Public Works and Safety

Public works officials and employees are being honored May 20-27, 2007 during National Public Works Week. In the spirit of this recognition, the editors of “In the Driver’s Seat” are highlighting public works and the impact safe driving can have in this industry.

Public works is services, management and improvements offered by the local, state or federal governments on behalf of a community for the public good. It encompasses a wide range of services, including water purification systems, sewage treatment centers, roads, bridges and highways infrastructure, transit systems, waterways, hospitals, schools and utilities. Services offered can range from city-to-city, community-to-community.

The public works industry can be very dangerous for employees. In fact, it includes six of the top 10 most dangerous jobs by fatality - steel workers, refuse collectors, power line installers, drivers and construction workers. The National Safety Council reports that nearly 50 workers are injured every minute of the 40 hour work week, which equates to almost 17,138 injuries per day. Additionally, almost 17 of these workers die each day.

Why are public works employees more at-risk? Often, they are working in crowded, residential areas, in traffic work zones or operating large, heavy machinery. The fleets they maneuver are huge liabilities and can cause serious damage. Offering training and safety programs could dramatically reduce these statistics.

Some city works officials have turned to DriveCam to help combat these safety issues. Because DriveCam is a behavior-based risk mitigation solution, it can predict and prevent actual risky behaviors likely to result in harmful accidents. The DriveCam solution not only captures sights and sounds inside and outside the vehicle when exceptional forces like hard braking or swerving triggers it, but it also combines sight and sound, expert analysis and driver coaching which helps provide feedback and mitigate risks.

By implementing DriveCam as part of a safety and training program, you can reduce vehicle damages, workers’ compensation and personal injury costs by 30 to 90 percent. For public workers, putting their lives on the line everyday is normal. Providing them with technology, training and knowledge to reduce these risks will not only save you and your community money, but it could help get these workers home safely every night.