Young drivers at work - FREE seminar for employers

Free training to help protect young people driving for work is on offer as RoSPA’s efforts to cut accidents involving some of our most vulnerable road users continue apace.

The Young Drivers at Work seminar, taking place on March 30, will train employers and road safety professionals to run workshops in their own organisations for their young driving staff (aged 17 – 24).

The launch of the workshop is the next step in the Young Drivers at Work project, run by RoSPA in England and Wales and funded by the Department for Transport. It began with a survey of managers and their young drivers in 2008; and the responses led RoSPA to design and run a series of pilot workshops. It has been structured to involve young drivers in discussions about aspects influencing the way they drive.

March’s seminar will prepare attendees to run these workshops in their own organisations. It will cover issues highlighted by RoSPA’s initial research, including the distinctive aspects of driving for work, attitudes to driving and the importance of journey planning.

Duncan Vernon, RoSPA’s road safety manager for England, said: “Young drivers at work face many challenges to do with their relative inexperience on the road as well as having to drive under the pressures which work can create.

“Staying safe on the roads is a responsibility best shared between employers and employees.”

This seminar, taking place at RoSPA’s Birmingham headquarters, is free of charge. However, with demand expected to be very high, potential delegates are advised to contact us as soon as possible using Rapid Response below to book their place.

Save money on your training - RoSPA Scotland offers

Save money on two training courses running in Edinburgh next month when you book before the end of February.

Workplace Transport Risk Assessment
Onsite transport remains the second biggest cause of accidents in the workplace, causing around 70 fatalities and over 2,000 serious injuries each year. Covering this key HSE issue, the course will help you:

• Understand the issues involved in effective management of workplace transport
• Gain an insight into the legal and business issues
• Apply HSG 65 principles to workplace transport management
• Undertake a ‘suitable and sufficient’ workplace transport risk assessment
• Understand active and reactive monitoring techniques within the workplace

Date: March 1, 2010
Fees: now £100 per delegate (Was £375)

Managing Occupational Road Risk
More people are killed and injured in at-work road accidents than in all other occupational accidents put together. Covering this key corporate manslaughter issue, the course will help you:

• Understand the elements and benefits of the successful management of health and safety issues associated with fleet management and driving
• Identify your responsibilities and how risk on the road can be minimised for company vehicle and ‘occasional’ drivers

Date: March 29, 2010
Fees: Members £220, Non-members £240 – 2 delegates for the price of 1

Call us on 0131 449 9378 before the end of February to book your place, quoting reference Safety Connections.

An historic event - 75th Road Safety Congress

February has finally arrived, bringing with it RoSPA’s annual Road Safety Congress taking place this year in Stratford-upon-Avon on February 22-24.

This year will be RoSPA’s 75th annual Road Safety Congress. Road safety has been a cause for campaign since the very beginning of public safety awareness, with RoSPA starting operations in 1917 in response to ‘an alarming increase in traffic accidents’ in London.

The Society continues to be a powerful voice for road safety, playing an instrumental part in important safety landmark legislation including the passing of UK seatbelt and mobile phone laws.

Secure your place today

This year’s Congress will build on the event’s past history, and look at what the UK can learn from its international colleagues in order to make Britain’s roads “...the safest in the world”. Speakers are confirmed from around the globe, with Transport Minister Paul Clark MP delivering the keynote address.

Time is running out for booking attendance, so secure your place today at this historic event.

Hotline: 0121 248 2120
Email: events@rospa.com

FREE e-bulletin services - For RoSPA Members

Get the latest health and safety news delivered straight to your inbox!

As part of your RoSPA membership package you can get a free subscription to the RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health e-bulletin service. Each month, subscribers receive one e-bulletin from which 11 separate bulletins on priority health and safety topics can be accessed,Including topics such as: asbestos, stress, falls, electricity, occupational road risk, construction, education, MSDs/manual handling, fire, occupational health, risk assessment, and workplace transport.

By joining RoSPA you don’t just support accident prevention; your organisation will benefit in many other ways.

