Safe Driving Initiative looks to culture change
Senan McGrath, Manager Fleet & Equipment, reviews ESB's safe driving initiative.
Almost five years ago, ESB Networks first began to roll out a comprehensive safety initiative programme aimed at reducing Lost Time Accidents and positioning safety at the heart of the business. One critical area of operations was initially overlooked - the safe driving of ESB vehicles.
However, with the creation of the
Fleet & Equipment business unit, a
concerted safe driving campaign has
been underway for over a year and a
half now. It sets ambitious targets for
the reduction of collisions and vehicle
accident numbers and real change in
both the behaviour and skill levels of
drivers when operating ESB vehicles.
The programme has aimed to do this
through a series of new training and
assessment courses allied to placing
safe driving at the heart of a
prominent safety culture in ESB.
According to Senan McGrath, who
manages the Fleet & Equipment
business, it is important that the
changes in driving behaviour are fully
embraced by the company as a whole.
"Where driving safety has been
successful in companies across the
world it is where it has become part of
ongoing health and safety strategies
and not just a specialist fleet
management issue."
"Previously if somebody fell off a pole and was unable to work for a while everyone in the company would know about it. But in the past with a vehicle collision no one would necessarily be aware of it. But the new Fleet & Equipment business allowed us a better view of the nature of the vehicle accidents in the business and enabled us to do something about it," he added.
As with the issue of safety across ESB as a whole, the stakes are also high when it comes to the safe driving of ESB vehicles, with an average of one person dying every other year from a collision with an ESB vehicle. The positive effects of any safe driving programme are also far-reaching with about 2,500 to 3,000 people driving ESB vehicles, the majority in Networks. This figure rises to over 5,000 people (which does include the 3,000 above) when the number of people who do some ESB business in their own cars is counted.
A cross company team chaired by Senan McGrath examined the issues behind vehicle safety and came up with a seven-module approach to positively tackle change across the business. This approach included the setting up of an advanced driving pilot programme which over 150 people have completed to date (including senior management and safety and union reps). This pilot is in the process of being rolled out more extensively.
The advanced driving programme was complemented by a programme for younger drivers with the added benefit of reduced insurance policies for those who completed the course successfully. And a new certificate of competency has been introduced for those ESB staff that drive specialist vehicles such as ATVs, four-wheel vehicles and hoists and cranes. To be awarded the certificate the successful candidate must pass a two-day training programme and assessment that includes a written test. It is intended that this programme will become mandatory (including contractors) in the future.
"We are lucky in that the commitment to safety comes from the top down in ESB and this is essential in driving safety in a business. Today every senior manager has objectives and targets in the reduction of collisions and we have also introduced audits to measure the change in behaviour where we do things like check the numbers wearing seat belts," said Senan McGrath.
"But what we have also done is develop a series of coherent policies and procedures such as the mandatory wearing of seatbelts at all times when the law is actually not so specific for the drivers of certain vehicles," he added. The Safe Driving programme has also seen the creation of systematic accident investigation techniques which, in addition to fulfilling legal requirements, allows Senan and his team to further understand how best to drive forward the safe driving culture across ESB. EM
