Transit System Safety Program Workshop

1. Transit System Safety Program Workshop Ohio Department of Transportation August 14th, 2007 Presented by: Victoria Warner RLS & Associates, Inc.

2. HISTORY In 1997, the Ohio Department of Transportation distributed a vehicle safety program to all transit providers throughout the State of Ohio in an effort to establish consistent and effective safety policies and procedures. In addition, a training was provided on this safety program to explain the different elements of the program and the importance of its implementation within transit programs.

3. SAFETY PLAN PURPOSE To communicate policies, procedures, and requirements to be followed by management, maintenance, and operational personnel in order to provide a safe environment for agency personnel and the general public.

4. PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES • Upper management commitment • To create a new plan or update an existing plan • Monitor • Ongoing evaluation of system’s safety objectives • Annual review of the safety plan to determine effectiveness

5. TO CREATE A NEW PLAN OR UPDATE AN EXISTING PLAN Locate plan and dust it off Review plan content Assess current program Prioritize need Define “reasonable” safety procedures pertinent to system Provide “adequate” driver training Give employees a vested interest

6. PROGRAM COMPONENTS • Safety inspection program to identify and correct all hazardous conditions and practices • All facilities • Vehicles • Work procedures • Investigation and review of all accidents/incidents to determine the source of negligence and to outline preventive measures

7. PROGRAM COMPONENTS (CONT’D) Formal and informal safety training sessions for all employees Provide protective equipment, guidelines for use, and monitor use

8. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES Successfully administer the plan Establish, monitor, and report on safety objectives Develop, communicate, and enforce reasonable safety procedures Provide initial and refresher training to all employees Determine preventable/non-preventable accidents/incidents

9. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES (CONT’D) Take disciplinary and corrective actions as necessary with employees involved in preventable accidents Set a good example

10. DRIVERS, MECHANICS, AND OTHER PERSONNEL Exercise maximum care and good judgment in preventing accidents Possess a valid driver’s license or commercial driver’s license as required by law at all times Maintain and have in possession a valid DOT medical examiner’s certificate, if applicable Immediately report all motor vehicle citations, convictions, suspension, or removal of driving privileges to management

11. DRIVERS, MECHANICS, AND OTHER PERSONNEL (CONT’D) Immediately report all accidents/incidents Immediately report all unsafe practices or vehicle conditions Actively participate in all safety trainings Become familiar with and operate within defined safety procedures Use/wear protective safety equipment at all times

12. DRIVERS, MECHANICS, AND OTHER PERSONNEL (CONT’D) Notify management when a physical or mental condition may impair ability to perform job safely Notify management when use of Rx/OTC medications may impair ability to perform job safely Accurately complete accident reports and cooperate with accident investigations Consent to fitness for duty evaluations including drug and alcohol tests required by agency or law

13. SAFETY COMMITTE Identify strategies to prevent losses to the system Determine cause and contributing factors for accidents/incidents Identify how accident/incident may have been prevented

14. SAFETY COMMITTEE (CONT’D) Assist in the development of strategies to prevent vehicle accidents Assist in efforts to communicate new and existing vehicle and operator safety requirements Identify staff who should attend training Conduct annual safety audit

15. SAFETY COMMITTEE (CONT’D) • A resource for enhancing and facilitating vehicle safety • Assist management in identifying current accident prevention and safety training needs • Scope should go beyond vehicle accidents • Provides true picture of system’s safety status

16. COMMITTEE MAKE-UP Management and front-line employees including drivers and mechanics Provides employees with vested interest

17. SAFETY INCENTIVE PROGRAM • Designed to boost employee morale and give employees positive reinforcement • Standards for incentives must be: • Attainable • Earned • Valued • Based on performance over reasonable time period • Presentation must emphasize importance • Does not have to be a monetary reward

18. RECRUITEMENT AND SELECTION • Define the position • Give a thorough description of the duties and responsibilities of the position • Clearly define the qualifications of the position • CDL/DOT physical • Drug testing • Physical requirements • Language skills • Manual dexterity • Motor Vehicle records

19. RECRUITEMENT AND SELECTION (CONT’D) • Criminal background checks • Other background checks • Desired knowledge, skill and abilities

20. RECRUITEMENT AND SELECTION (CONT’D) • Application must meet Federal and State equal employment opportunity laws • Structured interview process • Manager/Supervisor should be included in the hiring process • Careful consideration should be given more toward attitude and personality

21. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS • Targeted recruitments • Knowledge, licensing, and physical requirements • Application • Interview • Physical Requirements • Mental and physical condition • Eyesight • Hearing • Substance abuse/alcohol misuse • Physical examination

22. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS (CONT’D) • Knowledge, licensing, and physical requirements (cont’d) • Age • Ability to perform simple math • Knowledge of English • Operating skills/experience (5 years) • Driver’s licensing • Valid driver’s license or CDL • Original BMV report issued within 10 days and every six months thereafter

23. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS (CONT’D) • Knowledge, licensing, and physical requirements (cont’d) • BMV report suggested criteria • No OMVI or similar • No reckless driving, railroad crossing violations, or leaving the scene of an accident violations • No more than 2 moving violations or accidents within the last three years

24. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS (CONT’D) • Knowledge, licensing, and physical requirements (cont’d) • BMV report suggested criteria (cont’d) • No suspended or revoked license within past 10 years • No combination of violations that indicate a pattern of unsafe vehicle operation • Criminal records check • No felony conviction • No crimes of violence

25. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS (CONT’D) • Knowledge, licensing, and physical requirements (cont’d) • Criminal records check (cont’d) • No drug use or sale • No physical abuse • No fraud or theft • No child endangerment • No pattern of unlawful behavior • Previous employment notification

