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'Drive safely or risk the sack'
Page 22
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If you want to cut your accident rate try sacking accident-prone drivers. Patric
Cunnane reports on tough talking at a CM-sponsored safety conference.
RENTAL GIANT RYDER has introduced tough new policies to cut its accident rate, threatening drivers with the sack if they have more than three "preventable" accidents. Six drivers have already been dismissed under the company's "three strikes and you're out" policy.
Ryder's strategy for cutting accidents was revealed last week at the Driving Accidents Down conference held at the Villa Park football ground, jointly sponsored by CM and sister title Contract Journal. "After each incident fresh safety controls are put in place," says Paul Gallemore, Ryder's European health, safety, environmental and security manager. In the past a driver might be sacked after one accident while at another depot a driver remained employed for five years despite 20 accidents.
Rugby Cement has introduced procedures to save drivers falling from tankers, banning the use of tanker ladders. "We have installed safe access platforms," says Rick Sheehan, Rugby's head of logistics. "We want to make sure drivers never leave the ground.
David King, policy adviser at the Health & Safety Executive, told the conference that falling from a vehicle or being struck by a vehicle are the two most common causes of injuries to workers. In the past five years the proportion of major injuries caused by falls has risen from 39% to 47% falls account for 29% of all fatal accidents. To tackle this growing problem the Work at Height Regulations are set to be introduced next year.
"However, the good news is that the UK has the second lowest rate of fatalities in the EU, after Sweden," says King.
• A full conference report will appear in CM'S legal section in our 21 October issue.