Driving Safety Work Wins IOSH Excellence in Communication Award
"Management of occupational road risk came up in a committee meeting as a big issue. It was felt that not enough employers were showing the necessary care and diligence to the safety and health of staff driving for work," said Les Pearce, who chairs the Midland Branch's East District.
The Midland Branch's East District of IOSH, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, has won IOSH's Excellence in Communication Award 2015 for its members' work to highlight the occupational driving risks. The East District members used their annual seminar to examine how businesses can better protect their driving workers and they worked with other organizations, including RoSPA, the Institute of Advanced Motorists, and the Freight Transport Association, to share best practices with more than 100 delegates earlier this year.
IOSH announced the district as this year's winner during its annual Networks Conference. "Management of occupational road risk came up in a committee meeting as a big issue. It was felt that not enough employers were showing the necessary care and diligence to the safety and health of staff driving for work," said Les Pearce, who chairs the East District. "Company drivers could be 'out of sight, out of mind,' with the ensuing risks of their daily work activity not being properly managed. We wanted employers to learn about the risks from those who have a real grip on the topic."
Issues highlighted during the seminar included working hours, work culture, mobile phone use on the move, and the pros and cons of face-to-face meetings over telephone and video calls. Pearce said the award was a fitting honor for the dedication and teamwork that the district committee, IOSH Events and Networks staff, and the outside organizations involved had shown in putting on the seminar.
Other entries in the award contests focused on topics including coaching, agricultural safety, rail crossings, and accident investigation.
Details about the 2015 award entries can be found at www.iosh.co.uk/eca2015.