26. DRIVER’S QUALIFICATIONS (CONT’D) • Reasonable knowledge of service area • Ability to read basic maps • Road test • Written driving skills test

27. WHY TRAIN? • Reduces your system’s risk of serious repercussions • Improves quality of service to passengers • Provides opportunity to: • Acknowledge safety-sensitive and customer service responsibilities • Review and discuss responsibilities • Answer questions and clarify misunderstandings • Assist employees in honing their safety skills • Allows employees to share their experience(s) • Provides management with opportunityto assess employee skills

28. TRAINING • Conducted on a continual basis to ensure knowledge • Initial and refresher • System procedures • Techniques

29. DEVELOPING A QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAM Evaluate needs of each position Outline job-specific training plans Assess availability and expertise of training staff Develop goals, objectives, and competency testing Identify needed resources Implement training Document Re-evaluate and revise

30. INITIAL TRAINING The following is based on ODOT requirements – other funding agencies might have more stringent requirements Policy and procedures manual Personnel policy manual Scheduling Radio/communication protocol Office/paperwork requirements

31. INITIAL TRAINING (CONT’D) • Drug and alcohol program (ODOT requires within 30 days of hire) • Bloodborne pathogens - OSHA 437-02-1910, 1030 • Policy • Training (ODOT requires within 6 months of hire) • Annually • Upon change and/or addition of new procedures or exposures • Knowledgeable trainer

32. INITIAL TRAINING (CONT’D) • Pre- and post-trip inspection • Vehicle familiarization • Basic operations and maneuvering • Defensive driving (ODOT requires within 6 months of hire) • Special driving conditions • Backing • Intersections • Lane changes and turning • Railroad crossings

33. INITIAL TRAINING (CONT’D) • Following distance • Bad weather • Boarding and alighting passengers • Passenger assistance (DRIVE) training (ODOT requires within 6 months of hire) • Lift operations • Ramps • Proper securement techniques • Sensitivity training

34. INITIAL TRAINING (CONT’D) • Federal requirements (ADA) • Emergency procedures • Contact information • Emergency evacuations • First aid/CPR (ODOT requires within 6 months of hire)

35. ON-GOING TRAINING • Annual – suggested • CPR • System safety/safe driving • Evacuation/emergency procedures • System security including NIMS • Agency policy and procedures • Any new rules and regulations • Drug and alcohol awareness

36. ON-GOING TRAINING (CONT’D) • Bi-annual – suggested • Defensive driving • Bloodborne pathogens • Security awareness • DRIVE/PASS program • Tri-annual – suggested • First aid • Diversity awareness • Sexual harassment • Drug and alcohol policy • Reasonable suspicion (supervisors)

37. TRAINING DOCUMENTATION Personnel file Work eligibility file Payroll Medical Training and credential files Drug and alcohol records Accident file

38. EVALUATION AND SUPERVISION • Ridechecks – ghost riders • Unannounced • Periodic • Documented • Formal annual evaluations • Employee commendations response • Safety-related complaint response • Fitness for duty • Health risks • Diabetes

39. EVALUATION AND SUPERVISION (CONT’D) Fatigue Rx/OTC medications Older drivers Wellness programs Periodic motor vehicle record checks Annual physical examination recommended Safety meetings Seatbelt usage

40. EVALUATION AND SUPERVISION (CONT’D) • Discipline/recognition • Violations resulting in termination • Violations subject to disciplinary action

41. PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS/INJURIES Disciplinary action Grievance procedure Employee responsibility for reporting

42. EMERGENCY DRIVING PROCEDURES • Driver preparation • Identify potential risks • Weather forecast • Road condition, construction zones, lane width • Traffic volume • Volume of passengers • Passenger characteristics and special needs • Accident causes • Mechanical defect – 3% • Condition of street or highway – 12% • Human failure or error – 85%

43. PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS Backing accidents Intersection accidents Pedestrian accidents Rear-end collisions Traffic lane encroachment accidents Accidents resulting from mechanical conditions Accidents with parked vehicles Collisions with stationary objects

44. PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS (CONT’D) Unattended vehicle accidents Adverse weather condition accidents Passenger activities

45. SITUATIONS REQUIRING DRIVER ADJUSTMENTS • Slippery road surfaces • Driving in very hot weather • Driving at night • Driving through water • Winter driving • Special techniques for driving on ice and snow • Glare • Traction • Braking • Hills

46. SITUATIONS REQUIRING DRIVER ADJUSTMENTS (CONT’D) • Winter driving (cont’d) • Special techniques for driving on ice and snow (cont’d) • Skids • Stuck • Snow and ice removal • Precautions • Tire inflation • Defensive driving • Gas tank at least half full

47. VEHICLE BREAKDOWNS AND UNAVOIDABLE STOPS Remove the vehicle from hazardous situations Assess the scene Secure vehicle Engage flashers/position reflectors Notify dispatcher of location and problem Keep passengers safe, evacuate if necessary Document

48. VEHICLE FIRE/EVACUATION Pull up to a safe location, stop, and shut off engine Contact dispatcher Open all exits Evacuate passengers (upwind of vehicle) Stay calm Use fire extinguisher appropriately

49. FIRE EXTINGUISHER USE • Use to put out small fires • First line of defense in evacuating passengers • Drivers should never attempt to extinguish a fire unless: • All passengers have been evacuated • The fire is small and contained within the ignition point • The driver can attack the fire with an exit to their back and upwind of the fire

50. HOLD UP/ROBBERY Keep calm Note description Notify dispatcher as soon as possible following theft Call police Document