ELEVATING ROAD WORKER SAFETY

In the wake of a distressing 8.2% rise in the national road toll, the transport sector is championing a pivotal safety initiative with the launch of Australia’s inaugural Road Worker Safety Industry Guideline. Coinciding with the eve of Road Safety Week, this guideline marks a significant stride towards enhancing the safety of those on the front lines of road construction and maintenance.

Developed by the Roads Australia Road Worker Safety Working Group, which includes a range of prominent organisations heavily invested in the space, the guideline is not merely a set of rules but a transformative approach aimed at safeguarding our road workers. It emerges as a response to the unsettling increase in incidents, injuries, and fatalities involving road workers, underscored by Austroads' 2022 data indicating an average of 18 fatal worksite crashes and 245 serious injury crashes annually.

The guideline embodies a commitment from the industry to not just meet, but to exceed, existing safety standards to aspire towards a vision of zero future fatalities and serious injuries within the road worker industry. It encourages the adoption of safer technologies and methods that significantly mitigate the risks faced by road workers and the general public navigating through workzones.

James Pennings, Chief Commercial Officer at Altus Traffic said: “Industry can and should lead the development of higher standards for road worker safety. With its focus on capturing ever safer technologies and methods of work, Safer Workzones represents such a framework and we look forward to it being supported by organisations across the construction, maintenance, utilities and local government sectors.”

Having just recognised and celebrated Road Safety Week, the launch serves as a call to all drivers to reflect on their driving behaviours and embrace safer driving commitments. It also reinforces the industry's dedication to collaborate with all levels of government to implement the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25 and drive down road trauma more effectively.

In essence, the Road Worker Safety Industry Guideline is a testament to the sector's proactive stance on leadership in safety, advocating for a culture that prioritises the well-being of its workforce above all. As we continue to develop our road infrastructure, it is imperative that we also advance the standards of safety that protect those who make these developments possible.