Over 100 delegates attended the CILT Transport & Logistics Safety Forum Conference at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedford on March 31. The conference theme:Our Vehicles, Our Safety, Our Responsibility: Improving Road Safety for Vulnerable Road Usershighlighted the importance of having safety high on the boardroom agenda.
To coincide with theconference the Forum launched a film of the same theme to reinforce the message of the day. CILT is encouraging businesses and organisations to use the film to increase awareness and knowledge of the serious implications of neglecting safety as a primary concern not just at operational level but at board level. The film can be viewed on YouTube: http://youtu.be/K5Lfz36abbE
Speaking at the conference Senior Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell FCILT said: 'The message today is putting safety at the top of the agenda. If we get to the hearts and minds of the drivers and planners then everybody becomes a part of driver compliance.' She also praised the film production in saying: 'it was worth coming today just to see the film.'
The conference explored three key themes when discussing safety and responsibility; moral, economic and legal. Delegates were informed by all speakers that human lives should be at the forefront of business policy and that prevention of accidents is the most cost effective approach. The conference emphasised that human tragedies resulting from failures in safety management will lead to an extraordinary amount of pressure placed on resources, time and energy. Businesses should also consider the legal implications of collisions and the severe impact this inevitably has on brand reputation.
Speakers included: Jim Spittle FCILT, President, CILT; Beverley Bell FCILT, Senior Traffic Commissioner and Vice-President, CILT; Peter Shipp, Chairman, Road Operators' Safety Council (ROSCO); Mike Bristow, Professional Engagement Team, Brake; Andrew Price, Practice Leader, Europe, Zurich and Ron Ruston, Partner, Kennedy's Law.
Each speaker commented on the powerful message of the Forum's film and the utmost importance of preventing collisions and fatal accidents resonated in everyspeaker's presentations. Delegates weregiven a copy of the filmand the Forum is hoping that today's thought-provoking message will be communicated amongst colleaguesand that the importance of safety will be in the hearts and minds of decision makers, helping to 'eliminate nightmare scenarios.'
