Road vehicle safety -training programme for contractors involved in working on roads and in other transport areas

Workers do not always recognise the dangers caused by traffic. Drivers of work transport are not always aware of risks to pedestrians on work sites. Consequently a significant number of work accidents resulting in death and injury involve transport. In Finland, construction work on roads is defined as a high-risk area. To meet their duties to ensure that employees of contractors have been made familiar with risks at the workplace, the Finnish Road Administration (Finnra) is introducing a work traffic safetytraining programme, which must be given to the staff of contractors. The training is an eligibility requirement for contractors engaged in roadwork operations and is written into the contract agreement between Finnra and the contractor. The two-part training programme includes written examinations. The training does not replace the responsibility of employers to familiarise their employees with the basic work to be done. Part 1 road safety training is for: people who participate in road surfacing work; drivers transporting road-surfacing materials; operators of road construction and maintenance vehicles; those who participate in Road Safety 2 training; those involved in supervisory and control tasks for the Finnish Road Administration. In future, part 1 training will also be for: people engaged in the inspection of tasks on Finnish Road Administration roads; those working on a regional contractor’s road; those responsible for the occupational safety and road safety of other contractors; all staff working for contractors; others on whom the training requirement is imposed. Training in Road Safety 2 is for: people responsible for occupational safety and road safety within the main roadwork developer organisation; those engaged in planning tasks for management, supervision and traffic circulation in work relating to road maintenance; Finnish Road Administration road engineers and road inspectors; those preparing contract documents; those preparing work permits for contractors; those preparing decisions on speed limits during working hours. Safety performance and competence are components of the tendering and contract management process. Requirements are included in tender documents and the management system includes safety check-ups. Monitoring of the training forms part of this process. A survey conducted by the Finnish Road Administration showed improvements in traffic circulation at work sites, improved visibility of work sites and higher hazard awareness. However, it is too early to see significant improvements in accident rates.