drivers know how to handle their vehicles • Everyone has passed a driving test • Everyone has a driving license before we let them drive • I can’t influence the behaviour of people when they drive • Driving isn’t anything to do with health and safety • Driver training will fix the problem • My insurance covers the costs so why worry • Some Road Traffic Collisions are inevitable and there is

nothing I can do about that.


Driving for Better Business

• Government recognised need to give higher priority to work related road safety especially for cars and vans

• Need a systematic programme which encouraged Health and Safety practices applied to driving at work

• A document was published by health and Safety Executive on managing work related road safety http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg382.htm


Managing work related road safety has many benefits

• Fewer days lost due to injury; • Reduced risk of work-related ill health; • Reduced stress and improved morale; • Fewer incidents mean less need for investigation and

paperwork; • Less lost time due to work rescheduling; • Fewer vehicles off the road for repair; • Reduced running costs through better driving standards; • Fewer missed orders and business opportunities so

reduced risk of losing the goodwill of customers.


Driving for Better Business – 10 essential elements for Companies

1. Assign a senior manager2. Incorporate Health and

Safety policy to driving3. Do risk assessments and

act on results 4. Properly record every

incident and analyse to prevent recurrence

5. Written guidance for drivers

6. Vet drivers to ensure fit, licenced competent and well trained

7. Ensure vehicles suitable for purpose

8. Ensure vehicles regularly inspected and maintained

9. Is journey necessary by car/van large HGV

10. Is journey time realistic re speed and rest breaks





• Can through the process of tendering for services require suppliers to demonstrate they have safety management systems in place

• An example is Crossrail in London which is building a new railway from west to east London

• Has extensive contract requirements including for vehicle equipment and driver training to enhance safety

The tendering process for good and services



ISO 39001 RTS management system needs procedures and processes to built in to the company management system • Leadership and commitment to safety from management• Written policies communicated and understood throughout

company with systems in place to regularly review and update• Clear structure for responsibility and authority for safety in

company • A set of realistic performance indicators which can be measured • Evaluate the risks so can ensure staff well trained and

understand context in which they are operating • Create a safety culture in the organisation e.g. drink, drugs,

fatigue, competence, which is continually monitored and updated and in which everyone is involved

• Legal compliance


Thank you

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Documents

Assessing risk in the context of road safety