BUILDING A ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM THAT IS FLEXIBLE
BUILDING A ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM THAT IS FLEXIBLE.
In most cases for business processes, achieving your road safety goals starts with a robust plan built on a solid foundation.
Whether the company is large, medium or small and whether employees drive company-owned or employee-owned vehicles, your road safety plan needs a practical framework. The Three-Step Process is a straightforward approach you can use to build a plan that’s right for your organization.
The Plan, Do and check method of improving road safety program has been in existence for a while. While most organizations have had to use this method to achieve an excellent result, a lot of others are not aware of it. Today we will be discussing the Plan, Do and Check method of making a flexible road safety program.
1. PLAN
The most important objective of an occupational road safety plan is to prevent work-related motor vehicle incidents and minimize the injuries, financial costs and other losses they cause. With that in mind, the first step is to understand where the organization is in terms of road safety, and determine where it needs to be. From there, one can establish targets, decide what success looks like and develop a plan to get there. There are five components in the plan stage which include knowing the essentials, getting management committed, checking the gauge, identifying hazards and asses risks, establishing metric and set target.
2. DO
The next step involves applying your understanding of the driving-related hazards employees face, and taking action to address them. The main elements of the DO step are
– Determining which controls and measures will be most effective in reducing exposure to the identified hazards.
– Developing those controls and measures.
– Implementing them.
– Tracking the results.
After considering the elements of the DO, organization must also put into action its functions which includes establishing self-control, focusing on the driver, conducting orientation for drivers, applying job management skills and providing adequate supervision.
3. CHECK
While the CHECK is the final step to ensure flexible and achieving safety programs, it is also very important as the first two steps
The CHECK step involves finding out if the processes and practices that were implemented are accomplishing intended outcomes. Checking is analyzing relevant information to determine if the controls you’ve put in place are reducing behind-the-wheel risks. Based on what you find out, the CHECK step includes looking for ways to adjust processes to improve performance and tackling emerging road safety issues. There are five elements which include regular reviews, checking implementations, analyzing and evaluation of outcome, investigation of incidents and near miss and, finally, continuous improvement.
To ensure road safety programs are flexible and achievable, organization must ensure the three steps are followed strictly and their elements are applied correctly.
