In BC, at least 10,000 workers drive as part of their job. The time they spend driving is very likely the most dangerous time of their day.
“Some are professional drivers, operating a large commercial truck, a courier van or a taxi,” reads the Road Safety at Work website. “Others drive from one work location to another – driving to the next construction site or a home care client’s residence, across town to a meeting or to another town for a sales call.”
Here in my province, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of traumatic workplace deaths. Every year, 23 die in MVAs and another 1,290 workers are injured.
Image (close-up) from the Road Safety at Work website
The Road Safety at Work initiative is dedicated to safety for this group of driving workers, managed by the Justice Institute of BC and funded by WorkSafeBC. Its Road Safety At Work Workshop is for owners, managers, and supervisors who are responsible for planning workers’ safety behind the wheel.
Employers will leave the seminar knowing how to plan and implement a custom program for the specific needs of their own workers. It’s free of charge to participants and shows how to use the tools and resources in the Essentials of a Road Safety Program.
I wanted to know what employers were saying about the workshops – and when and where more are scheduled – so I contacted Angelina Robinson, Client Relationship Manager for Road Safety At Work. Angelina shared feedback on the workshop from employers who said:
* They feel better equipped to mitigate road safety risks and hazards in their workplaces.
* They are pleased with all of the complimentary resources available to them.
* They are prepared to take action based on what they have learned in the workshop.
* They really enjoyed the collaborative learning experience.
Employers have legal obligations when their workers drive on company time.
“We want to help employers, large and small, to address their responsibility to ensure their employees are safe when they are driving during their working hours,” Angelina said.
“Road safety is smart business.”
Upcoming Road Safety At Work workshops in BC
Workshops are scheduled for:
* Wed., September 16, Penticton OR Kelowna (time and location to be announced)
* Thurs., October 1, Victoria (time and location to be announced)
* Fri., October 2, Nanaimo (time and location to be announced)
* Thurs. October 22, 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm @ BC Fed Health & Safety Centre, 200 – 5118 Joyce Street, Vancouver
If you’re interested, check the events section of the Road Safety at Work website for updates.
