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Enhancing Road Safety and Work Health with NSW Highway Patrol

Learn how combining road safety with work health and safety is achieved by NSW Highway Patrol. Discover risk management strategies and control measures to ensure worker safety.

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Enhancing Road Safety and Work Health with NSW Highway Patrol

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  1. 2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference 14-16 October Gold Coast Australia To Serve and Be ProtectedCombining Road Safety with Work Health and Safety Senior Sergeant Mick TIMMS B Prof Stud (Policing) UNE Member ACRS Traffic and Highway Patrol Command New South Wales Police Force

  2. The background • Police Act – NSWPF legislated responsibility for pubic safety • Traffic and Highway Patrol Command formed late 2011 • Highway Patrol under a central command – no longer deployed based on lines drawn on a map • NSW2021 Goal 7 Reduce Travel Times • NSW2021 Goal 10 Improve Road Safety • At the same time, new WHS (national model) legislation, Codes of Practice, Safety Management Systems introduced

  3. Operation Freeflow • Deployment of Highway Patrol vehicles to the “M” road network (M1,2,4,5,7) in and around Sydney • 32 x police, Mon-Fri, 5am to 7pm, with reduced service provided on weekends • Rapid response to incidents, clear if possible or call for additional resources and provide accurate information to TMC • Mobile patrols and static taskings to deter speeding and traffic offences

  4. Hume Highway Truck Crash • On 21 July 2014, the driver of southbound semi-trailer suffered a medical episode • Truck departed roadway, careened through grassed median strip & collided with a northbound semi-trailer • Shortly before the crash, a Highway Patrol vehicle was in the median strip not far from the crash site, performing a static Freeflow tasking • HWP had left to intercept an unreg vehicle • Incident recorded as a “near miss” and a review of median strip taskings was triggered

  5. Aftermath of the crash

  6. Managing risks to workers – SafeWork Australia Code of Practice Four steps in risk management: • identify hazards – find out what could cause harm • assess risks if necessary – understand the nature of the harm that could be caused by the hazard, how serious the harm could be and the likelihood of it happening • control risks – implement the most effective control measure that is reasonably practicable in the circumstances • review control measures to ensure they are working as planned The PCBU also had duty to consult affected workers

  7. Identify hazards • Police parked in certain locations might be hit by runaway vehicles. • It was noted that the truck driver in the Hume Highway was believed to have already been deceased when he departed the road. • The hazard of a collision with an out of control vehicle was the risk identified in this matter and became the basis for the risk assessment that would follow.

  8. Assess risks • Corporate risk assessment and review of freeflowtaskings-“Median Strips Working Party” • Risk matrix: consequences and likelihood • Consequences of runaway vehicle into parked police vehicle range from serious injuries to death • Likelihood • 3% of fatal & injury crashes occur on freeways • 4.6% of all crashes - depart road to right • 10.7% of all crashes - depart road to left • Risk rating: Medium

  9. Controlling the risk Hierarchy of Controls (code of practice): • It may not be possible to eliminate a hazard if doing so means that you cannot make the end product or deliver the service. If you cannot eliminate the hazard, then eliminate as many of the risks associated with the hazard as possible. • The product/service is NSW2021 Goals 7 & 10 • Since Freeflow protracted major incidents fallen • Incident clearance time has fallen • Deaths per 100,000 now below target

  10. Controlling the risk Existing controls: • Hi-vis marking package • Taskings in good line of sight • 5-star ANCAP, seat belt whilst in car • Availability of armco & wire-rope barriers Additional controls applied: • Audit of static sites (some abandoned) • Ensure minimum of three metre separation from running lanes (breakdown strategy)

  11. Review • WHS Committee endorsement • Safety Observations now included in on-road auditing • Instruction provided to commanders in Safety Observations • Simplified recording mechanism • WorkCover reviewed a matter in northern NSW and satisfied with NSWPF process

  12. Work Safety & Road Safety and the “Safe Systems” approach

  13. The role of roads agencies • For static taskings on freeways, police need to make use of furniture built into to the roads that offer protection for our workers • These areas need to be maintained and kept free of debris

  14. Rubbernecking • The presence of crashed vehicles, emergency services and tow trucks adds to delays in both directions and adds to the risk of secondary collisions • Provide areas to pull off and exchange details and educate motorists to use them

  15. Conclusion: A fair trade-off? Work Health and Safety Act 2011 28Duties of workers While at work, a worker must: (a)  take reasonable care for own health and safety Police Act 1990 6Mission and functions of NSW Police Force (b)  the protection of persons from injury or death, and property from damage, whether arising from criminal acts or in any other way

  16. Questions Senior Sergeant Mick Timms Traffic and Highway Patrol Command NSW Police Force 02 88821299 timm1mic@police.nsw.gov.au

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