• Discounts on training, consultancy services and resources
• Subscription to one or more of our award-winning journals
• Use of the RoSPA Member logo and membership certificate
• Access to the Infocentre helpline
• Manage your membership in the online Member Zone

Call 0121 248 2233 to find out how RoSPA membership can help your organisation.

OHSAS 18001 - Is your organisation up to standard?

OHSAS 18001 - Does your organisation meet the British Standard?

OHSAS 18001 is the internationally-recognised assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems.

RoSPA can assess your health and safety management system against OHSAS 18001requirements. If we’re satisfied that you comply with the standard, we’ll issue a Certificate of Compliance, which can help you attract and retain clients.

RoSPA’s unique added-value service means that if your organisation does not satisfy the criteria on your first attempt, we will work with you to achieve compliance by telling you exactly where you’re going wrong and helping you put it right.

Contact us now on 0121 248 2076 or email us using the rapid response button below, and ensure your organisation is fully compliant with British Standards.

RoSPA Awards - Last chance to enter!

With just over a week until the closing date for the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards, this really is your last chance to enter the 2010 round and to join an elite group of health and safety high achievers.

To ensure you don’t miss out, send your entry in before February 12, 2010 and celebrate your health and safety achievements.

With a record-breaking 1,700 entrants in 2009, the RoSPA Awards continue to grow year on year with more and more organisations realising the real value and benefits of a premier health and safety award.

A RoSPA award not only gives independently-judged recognition for your health and safety policies and practices, it may also open up new business opportunities. Promoting yourself as a safety-conscious organisation to suppliers, peers and customers could be the unique selling point needed to secure new contracts and partnerships.

Find out more about the RoSPA Awards – the leading health and safety awards scheme – and don’t miss out on gaining recognition for your achievements in this vital area.

Driver trainer skills - City & Guilds qualification

Are you new to training or looking for a new career in training?

The City and Guilds 7300 – Introduction to Trainer Skills course will help to develop the skills needed for your chosen career path and is aimed at anybody looking for an introductory teaching qualification.

Delegates will learn techniques and skills for effectively disseminating information within a training environment. No matter what type of training you carry out, confidently passing on essential information and getting the best out of your students has to be of paramount importance.

Course content:

• Planning (including session planning)
• Delivery (participants will deliver a 10-15 minute ‘session’ that they have planned)
• Evaluation (self, peer group and course evaluation)
• Setting ground rules
• Use of icebreakers
• The learning environment
• Training resources
• Gaining and maintaining attention
• Motivation
• Assessment

Duration: 2 days
Venue: Birmingham

To find out more about this course contact us using RoSPA’s rapid response below.

Drink-drive figures - Time for a review of the law?

The number of people caught drink-driving over Christmas confirms the need for the North Review of drink - drive laws that is now underway. RoSPA gave evidence to the review last week, and supported the need for major reforms to drink and drug-driving laws.

7,638 drivers were arrested after breath tests in England and Wales between December 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010. Although the figure is 16.51% lower than the previous year, it demonstrates that far too many drivers are still putting themselves at risk.

3% of all drivers tested were over the limit, but the percentage rose to 4% for drivers under the age of 25, and to 7% for drivers involved in an accident. The Association of Chief Police Officers published figures showing that 223,423 drivers were tested during the Christmas period.

In December, the Government announced an independent review of drink and drug-driving laws. RoSPA has for many years called for a reduction in the legal alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, to 50mg. It is estimated that this move would save around 65 lives and 230 serious injuries on British roads each year.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA’s head of road safety, said: “The Christmas figures once again show action is needed to change the behaviour of a stubborn minority who continue to drink and drive despite years of education and enforcement campaigns.

“Drink-driving is simply not worth the risk. A little forethought, like planning how you are going to get home, is all that is needed so you don’t need to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.”

Sir Peter North is inviting all interested groups and individuals to submit their views by February 22, 2010. More details are available at http://northreview.independent.gov.uk/index.