state of occupational road safety globally – policy perspective

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23-04-22Swedish Road Administration

State of Occupational Road Safety Globally – Policy Perspective

Claes TingvallProfessor, Dr Med ScDirector of Traffic SafetySwedish Road Administration

International Conference on Road Safety at Work, Washington, DC 2009Presentation prepared in cooperation with Anders Lie, SRA

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Hypothesis

• Safety improvement in work related traffic offers a large, if not extremely large potential, even if it is less risky than other types of traffic. The reason is that the proportion of work related traffic in all parts of the world is large and therefore has an effect on the traffic culture through copied behaviour as well as on the vehicle fleet!

• The other reason is that it introduces a new intermediate level of responsibility that is larger than any other alternative and would receive major benefits from taking on responsibility!

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Reasons for limited progress

• Many, if not most countries have OHS legislation that can be used for traffic

• Many, although, are not using this opportunity as the old approach to traffic safety is that the driver is responsible to the road user regulations

• Most corporations consider transport as something outside the core processes

• Society has not seen corporate traffic as a part of the corporate behaviour – not even governmental bodies!

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Motives for action for better safety

Brand image and CSROccupational Health and Safety (OHS) Market share – business to business and to consumerCosts – fuel, insurance etc.Environmental impact (fuel)

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Brand image and CSR

• Linked to top management• “Branded” vehicles should be seen as a part of the

corporation or organisation – How they drive is a sign of the culture and the social responsibility.

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23-04-22Swedish Road AdministrationOur vision is that by 2020

no one will be killed or injured in a Volvo

Vision 2020

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OHS

• Great risk for the staff and potentially high costs• Good OHS is a sign of good working environemt

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Market share and business to business

• Safety principles and safety management could be a requirement in business, like ISO 14000 is for environment

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Costs

• Insurance• Fuel costs – 10-15 %• Maintenance• Injury

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Environment

• Non aggressive driving – less CO2, less noise, less particles

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Policy instruments

• OHS legislation and enforcement• ISO management standard (ISO 39001) or OHS standard• Purchasing/rental and use policies• Benchmarking including measurements• Insurance• Governmental/public organisations setting an example• Targeted driver support systems and technology can be

stimulated and/or regulated

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23-04-22Swedish Road AdministrationTHE TYLÖSAND DECLARATION

Articles

1. Everyone has the right to use roads and streets without threats to life or health

2. Everyone has the right to safe and sustainable mobility: safety and sustainability in road transport should complement each other

3. Everyone has the right to use the road transport system without unintentionally imposing any threats to life or health on others

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23-04-22Swedish Road AdministrationTHE TYLÖSAND DECLARATION

Articles

4. Everyone has the right to information about safety problems and the level of safety of any component, product, action or service within the road transport system

5. Everyone has the right to expect systematic and continuous improvement in safety: any stakeholder within the road transport system has the obligation to undertake corrective actions following the detection of any safety hazard that can be reduced or removed.

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Management systems help organisations deliver by systematic work and management

– ISO 9001 (Quality)

– ISO 14001 (Environment)

– Proposed ISO 39001 (Road-traffic Safety management systems)

A management system for road traffic safety can help organisations to be better

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What Is Unique in a Management Standard for Road Traffic Safety?

The road transport system is an open system - No single actor can control the system

There are many approaches and definitions of road traffic safety

It is difficult to focus activities and to make follow-up since there is a long distance between organisational actions and a diminished number of fatalities and severe injuries

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What Is Important For a Management System For Road Traffic Safety?

It should use structures similar to existing management standards (ISO 9001 for Quality Management and ISO 14001 for Environmental Quality Management)

It should clearly define ”Road Traffic Safety” – Vision Zero and the Tylösand Declaration may form the basis

It should handle the complex interfaces between an organisation and the road transport system

It should use a predefined set of road traffic safety performance indicators

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What Can Be the Result of a Management Standard For Road Traffic Safety?

More companies and organisations works systematically with road traffic safety

Road traffic safety can become an important factor in the trade of goods and services

A systematic dialogue can be initiated between actors influencing the road traffic safety

We can save many road users from severe and fatal injuriesCompanies and organisations can diminish their costs

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Safety Performance Indicators

The indicator is an intermediate outcome that is causally connected to the final outcome. The indicators can be settled and measured by any organizations as a tool to define objectives and measure performance (intermediate outcomes).

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Proposed Dimensions for Safety Performance Indicators 1

a) The use and supply of safe vehicles• Vehicles protection of occupants in crashes• Vehicles capability to mitigate or avoid crashes• Vehicles protection level for unprotected road users• Vehicle compatibility with other vehiclesb) The use and supply of safe roads and streets• Appropriate speed in traffic where vehicles and unprotected road users co-exist• Appropriate speed in traffic with frequent crossing of other vehicles• Appropriate speed in traffic with on-coming vehicles• Appropriate speed on road without unprotected road users, intersections or on-coming traffic• Appropriate roads depending on vehicle type and equipment

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Proposed Dimensions for Safety Performance Indicators 2c) The use and supply of personal safety equipment• Use of seat belts• Use of motorcycle and bicycle helmets• Use of visibility aids

d) The assurance of and support for safe usage of the road transport system• Use of driving speed not exceeding speed limits• Use of fit drivers especially considering fatigue, alcohol and drugs• Safe head-way• Adaptation to weather and traffic situation• Operating within traffic laws

e) The supply of accident and trauma management• Knowledge of first aid• Preparedness to alarm, rescue and emergency services

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More than OHS!

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More than OHS!

• Vehicle sales to corporations form the vehicle population for the public

• If 15-20 % of the traffic flow change behaviour, there will be changes to the rest of the flow

• If corporations demand safety options on cars and products, this will stimulate development, alcohol interlocks is an example

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Summary

• Major organisations are investing in improving safety at work• Road safety policies have not fully picked up the potentials in

stimulating better safety at work• OHS regulation not used to full extent• Governments have not used the potential in setting the

example• ISO 39 001 could create a major shift in safety at work• In essence – bring safety into management systems

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Final statement

• There are only benefits from improved safety at work – also on the corporate level!

• Integrate traffic, in particular safety and environmental impact, into all important parts of a corporation’s or organisation’s management systems and responsibilities

state of occupational road safety globally – policy perspective

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