The Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ScORSA) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the risks of work-related driving and help businesses cut accidents among their workers.
The new campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of work related driving, especially the ‘fatal four’: distraction, drink or drug misuse, speeding, and not wearing a seatbelt.
It aims to promote the free help and advice that employers – and employees – can get from ScORSA to reduce the risks of driving for work; and encourages employers to consider the health and safety of employees who drive for work (whether in fleet vehicles or in their own) as part of their wider approach to health and safety at work. According to ScORSA, many employers do not see occupational road risk as a mainstream health and safety issue, but in fact driving is one of the most the most dangerous work activities – – nearly one in three fatal and serious road traffic accidents involve somebody who is driving for work. And for drivers covering more than 25,000 miles a year as part of their job, their risk of being killed at work is similar to that of construction workers or those working in quarrying.
To help bring these risks under control, ScORSA is encouraging employers to sign up as members and download a free toolkit.
The toolkit includes straightforward advice about how to keep workers safe while driving, advice on how to start the conversation in the workplace, example social media content and inspiring case studies.
Karen McDonnell, Occupational Health and Safety Policy Adviser at ScORSA said: “We are delighted to launch our toolkit to support organisations in managing their occupational road risk in a way that is appropriate to their business.
“Improving the safety of workers driving as part of their job not only reduces health and safety risks for employees, but it also makes sound business sense.
“With the cost of living and fuel prices rapidly rising, ScORSA’s toolkit is a critical resource for reducing work-related road accidents as well as saving time and money on staff absences, lost productivity, and reputational damage.”
ScORSA was created to help and support small and medium sized businesses manage their occupational road risks created through normal business activity. It is funded by Transport Scotland and contributes to the delivery of Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030.
ScORSA promotes safer work-related driving for employers, trade unions, local authorities, police forces, safety organisations and professional and trade associations, providing free advice, resources and networking opportunities to help businesses across Scotland to manage occupational road risk.
Keyword: New campaign highlights the risks of driving for work