UK Trends and Developments Contributed by: James Backhouse, Jonathon Backhouse, Andrew Woolfall and Mark Davies, Backhouse Jones
A distinct shift in approach – human factors There has, however, been a distinct shift in the approach taken by the Traffic Commissioners as human factors have become an increasingly dominant theme in road transport compliance. The industry is now recognising that safety failures are rarely caused by a single mistake or a lack of knowledge. Instead, incidents often occur due to a combination of factors, including workplace pressure, personal challenges, lack of training and poor communication. Historically, bridge strikes have often been viewed as a driver error. However, a human factors approach asks a broader question: why did the system allow that error to occur? This change in perspective is influ - encing how transport operators, regulators and safety professionals investigate incidents. Preventing events such as bridge strikes is therefore not simply about reminding drivers of vehicle heights; it is about ensuring that the right systems, training and controls are in place to support the realities of human performance.
grammes, allowing young people to work towards the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC). Larger operators, including supermarket logis - tics providers such as Aldi, have already adopted this approach. It is worth noting, however, that a short - age of test spots adds a layer of complexity for any potential drivers. Bridge/infrastructure strikes Bridge strikes are still a hot topic for the Traffic Com - missioners as heavy goods vehicles, buses and other high-sided vehicles continue to collide with low bridg - es despite clear signage, driver training and regulatory requirements. The consequence of this is that regu - latory action is taken against the operator’s licence, the transport manager’s repute and the professional vocational entitlement of the driver involved. Addition - ally, there is often significant financial exposure, repu - tational damage and operational disruption. In many cases, bridge strikes are avoidable. Repeated incidents can be seen as evidence of systemic fail - ings rather than isolated mistakes, and the expecta - tion from the Traffic Commissioner is clear: operators must have demonstrably robust systems in place to mitigate risk.
23 CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook