Coalition Guided by OSHA Towards Zero Coal Mining Deaths
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has joined forces with the National Safety Council's Road to Zero Coalition, the nation's largest traffic safety alliance. This partnership aims to drive down the estimated 44,000 traffic crash deaths in 2023, which accounted for 37% of all work-related fatalities.
Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, described driving as the most dangerous thing a person can do on the job. The Road to Zero Coalition, uniting over 2,000 stakeholders committed to the Safe System Approach, shares this sentiment.
The Safe System Approach underpins the National Roadway Safety Strategy and the Coalition's goal of eliminating roadway fatalities by 2050. Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker emphasised the unique challenges of roadway safety, stating that preventing work-related roadway incidents requires a combination of traffic safety principles and sound safety management practices.
The partnership between OSHA and the Road to Zero Coalition focuses on implementing specific initiatives and strategies aimed at reducing transportation-related work fatalities through a comprehensive and data-driven approach to traffic safety for workers.
Key initiatives include promoting safe driving at work, data sharing and analysis, awareness and education, advocacy for regulatory improvements, and collaboration across sectors.
The collaboration seeks to integrate cutting-edge safety technologies and advocate for best practices to protect both drivers and roadside workers. OSHA's role within the Coalition aims to amplify efforts to protect roadside workers and foster safe driving practices nationwide.
For more information about the Road to Zero Coalition, visit nsc.org/roadtozero. For additional details about OSHA, visit oshagov.com.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has underscored the Coalition's impact during a fireside chat at its 2024 Annual Meeting. OSHA has been placed on the Coalition's Steering Committee, demonstrating the commitment of both organisations to this critical partnership.
Although the exact detailed strategies of the OSHA and Road to Zero Coalition partnership are not laid out explicitly, OSHA has programs like the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) that offer free consultation and audits to employers adhering to strong safety standards, and the Road to Zero Coalition broadly advocates for zero transportation deaths through these multifaceted strategies.
- The partnership between OSHA and the Road to Zero Coalition is focused on implementing initiatives aimed at reducing transportation-related work fatalities, such as promoting safe driving at work, sharing and analyzing data, raising awareness and education, advocating for regulatory improvements, and collaboration across sectors.
- In an effort to integrate cutting-edge safety technologies and advocate for best practices, this collaboration also aims to protect both drivers and roadside workers, with OSHA specifically working to amplify efforts to protect roadside workers and foster safe driving practices nationwide.
- The finance and health-and-wellness sectors can contribute to this effort by investing in workplace-wellness programs that prioritize transportation safety, as responsible employer practices in this area can lead to long-term improvements in both employee health and overall industry performance, mirroring OSHA's existing programs like the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
