John Nolan
June 15, 2016
In 2014, 8.5% of the United States’ gross domestic product consisted of transport, with road haulage making up a large percentage of this figure. Given how vital this industry is, and with the potential risk to both employees and the wider population when incidents occur, ISO 45001:2018 is an increasingly important element being used to try and mitigate risk to ensure products are delivered safely throughout the country as required. The specific considerations within this industry came to mind when I assisted a road haulage company with a recent ISO 45001 implementation, so what exactly does a company in this sector need to consider?
Implementing ISO 45001 in this industry requires an organization to make the same considerations as in any other sector, such as establishing a Health and Safety Policy within a working OHSMS (Operational Health & Safety Management System) that captures legislation, risk assessment, internal audit, and all the other key elements of the standard itself. What differentiates the road transport industry from other sectors is the identification of hazards and risk, and how these are dealt with to prevent incidents. In the case of an incident occurring, the consequences can be great, and therefore any corrective action procedures also need to be accurate, effective, and concise. So, how do you go about building your OHSMS for your road transport company?
To successfully build an OHSMS for your road transport, you must fulfill all the clauses of the standard, but the following may prove most critical to your performance:
So, if these topics are given particular attention it should help us deliver effective OH&S within our road transport company. But, is there anything else that can help?
As ever, an OHSMS is only as good as your ability to identify and mitigate risk, and this is especially relevant in the road transport business. Concentrate as much time and resources as possible on your identification of risks and hazards and your compliance with law and legislation, and your results will reflect that. Plan preventive maintenance programs for your vehicles and consult your staff at all times; they are your first line in mitigating risk, as they see the day-to-day problems that other OHSMS workers may not. Use employee experience, consultation, and effective leadership to identify hazards, and your risk of failing to meet objectives will fall accordingly.
Use our free Gap Analysis Tool to measure your organization against the ISO 45001 standard.