A program in safety management for the occupational driver: Conceptual development and implementation case study

Road traffic injury is the leading cause of work-related death and serious injury in Australia. Despite this, limited attention has been given to the development and implementation of effective preventive strategies within the workplace setting. A safe driving environment at work not only depends on individual compliance with safe driving practices but on all individuals understanding risks, anticipating threats to safety, showing concern for the safety of others, and contributing to safety improvements in the organisation. In particular, workgroup supervisors play a pivotal role in creating a safe work environment. This paper describes a new and innovative conceptual framework for a program designed to improve work-related driver safety. The focus of this program is on developing the skills of supervisors in identifying situations in which their drivers may be at risk on the road (e.g., drivers are tired, stressed, under pressure to meet deadlines) and to managing these situations through effective safety leadership. This paper describes development of the Safety Management for the Occupational Driver (SMOD) program and an implementation case study.