Trucking companies are always looking for new ways to help train up better truck drivers. And since we now live in a brave new technological era, they have far more tools at their disposal than ever before. The question is, what kind of programs can trucking companies create to help them build a more effective safety management system for their truck drivers and coaches?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Today, we are going to go through case studies that trucking\ncompanies can use when setting up their safety management and disciplinary systems.\n Many of these rely on a specific\ntechnological underpinning or methodology, which we will outline. Each\norganization is different, so these ideas may not be suitable for your\ncircumstances. They are presented to foster thought on your part as to what may\nbe most appropriate for your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using Behavior Identification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This trucking company used the identified behavior assigned\nto a specific event – as well as the accumulation of these events over a period\nof time – to trigger a separate, company defined \u201cSafety Points\u201d system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Safety Points serve as a mechanism to trigger actions by\nthe company. For example, an issuance of 3 Safety Points may trigger a verbal\nwarning. Additional Safety Points within a specified time frame escalate to a written\nwarning and ultimately suspension or termination if they meet the thresholds\nset by the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this model, the accumulation of six Safety Points within\na rolling 12-month period could result in termination. An advantage to tying\nyour system to the points is that you can have flexibility on the thresholds\nyou set to trigger Safety Points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It also makes it easy to integrate each driver\u2019s performance\ninto the same progressive disciplinary processes you use for other issues. As a\nstep in implementing this strategy, you may first want to run an analysis of\nyour historical program data to develop suitable thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Associating the Data with Discipline<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In another example, the trucking company set the thresholds\nto be fairly forgiving, based on their own historical data, as they wanted to\nemphasize the program as a coaching tool, and minimize the potential punitive\naspect. Given the point thresholds, it was relatively easy for truck drivers to\navoid punitive action; yet the plan was compelling enough to motivate greater\ncompliance with safe driving expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another strategy could be devised for those desiring a less\nrigid approach to addressing concerning truck drivers. In this example, there\nare a few behaviors with clear, significant consequences but otherwise, more\nflexibility is left to the local manager. Note that management reserves the\nright to take other actions as necessary based on severity. Where multiple\nbehaviors are present in the same event, the procedure for the higher severity\nbehavior can be applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some companies do not choose to directly associate data,\nsuch as \u201csafety points,\u201d to their disciplinary strategies. Instead, the intent\nis to leave their policy largely unchanged but include mention of the \u201csafety\npoints\u201d program within the framework of their existing policies. The following\nis an example of a trucking company taking this approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to identify the\noperational procedures for company personnel assigned to a vehicle equipped\nwith an Event Recorder and to clarify the process that will be followed when\ncertain types of events occur<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Policy: It is the policy of the company to drive and\noperate vehicles with due regard for the welfare of the public and the company.\nThe \u201csafety points\u201d program is designed to improve documentation and training\nrelated to vehicle operations. When the Event Recorder is activated to save an\nevent, it records incidences such as crashes, erratic, and potentially unsafe\ndriving. To provide a safer work environment, these captured events will be\nused to support the following areas:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Procedure: Events that meet organization criteria will be\nmarked by your safety program as requiring coaching (coaching event). As part\nof this process the operator of the vehicle involved in the coaching event will\nbe required to meet with his\/her supervisor to discuss this event (coaching\nsession). The goal of coaching is to help the driver to identify ways to\nimprove skills and increase safety. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n At management\u2019s discretion, follow-up and\/or disciplinary action may be required based on the severity or behaviors exhibited in the event. Examples that may cause further action include, but are not limited to: violation of traffic laws, distracted driving, aggressive driving, avoidable near collisions, as well as preventable collisions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tampering or Intentional Damage to the Event Recorder:\nEmployees shall not tamper with, or allow others to tamper with, the Event\nRecorder or its components. The intentional damage or tampering of the event\nrecorder is a violation of company policy. Violation of these policies shall be\ntreated as falsification of departmental records and shall be subject to the\nappropriate discipline up to, and including, termination.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Crash Procedure Policies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trucking companies must also deal with crash policies and\nprocedures. What is the best way to outline them within the framework of a\nsafety management system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Post-Crash Procedures:<\/strong> Collisions in which company\nvehicles are involved shall follow the current company policies: All events\nrecorded during a collision shall require the notification of the company\nsafety office. A company supervisor, fleet manager, or their designee shall\nretrieve the data from the online interface or contact the home office to\nfacilitate access to the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Minor Collisions:<\/strong> The event will be used as a tool in\ninvestigating any claims-related issues, as well as policy violations. The\ncollision will be reviewed to determine if the collision was \u201cPreventable\u201d or\n\u201cNon-Preventable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major Collisions:<\/strong> To avoid the risk of impeding\ncollection of Event Recorder data, do not authorize towing of a company vehicle\ninvolved in a collision without specific instruction from the safety office.\nThe recorded event shall be used as a tool in investigating any claims-related\nissues, as well as policy violations. The employee shall be subject to a\ncollision review to determine whether the collision was preventable or\nnonpreventable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using Matrices to Act on Data<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another strategy that could be used by a trucking operation\nthat distributes food products that states that violations of existing policies\nidentified through the safety programs will follow the existing company plan.\nIt could also weave in \u201csafety points\u201d as an additional item that can trigger\nfollow up actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Policy Violations<\/em><\/strong>: Driver violations (that\nhave pre-established disciplinary procedures set forth within the Commercial\nDriver Policy) that are discovered during the video event review will require\nwritten discipline to the driver, HR file, and copied to the Corporate Fleet\nSafety Department for the driver file. Any discipline will be in accordance\nwith the established policy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Collisions<\/em><\/strong>: When available, recorded events\nwill be included in the process of assessing preventability of vehicle\ncollisions. In such events, company policies for accident reporting,\nclassification, and corrective action will be adhered to.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In our final case study, a trucking company developed a\nmatrix that defines actions to be taken based on certain behaviors and coaching\nfrequency. Coaching events remain active for 90 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All new truck drivers are afforded a 90-day grace period on\nthe policy with the exception of egregious events. Four coaching events that\noccur in a combination of any category during a 90-day period will result in a\nstep level of progressive discipline, only counting the most serious event\nbehavior. When more than one infraction occurs during an event, the most severe\ninfraction will be considered to determine appropriate discipline level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any behavior that results in an accident or near accident may be escalated to the next step in the disciplinary process up to and including termination. A Review Committee comprised of Department Manager, EHS Manager, HR Manager as well any other necessary personnel will make this determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies with the most successful safety programs evolve\nover time to go beyond simply applying basic risk identification and coaching\nprocess. They take what they\u2019ve learned from the data they gather to develop\nstrategies that drive their program to greater success. Internal training\nprograms are adjusted to better reflect the true needs of the fleet. It is our\nhope the examples presented in this blog will give you the framework to develop\nstrategies suitable for your organization. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"