Feedback needed on new way for Bus Operators to raise safety concerns

Posted by Peggy LaPoint at Jan 20, 2011 09:00 AM | Permalink
Small teams of managers are working to implement the recommendations of the General Manager’s Safety & Service Excellence Task Force. This winter, some of these teams are making ‘Safety Exchange’ visits to frontline employee work areas to gather input on decisions they’re weighing. An Operations team is creating an additional way for bus operators to request assessment of a safety concern and would like to hear your thoughts about:
* A draft of the "Request for Safety Assessment"
* Process for the review of requests and responses to operators.
Look for this group conducting a Safety Exchange at the Center report area during bus operator signup:
* Thursday, January 27: 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
If you can't make it to the Safety Exchange gatherings, you can talk with an assistant manager or add your comment here.

TRINET ACCOUNT HOLDERS CAN CLICK HERE 

This was my comment:
It seems to me that safety concerns fall into several categories,
 For example:

a-bus stop safety
b-right or left unsafe turns
c-equipment causing safety issues
d-schedules that defeat safety
e-passenger loads creating safety hazards
f-road reliefs that create safety hazards

AND ANY OTHER CATEGORIES,

My suggestion is that a form be created and placed in the pouch that is only for
safety issues with categories such as those listed above.

Then an area for explanation of safety issue.

DO NOT OVER-COMPLICATE IT AS  THE BREAK TIME REQUEST FOR EVALUATION FORMS!

It needs to be easy to fill out!

Obviously if management is serious about safety then these forms would need to
be addressed in a timely manner, say 24 hours at most.

If the operator request is rejected there needs to be a thorough and concise
explanation as to why this request is rejected.

The safety request needs to be scanned and placed in a data base that is
available for all operators/staff to review as needed, both rejected and approved requests.

These issues need to be tracked accurately and openly.

The yellow cards are a complete and miserable failure as answers would come back
that were disrespectful and then there was no way to track whether or not other
operators were making the same requests.

Management does not drive buses, making rules can only go so far.
Words on a piece of paper do not always translate into real life actions.

Having meetings does not make anything safer.

Listening and responding to those behind the wheel will allow operators to "own" the safety structure at Trimet and will genuinely create a 'CULTURE OF SAFETY'!