Tim Sparey from BSI Training discusses the safety problems facing road transport organizations and the improvements that could be gained through implementing BS ISO 39001.
Road transport deaths and serious injuries are still rising1. As recently as this April, an organization was fined £75,000 after a 29-year-old worker died from multiple injuries when a stack of pallets fell onto him; in prosecution the HSE said that this was due to 'insufficient management controls'2. In March this year, an operator was fined £40,000 for causing the death of a 67 year old pedestrian due to a simple lack of designated crossing points and pedestrian segregation3. These and many other needless loss of lives continue despite the lessons learned from previous incidents and the health and safety controls put in place by transport organizations.
An effectively planned and regularly reviewed management system for safety risks in the workplace is needed to start to reduce the risk of such incidents happening again. Linking successful safety planning to the effective implementation of controls, training, checking and improvement is the key to reducing injury and death. A structured approach to the management of health and safety in the workplace, such as through using BS OHSAS 18001, has proven to be effective in reducing incidents4.
