ORR report identifies opportunities for RSOs

A working group set up by LARSOA’s eastern region has produced a wide-ranging report looking at occupational road risk.

The report, ‘Occupational Road Risk, A Guide for Road Safety Officers’, investigates the issues relating to businesses and local authorities - and the role of road safety practitioners in focusing greater attention to work-related road safety initiatives.

Company car drivers have one of the worst accident records on the road. Between 800 and 1,000 road accident fatalities - from a total of approximately 3,600 each year - involve vehicles being driven for work purposes. Managing Occupational Road Risk (ORR) is central to the Government’s road safety strategy.

The working group posted a survey to more than 10,000 businesses in the eastern region to establish the current level of commitment to ORR. While 1,978 companies responded, only 422 recognised their responsibilities and had a policy in place or in development. The survey suggests that 8 out of 10 companies need advice and prompting - and that many would welcome such assistance now.

Further research included a survey to the 467 local authorities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but only 50 authorities completed either all or part of the questionnaire.

The report also identifies good practice and benefits for the development of a risk management approach to control safe vehicle operations. It refers to the need for a new safety culture within an organisation - one in which everyone accepts their involvement and responsibilities.

This report highlights opportunities for road safety practitioners to make inroads into Government casualty reduction targets, and provides a menu of choices to achieve this.

A copy of the report can be obtained from Anton Tungate, senior RSO (training), Suffolk County Council, anton.tungate@et.suffolkcc.gov.uk.