Source: Truck News – West magazine
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA WorkSafeBC is expanding its Road Safety at Work campaign from an annual weekly event to a year-long initiative.
“The issue of road safety is one that applies year-round,” said Mark Ordeman, transportation manager of industry and labour services for WorkSafeBC. “So we decided to shift the focus to encouraging employers to take action at any time during the year rather than during one specific week.”
The goal of the Road Safety at Work campaign is to provide resources to B.C. employers so they can develop or improve their road safety programs within their business.
WorkSafeBC’s initial intent when it launched the initiative was to reduce the number of work-related driving collisions, injuries, and deaths in the province.
According to WorkSafeBC, work-related motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of traumatic workplace deaths in B.C., accounting to 34% of all work-related, traumatic deaths.
“On average each year, 19 workers are killed and another 1,350 are injured and miss time from work because of work-related crashes,” said Ordeman.
Over the course of the year, there will be eight, half-day workshops offered throughout the province and four, one-hour webinars on various occupational road safety issues.
On the website, www.roadsafetyatwork.ca, there are also free online resources, tools, and courses employers can use to enhance road safety programs. “One of (the site’s) most popular resources is a road safety plan template,” said Ordeman. “But there are tools for identifying hazards and assessing risks, creating journey management plans, developing road safety policies and procedures, and many more.”
Road Safety at Work will be part of numerous trade shows, events, and conferences in 2019.
WorkSafeBC will launch an advertising campaign – the first in January, then again in February and March – to increase awareness of the issue of workplace motor-vehicle incidents.
Ordeman said the main message of the campaign will be that “your employees are your greatest asset, so protect them when they drive for work.” Ordeman encourages carriers to visit the website, saying, “View its portfolio of free resources and make a commitment to improving at least one aspect of road safety in their organizations during the year.”
Visit Road Safety at Work for more details about training and upcoming workshops.