COMMUNITY SERVICES & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations

Glen Walker, Manager Occupational Health & Safety

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Ann-Marie Pugh, Supervisor of Administration, Operations

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

May 10th, 2004

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Driver Safety Recognition and Award Program

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report dated May 10th, 2004 entitled “Driver Safety Recognition and Award Program” be received;

 

AND THAT approval is granted to implement the proposed enhancement of Driver Safety Recognition and Award Program,

 

AND THAT funding for the driver awards be absorbed in the Operations and Asset Management Department Training Budget.

 

PURPOSE:

This report has been prepared to update Mayor and Members of Council on the success of our Driver Training Program, and our recommendation to enhance the Driver Safety Recognition Program Award by implementing an incremental milestone achievement pin and small gift.

 

BACKGROUND:

Driver Training and Fleet Safety

As mandated by legislation and approved by Council, the Town hired a Driver Trainer in March 2000 to create and deliver a Corporate Driver Trainer Program with a Driver Training Manual.  These were presented to Council in January 2001 for approval to implement Corporate wide on an as needed basis.  In March 2001, Mr. Klaus Wendland was hired as the Town’s full-time Driver Trainer and remains in the position today.

 

In keeping with the Corporate Fleet Policy requirements, the Corporate Fleet Driver Trainer rolled out and conducted the following operational driver training programs to effectively increase employee skill and reduce collisions and injuries:

 

a)      Professional Driver Training (PDIC)

b)      Defensive Driver Training (DDC)

c)      Safe Winter Driving (general)

d)      Driving In Adverse Conditions (plow-trucks)

e)      Vehicle Inspections & Truck Component Safety

f)        Load Security & Safe Rigging

g)      Safe Vehicle Backing

h)      Trailer Coupling-Uncoupling & Trailer Backing

i)        Air Brake Upgrading & Air Brake Refresher Courses

j)        Operating Manual Transmissions (multi-range HD)

k)      Tractor Trailer (AZ) & Straight Truck (DZ) Driver License Upgrading (including written and road tests)

 

Staff participation in the program is determined by their individual departmental needs and permission from their Manager / Supervisor, however, employees may receive training on their own time when not a departmental need.  Employees requesting driver license upgrading must pass a drivers medical exam for the appropriate class of license.

 

Over the past three years, the Corporate Fleet Driver Trainer has expanded the training program to include the following equipment training:

 

a)      Lift Truck (fork lift) Training & Certification

b)      Mobile Crane (MCO 0-8 ton) & Certification

c)      Boom Truck Safety (general)

d)      Scissor Lift Training & Certification

e)      Overhead Electric Crane Safety (care of rigging)

f)        Traffic Protection Training

g)      Traffic Control Person Training (TCP) h) Implement's Training (inspection/maintenance/operation)

 

The Ministry of Transportation has approved the Town’s Corporate Driver Training Program/Manual and has recognized that it exceeds their requirements and continues to promote it to other corporations and municipalities (i.e. Pepsi Cola, Maple Lodge Farms, Lampton College in Sarnia, Town of Thunder Bay) as an excellent template for Corporate Driver Training Programs.

 

The Town’s Corporate Driver Training Program/Manual goes so far as to enable Town staff to obtain MTO approval to upgrade or renew their commercial drivers licenses in-house:

 

  • Class A (truck/trailer combinations with trailers exceeding 4600 kg)
  • Class D (straight truck exceeding 11,000 kg)
  • Class Z (air brake endorsement for all vehicles equipped with air brakes)

 

Annual Driver Challenge Day

The annual Driver Challenge is an event where staff can show their driving skills by competing in an obstacle course, with the winner having the fewest errors.  The Driver Challenge is a popular event that attracts a number of employees, including Mayor and Members of Council, and senior management staff.  This event fosters camaraderie, tests driving skills, and provides a podium to formally recognize safe driving records, and also allows those employees who have had a mishap in the past the opportunity to redeem themselves and regain pride and respect.

 

The We Care program is another initiative administered by the Corporate Fleet Driver Trainer, to celebrate staff that take time out of their day to help Markham citizens in emergency situations, e.g. those with car problems, or injuries.  These good news stories can be found on the intranet.

