A Presentation for Safety Committees,
Employers, Supervisors and
Workers Who Drive
Presentation Overview
• Driving is a workplace safety issue
• Workers who drive are at significant risk
• Your responsibilities
• Strategies to reduce the risks of winter driving for
fleet and “grey fleet” drivers
• Shift Into Winter campaign
• Resources
• Questions
Work and winter driving can be hazardous
• Motor-vehicle incidents (MVIs) are a leading cause
of work-related deaths in B.C.
• Vehicle collisions in B.C. double between October
and December
• Winter conditions (including rain) can be
challenging even for experienced commercial and
occupational drivers
• Employers, supervisors, workers and safety
committees can take steps to reduce the risks
3
Everyone is responsible for safety
• Motor vehicles are workplaces
• Make sure you know your health and safety
responsibilities:
- Employers: establish, deliver and maintain an OHS program that
addresses driving risks
- Supervisors: instruct drivers in safe work procedures
- Drivers: be safe on the roads; follow all laws and
workplace safety rules; report unsafe conditions
• Committees: identify and address driving and winter
driving issues in your workplace
4
Manage the risks
• Employers, supervisors, drivers and safety
committees: consider ways in which to eliminate /
reduce / manage road risk
• Is the risk worth it? Determine if winter driving is
absolutely necessary
• Explore business
alternatives (phone, email,
tele/video-conferencing,
public transportation)
5
Employers: manage the risks
• Develop control measures:
- where possible, eliminate / reduce travel by car
- plan safer trips (consider the weather, time of day
and reducing distances for longer trips)
- ensure vehicles are maintained and equipped with
necessary safety equipment
- train drivers, develop winter specific driving policies
• Develop safety measures for your “grey fleet”
• Provide a supportive work environment that promotes
safe driving behaviours
6
If you or your staff must drive . . .
Always check weather / travel conditions before you drive:
• DriveBC
• Environment Canada
• Online and broadcast media sources
If you have to drive, drive smart:
• Prepare yourself / your staff
• Prepare your vehicle / your fleet vehicles
• Drive for conditions
7
Drivers: prepare yourself for winter driving
• Learn winter driving skills
• Develop a positive driving
attitude
• Check weather conditions
• Plan your route ahead of time
• Anticipate delays
• Driving is a complex task: be focused on the road
• Follow working-alone procedures where applicable
• Slow down!
8
Prepare your vehicle*/company vehicles
• Vehicles should be tuned up before winter
• Install four matched winter tires (look
for the mountain and snowflake logo)
• Carry chains if you do not have winter tires
• Install new winter wiper blades
• Clear frost from all windows and snow / ice from all
vehicle surfaces before your trip
• Carry a cell phone (and charging cable)
• Pack a winter survival kit
*If you drive a personal car for work
9
Drive for the conditions
• Slow down: drop speed to match conditions
• Maintain a safe following distance (the 4-second rule)
• Watch for / anticipate
black ice (+4°C to -4°C)
• Accelerate and brake slowly
• Know how to handle a skid
• Don’t use cruise control
• Be visible: always drive
with your headlights on.
10
Winter Driving Safety Alliance
11
Shift into Winter campaign
12
Shift into Winter campaign
13
Shift into Winter: tip sheets
14
Tip sheets
15
Checklist
16
For more information
ShiftIntoWinter.ca
DriveBC.ca
Review
• Manage road risk in your workplace
• Vehicle collisions increase during winter
• Avoid /postpone driving in poor weather conditions
• Take changing conditions into account when
planning a work trip
• Prepare your vehicle (or fleet)
• Prepare yourself (or your drivers)
• Slow down and drive for the conditions
• Shift into Winter!
For more information
www.shiftintowinter.ca
www.worksafebc.com
www.drivebc.ca
www.workerroadsafety.com
www.weatheroffice.gc.ca
www.icbc.com
www.tc.gc.ca
http://www.tsf-bcaa.com/
Questions?
The Occupational Road Safety Partnership
The Occupational Road Safety Partnership was formed in
2009 by WorkSafeBC and the BCAA Road Safety Foundation.
The mission of the partnership is to:
• Create awareness about the significant risks associated with workrelated driving.
• Engage stakeholders to take action.
• Assist B.C. employers to improve work-related driving safety.
For more information visit www.workerroadsafety.com
(January 2012)