IOSH has reiterated its call for work-related road traffic accidents to be reported by employers, to mark Road Safety Week (19-25 November).
The Institution was prompted to speak out on account of the hundreds of people still dying on UK roads each year while at work.
Specifically, it wants the Government to include work-related road traffic accidents (RTAs) in the national accident reporting system (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995).
Richard Jones, head of policy and public affairs at IOSH, said: “In our response to the RIDDOR consultation [which concluded last month], we have again called for the Government to make serious injuries and deaths from work-related road traffic accidents reportable under RIDDOR.
“Employers have clear duties under health and safety legislation in this country to manage work-related health and safety risks, which will include their occupational road risks. Employers who do not ensure employees can drive safely for work are as much at fault as those who don’t ensure employees can use workplace machinery safely.”
According to latest provisional figures from the Department for Transport, in the year ending June 2012, 24,870 people are estimated to have been killed or seriously injured on the roads in the UK. In 2010, the Government estimated that 24 per cent of serious injuries, and 30 per cent of road deaths could be linked to work-related road traffic accidents.
Mr Jones added: “It’s vital employers manage their occupational road risks just as they would any other health and safety risks, through good planning and by implementing sensible, proportionate precautions. As well as preventing enormous human suffering, it also makes good business sense.”
Road Safety Week is run by the charity Brake to heighten awareness of the extent of carnage on UK roads, and the steps everyone can take to stop needless deaths and injuries year-round.
This year’s initiatives include the Go 20 campaign being run in London to make the capital’s streets more “people-friendly”. A series of “head-turning” adverts are going up across the city, urging drivers to slow down to 20mph in residential areas.
Said the Brake’s deputy chief executive, Julia Townsend: “Everyone should be able to walk and cycle without fear or threat, and the GO 20 campaign is about making that a reality. Reducing speeds in communities helps to take the pressure off, enabling people to walk, cycle and jog safely.
“This was the inspiration behind these ads, which we wanted to be engaging and empowering rather than finger-wagging. We want to persuade that drivers they personally can help make London’s streets safer for walking and cycling, by making a simple pledge to GO 20 around homes, schools and shops.”
To find out more about Go 20 visit www.go20.org while information about Road Safety Week is at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/index.php?/about-brake.html
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I would have thought that this was a good initiative. I don’t believe anyone is suggesting that safety practitioners are road traffic accident investigators, but you do know when someone has suffered a serious injury by driving on company business. Sensible questions can then be asked such as how long was the journey, how long had they been driving for and maybe review policies to prevent another similar accident.
In general I agree with you about expertise but a word of caution. An engineer friend of mine had to do his own calculations to save himself for jail when the “expert” testimony of the “cop” was all wrong in repect of calculating speed/distance after a fatal accident.
absolutley ridiculous
as an ex traffic officer RTA investigation is not like a cut thumb you know, it takes specialist knowledge and insight, I dont think a number of safety guys have got a handle on investigating minor work place injuries yet let alone being let loose on a multi vehicle pile up on a busy motorway. ( RTA`s are not caused because we “dont have that piece of paper”).
unbelieveable
Come back when you know what you are talking about
Asking “sensible” questions , that is if the person is still alive will not determine the causes of RTA`s,
can you explain how to determine a vehicles speed from the length depth and shape of a skid mark? or the displacement of debris? Thought not.
I can and believe the experts of the road traffic dept. are the only true investigators and the opinion of a complete clueless H&S guy will have no weight against the expert testimony of a cop