Canadian Occupational Safety

August/September2018

Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 23 "All of that data is being collected in real time from the vehicle and then being exposed through a software platform that businesses can log into to see their dashboard. And they can receive the information either from a desktop computer or from a mobile device," says Calkins. All data regarding the driver's per- formance goes into a Driver Safety Scorecard Report, which rates the driver based on performance. Fleet manag- ers and supervisors then know which drivers need coaching and which areas need improvement. The device also coaches the driver in real time. When a driver violates a rule — fails to buckle up, for example — the device automatically sends an audible alert to the cab that identifies the violation. "The audible alert will continue to beep until they latch the seatbelt. Once they latch the seatbelt, the noti- fication will stop beeping at the driver. It is in real-time coaching that we see significant improvements in drivers' behaviour," says Calkins. An add-on that uses text-to-speech technology identifies the exact vio- lation in spoken language and in wording determined by the employer. Telematics can be combined with other technologies, such as cameras and sensors, to collect even more data. For example, cameras mounted in the vehicle cab can monitor head and eye movements to detect fatigue, distracted driving and other problems. The system will notify the driver and also send a notification to a supervisor. Another system, called a collision avoidance device, attaches to the inside of the windshield and sends visual and audible alerts to the driver, warning of impending collisions, unsafe lane changes or following too close. The last three years have seen a greatly expanded adoption of telematics, Calkins says. Currently, the technology is used most heavily in the oil and gas, construction and delivery industries. The costs of both imple- mentation and monthly recurring fees have been declining, she says, and the use of telematics is likely to rise. According to a 2017 survey of 260 companies done by Teletrac Navman in Garden Grove, Calif., 81 per cent of respondents were already using telematics or planned to use them in 2018. Of the 62 per cent who said they were planning to invest in more tech- nology, the two most popular systems were fatigue monitoring and machine vision, cameras and sensors. Among the items organizations monitor, speed was near the top (61 per cent of respondents), followed by driver hours (53 per cent), driver performance (37 per cent) and harsh braking (17 per cent). Of the most important benefits actually realized, respondents identified improved driver behaviour (37 per cent of respondents), improved driver safety (16 per cent) and fewer accidents (four per cent). DISTRACTED DRIVING Distraction and fatigue are significant contributing factors in road crashes, says Robyn Robertson, president and CEO of the Traffic Injury Research Foundation in Ottawa. Approximately 300 Canadians are killed each year as a result of distrac- tion, and fatigue is estimated to play a role in about 20 per cent of crashes, she says. In recent years, all jurisdictions in Canada (except Nunavut) have enacted distracted driving legisla- tion, making it illegal to use any hand-held electronic device while driving. Conviction can lead to fines up to $1,200 and assignment of three to five demerit points. Employers that do not take reasonable precau- tions may be held liable if a worker is injured while driving and using a hand-held electronic device. A wide variety of phone applica- tions are available to help drivers reduce distractions behind the wheel. Once activated — either automati- cally when the vehicle reaches a certain speed or manually when the driver enters the vehicle — the app blocks calls and texts and may dis- able other phone features, such as email and camera. The app sends automatic replies to texts letting the sender know the recipient is driving. The driver is usually limited to two or three apps, often just navigation and music. The driver can also choose a few contacts who can call in. Some apps have a corresponding website that allows another person to moni- tor the use of the app. Instead of blocking calls and texts, some apps turn text messages into audio, reading the messages aloud. The driver can then select a response from a list of replies to send a text back. REWARDS AND DETERRENTS Of all organizations that offer rewards to drivers for better performance, more than one-half experience fewer safety violations and accidents. The reward may be a financial benefit, such as gift card, or it may simply be a mention in the company newsletter. While it's necessary to take corrective action with employees who do not follow company policies and proce- dures, Walters says, it is perhaps more effective to recognize those employ- ees who do. "Recognizing drivers who have excellent driving results is part of job performance, the same way you might recognize them for accomplishing milestones in non-driving aspects of their work," he says. "It doesn't have to be complex. Just identifying and recognizing people, a pat on the back, a thank-you for another 100,000 kilometres of safe driving — I think people really appreciate that." Rewards programs can be tied to a driver's smartphone. A mobile app records driving behaviour events, such as phone usage, speeding, hard brak- ing and aggressive acceleration. Drivers in the fleet are scored and ranked among their team members. The top performers and most improved drivers are automatically rewarded each week with gift cards. Some fleet managers are looking not to rewards but to deterrents to encourage safe driving behaviour. A company in the United States recently introduced a policy of requiring driv- ers to pay a deductible of US$250 to $500 when they are deemed at fault for an accident or when the collision is ruled as preventable. The purpose of the policy is to increase driver accountability. "This has made our drivers more aware of the importance of driver safety and demonstrates (our com- pany's) commitment to safety by addressing these accidents one by one. The number of at-fault accidents has even gone as low as zero for a few months," the company's HR opera- tions fleet manager, Yolanda Johnson, was quoted as saying. One interesting way safety manag- ers are trying to reduce incidents is through safety ride-alongs, in which managers accompany employees on a drive. In addition to their behaviour- based training, Technical Safety BC introduced the ride-along as an annual practice a few years ago. A leader or joint occupational health and safety committee member rides along with an employee to check safety requirements, including vehicle operation, vehicle safety inspection and safe driving and parking practices, Matheson says. Among the factors affecting risk tol- erance that drivers in behaviour-based training are asked to examine is time pressure, McDonald says. When driv- ers are on the road and start worrying about being late and want to speed, they are told to shift their attention away from being late and consider the bigger picture. "That's the contrast between what I want in the moment and what I really want long-term. What is really important to me? It's important to me to make it to the meeting on time, but what is really important is that I arrive and I'm home with my family tonight," he says. "So, if I think about that, I can ask: Is going 130 kilometres an hour down the highway in a 110 zone a wise deci- sion? Is that going to enhance my probability of getting home to play with my kids tonight? Or is it merely going to satisfy my desire to be on time for my meeting?" Linda Johnson is a freelance journalist based in Toronto who has been writing for COS for seven years. A road risk policy should: • be produced in consultation with managers, employees, trade unions and external organizations as appropriate • include a statement about your company's commitment to road safety and an ultimate aim that no deaths or injuries should result from driving on company business • cover how you will safely manage your drivers, vehicles and journeys • use simple, straightforward language and give examples to explain your statements • commit to regular (such as two-monthly) risk assessments to ensure safety practices are kept up to date • set targets for achievement within an allocated time period (such as lower rates of incidents per kilometres travelled or lower repair bills and insurance premiums) • explain the policy will be updated as necessary on a regular basis, through further consultation as needed • be as concise and to the point as possible. Source: Brake WRITING A ROAD RISK POLICY A road risk policy demonstrates your organization's commitment to road safety and provides a framework for managing and reducing your road risk.

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