 

Fleet Safety Group

The Town of Markham’s Fleet Safety Group (FSG) is comprised of the Manager of Occupational Health and Safety (Glen Walker), Corporate Driver Trainer (Klaus Wendland), Fire Department Driver Training Officer (Clint Frotten), Fleet Supervisor (Laurie Canning) and General Manager of Operations (Paul Ingham).

 

FSG is responsible for the review of vehicle and equipment accidents to determine whether each reported incident was either preventable or non-preventable.  In each case where a vehicle accident has been determined by the FSG to be preventable in nature, the driver is formally advised of the group’s findings including recommendations to prevent future accidents of similar nature.  The accident review process has enabled the Fleet Safety Group to identify areas of concern regarding operator behaviours and implement specific driver training programs to address problem areas to help reduce ‘preventable’ accidents.

 

The success of the Fleet Safety Group’s accident review committee and the Town’s Driver Training Program is reflected in the following table that demonstrates a 15% reduction in the number of preventable accidents in each of the last four years.

 

Accidents

 

 

 

 

 

2000

2001

2002

2003

Preventable

34

29

25

22

Non-preventable

13

17

14

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

Enhanced Driver Training Programs

On a go forward basis we plan to further enhance our Corporate Fleet Driver Training program as follows:

1.      Intensify driver training with Lead Hands, Group Leaders and the 150 employees to foster safety awareness and promote the philosophy of joint responsibility towards safety in the workplace

2.      Practise due diligence

3.      Mentor new and part-time employees (students)

4.      Dedicate more time and training with summer students to raise their level of competence

5.      Encourage all employees operating Town Vehicles to participate in the annual Drivers Challenge & Truck Rodeo

6.      Convey the important role they play with fellow employees and the general public. How drivers are the first and last link to vehicle safety

7.      Cultivate pride in their work

8.      To further promote Vehicle/Equipment Safety, develop and implement a pocket size Operator's Manual containing established and proven safety practices, Corporate Fleet Procedures and Governmental Rules and Regulations pertaining to Commercial Vehicle Safety

 

Recognition and Award Program

In the fall of 2001, the Fleet Department developed the groundwork for a Driver Recognition and Award Program for implementation in spring 2002.  The criteria for employee’s eligibility in the program was established as follows:

 

  • The Employee is required to operate dedicated Town owned vehicle(s) or equipment as a daily task of their respective job requirements, or
  • The Employee is required to drive the dedicated vehicle a minimum 5,000 km annually.

 

Commencing in early 2002, a Safe Driver Certificate was presented to all drivers of dedicated Town vehicles who successfully complete a 12-month driving period without being involved in a preventable accident.  The certificates are updated each year to recognize subsequent years of safe driving by individual operators.  In addition to the certificate, a small gift (i.e. pocket knife, travel mug, etc.) is also included in the presentation to successful drivers.

 

As we have now completed our third year of the program the Fleet Safety Group has proposed the implementation of an enhanced program to recognize milestone achievers who are accident free for 3, 5 and 10 year periods by including a presentation of a ‘Driver Safety’ three year pin to signify their success.

 

Award presentation is scheduled to take place during Public Works week (May 17th to 21st, 2004).  Due to the large number of recipients presentations will be planned for individual departments.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Approximate costs for these programs are $1,600 for the Town of Markham Drivers Challenge and $2,000 for the Driver Safety Award's.  Funding in the amount of $3,600 is provided for in the Operations and Asset Management 2004 Training Budget.  The additional $500 required for the purchase of the three year ‘Driver Safety’ pins will be absorbed in the Operations and Asset Management 2004 Training Budget.

 

ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Organizational Excellence

The ongoing efforts to enhance the Corporate Fleet Driver Training Program and celebrate the Town’s accident free drivers through the Driver Safety Recognition Program Award promotes pride in staff’s effort in acknowledging fleet safety, and continues to raise the level of safety awareness. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Ingham

General Manager, Operations

 

 

Glen Walker,

Manager, Occupational Health and Safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Loukes, P.Eng.

Director of Operations and Asset Management

 

Jim Sales

Commissioner of Community and Fire Services

 

 

 

 

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