ISRI Convention: Driver Safety

The driver workforce is often viewed as the “unseen workforce,” according Tom Herod, transportation safety and training manager, ISRI, and lead speaker of the driver safety session at the 2008 ISRI Convention & Exhibition.

Herod discussed the need for a transportation safety program as well as the necessary program elements a company needs to implement a successful transportation safety program. According to Herod, the number of injured drivers and the liability issues that occur when drivers are untrained are the main reasons this new program was created.

From 2001 to 2007, 340 accidents/injuries were reported, according to RecycleGuard. Most driver injuries occur from slip and falls from heights, material handling or by being struck by materials, Herod said. One way companies can reduce their amount of driver’s accidents is by involving drivers in their weekly scrap yard safety training sessions.

Other methods Herod suggested includes restricting cell phone use when drivers are on the roads and having drivers practice backing up safely. No amount of forward training can prepare drivers for backing up, Herod said.

The setup of ISRI's Transportation Safety Program is another tool companies can use to aid them on their path to a successful Driver Safety Program. The program includes a driver handbook that drivers can keep in their trucks as well as a CD ROM guidance manual. The program also includes a safety newsletter received via email, safety posters and training videos. The program also includes ride along coaching, where a program professional will ride along with the driver and provide on the road training.

Visit www.isri.org for more information regarding the Transportation Safety Program.