Workplace transport has been identified by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as a priority as vehicles at work continue to be a major cause of fatal and major injuries. Since 1998/99 there has been an average of 61 fatalities each year as well as over 2150 major injuries and over 4270 injuries requiring the injured person to be off work for more than 3 days. Work related road deaths are estimated to be around 1000 each year. The definition of workplaces also includes premises such as schools.
During school term time in Wales, tens of thousands of pupils and their parents make a daily journey to and from school. These journeys have a considerable affect on local transport patterns, causing localised congestion around schools and contributing to peak road traffic flows each morning and afternoon.
Across Wales there are also local factors which exacerbate the risks to pupils and other pedestrians from these vehicles within the curtilege of schools. Many of these factors did not exist when older schools were originally built or were not adequately considered by school planners in more recently built schools. Contributing factors today include wider catchment areas resulting in pupils needing to travel further by bus, taxi and car; narrow access roads unsuitable for buses; a general increase in the numbers of cars; an increase in teachers and other staff travelling to work by car.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been reinforcing the message to Local Authorities and individual Educational Establishments that they need to look at ways to prevent accidents occurring at their sites as well as contributing to safe areas around the school site.
The HSE’s website contains good advice about managing the risks associated with workplace transport, as well as several useful illustrated case studies, including one relating to a school entrance, click here.
To support this below are also a number of short case studies provided from authorities in Wales who have tackled this issue in a range of different schools and locations. There is also a ‘Schedule of hazards and Control Measures’ which may help to identify and resolve some issues.
Managing transport on and around school sites using this guidance should be undertaken alongside other initiatives and issues that may be required to improve the safety of pupils and pedestrians.
For more information contact: Jonathan Lloyd