Image: Roads Australia
Roads Australia (RA) introduced the nation’s inaugural Road Worker Safety Industry Guideline during the Transforming Transport Summit in Melbourne, marking a step towards enhancing road safety.
This groundbreaking guideline was developed to safeguard the frontline workers in the transport industry and to foster safer road conditions for everyone.
Roads Australia, originally known as the Australian Road Federation and the Australian Road Forum, has been the leading voice of the road transport industry since 1952. Officially recognized in 2005 by the Federal Minister for Roads as the national peak body, the organisation underwent a transformation in 2008 and was renamed Roads Australia.
Today, it stands as the foremost authority on roads within the broader integrated transport system.
Speaking at the launch, Roads Australia CEO Ehssan Veiszadeh emphasised the collective effort within the road transport sector to transcend current safety standards and work towards a zero-fatality future for road workers. “The recent rise in incidents and fatalities involving road workers is unacceptable,” Veiszadeh stated. “This guideline represents a unified commitment from industry leaders to elevate safety measures for road workers and the travelling public alike.”
Statistics from Austroads reveal that, on average, 18 fatal worksite crashes and 245 serious injuries occur each year at road work zones.
Veiszadeh highlighted that these figures likely represent just a fraction of the actual occurrences, pointing out the significant underreporting of incidents and near misses in work zones.
In response to this critical issue, nine prominent organisations involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of roads have rallied together to endorse and enhance road worker safety standards across Australia. Veiszadeh encouraged more organisations to join the initiative by signing the Safer Workzone Commitment to demonstrate their support for road worker safety.
As Road Safety Week commenced on May 5, Roads Australia called on all drivers to commit to driving responsibly with the mantra “drive so others survive.” This initiative aligns with Roads Australia’s ongoing collaboration with government at all levels to integrate these safety measures into the National Road Safety Action Plan for 2023–2025.
By adopting this guideline, Roads Australia and its members seek to make a significant impact on national road safety efforts, urging all drivers to consider how they can contribute to making roads safer for everyone.
