Examining Coroners’ Recommendations for Health and Safety Management of Ageing Heavy Vehicle Drivers: A STAMP Analysis

Angela Batson (), Sharon Newnam and Sjaan Koppel
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Angela Batson: Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, 21 Alliance Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
Sharon Newnam: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Sjaan Koppel: Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, 21 Alliance Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-24

Abstract: Recommendations were analysed from coronial cases involving ageing heavy vehicle drivers (≥55 years) and mapped onto a Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) control structure to identify the controllers and control actions influential in the heavy vehicle industry with regard to health and safety. A National Coronial Information System (NCIS) database search revealed 38 coroners’ recommendations arising from 14 unique cases of ageing driver involvement. There were no ageing themes identified in the analysis of coroners’ findings and recommendations. An examination of the STAMP control structure identified that the highest concentration of recommendations was in the level of regulation, the second most senior level of control, although safety constraints were advised for all five levels of the system. In regard to identifying themes of control flaws in the recommendations, the study found that “unidentified hazards” were the most common type of safety failure in the analysis of cases of ageing drivers, concentrated at the regulatory level, which indicates that additional risk identification methods by upper levels of control are needed. Therefore, a recommendation arising from the current study is that additional controls in safety intervention are necessitated in the upper and middle levels of the road freight transportation system; in particular, formalising health and safety education for organisational managers, with a focus on identifying ageing issues, would fill a gap in the system for managing ageing heavy vehicle drivers. In conclusion, this study has found that improving the health and safety of ageing heavy vehicle drivers necessitates additional safety constraints with a focus on formalised safety education for organisational managers, in addition to a means to detect emerging and unforeseen hazards in the road freight transportation industry.

Keywords: heavy vehicle drivers; ageing drivers; occupational health and safety; STAMP control structure; Coroner’s recommendations; road trauma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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