30 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Multitasking could kill you .
By Chris Coetzee , Health and Safety consultant , OHSS
At the recent FEM ‘ Safetember ’ Conference , MVA ( Motor Vehicle Accidents ) was discussed at length with a panel of specialists as well as the Department of Employment and Labour giving the Health and Safety Industry a renewed drive to prevent these incidents at all costs . So , what did I learn , and what other research did I find ? Let ’ s take a look .
On average , over 1.35 million people die and another 50 million are seriously injured on the world ’ s roads due to MVAs . South Africa has a very number of road accidents making it one of the most dangerous places in the world to drive . These statistics should make each one of us stop and think about what that means . What does Road Safety , Occupational Health and Safety as well as our Personal Safety have in common .
At the FEM ‘ Safetember ’ Conference as well as in the FEM Health and Safety Magazine 2024 , the focus on driver and road safety showed that although there are varying causes , human factors were the major contributor , as many road users do not follow the road traffic rules .
Research from CARMAG stated that according to accident claims data from 2023 , the Northern Cape , Free state and Limpopo are the
“ Poor road safety has impacted workrelated fatalities and injuries because workers travel to and between sites .” three provinces with the lowest number of accident claims . Which is logical considering the number of registered vehicles on the roads in these provinces .
Additionally , East London , Rustenburg , Centurion , and Pietermaritzburg were highlighted as cities with the lowest accident claims in 2023 . In contrast , the provinces with the highest number of accident claims , in ascending order , were KwaZulu-Natal , Western Cape and Gauteng . In terms of the cities with the “ worst ” drivers , again in ascending order , were Johannesburg , Pretoria and Cape Town .
Interestingly , over the last two years , several provinces ’ number of accident claims has increased . Mpumalanga saw a 31 % increase , the Western Cape rose by 22 %, and Gauteng increased by 22 %. Budget Insurance has also highlighted the increases in various cities , such as Centurion increased by 54 %, Rustenburg experienced an increase of 39 %, and Cape Town ’ s accident claim figures by 36 %.
South Africa is part of the consortium of nations that signed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , adopted by all United Nations members in 2015 . The aim of the Sustainable Development Goal ( SDG ), Target 3.6 was to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030 . But as we can see from the statistics , there is a rise is Motor Vehicle Accidents each year .
Poor road safety has impacted work-related fatalities and injuries because workers travel to and between sites . Between 2019 and 2023 , 91 % of fatal MVA ’ s took place on public roads . 3 % of all fatal MVA ’ s occurred within closed construction sites .
Ok so enough of statistics . You get the point : road safety impacts occupational health and safety as well as our own personal safety . So , what can be done ?
Here are a few basic tips from the Automobile Association to motorists who drive on highways , especially novice drivers who may be unfamiliar with the roads .
Image by Freepik
Driving is not a time to take a selfie .
Keep your car in good condition . The highway is a bad place to breakdown . Remember any roadside assistance services will also need to negotiate the same heavy traffic to get to you . Make sure your engine , brakes , tyres , and indicators are all working properly .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline November 2024 Volume 30 I Number 9