Bus safety review

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/9/29/transport-minister-announces-review-of-bus-driver-safety

Media Statements
Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Transport Minister announces review of bus driver safety

The Palaszczuk Government has committed to a wide-ranging review into bus driver safety across Queensland, after concerns were raised by key stakeholders at the Bus Safety Forum earlier this year.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the review would be undertaken by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, in partnership with drivers, industry, unions and government agencies, to identify initiatives to help improve safety.

"People have a right to go to work and come home each day, safe and free from abuse. I stand shoulder to shoulder with our hard working bus drivers who keep our state moving," Minister Hinchliffe said.

"Our Government is serious about driver and passenger safety, and this review will help to determine the effectiveness of current safety systems, polices, infrastructure and training in Queensland.

"The review will conduct an environmental scan, and examine how initiatives across government can complement the current frameworks, and how new initiatives can be funded.

"To ensure we are doing the best by our drivers, previous studies led by government, industry, unions and the tertiary sector will be considered to gain insight into the issue.

"The final report detailing the review's findings will be provided to Government for consideration by March 2017."

Minister Hinchliffe said in the past six months, more than 350 assaults on bus drivers had been reported in Queensland.

"Public transport workers, particularly bus drivers, often fall victim to verbal or physical abuse for simply doing their job," he said.

"This behaviour is completely unacceptable, and through the establishment of the Bus Safety Forum and the implementation of this review, our government is committed to improving the current safety framework.

"The Bus Safety Forum was established earlier this year to bring together representatives from transport groups, unions, academia, advocacy groups and the Queensland Police Service to discuss best practice and engage on the issues of safety."

The Bus Safety Review will:

    Consider previous studies and initiatives by government, industry, unions and the tertiary sector to gain insight and knowledge about issues impacting driver safety
    Examine and assess current safety systems, policies, infrastructure, procedures and training to determine their efficacy in improving driver safety
    Assess initiatives currently underway across government to address driver and passenger safety and how these can complement current safety frameworks and systems.
    Conduct environmental scanning and research on driver safety systems and elements and examine their benefits and practical applicability
    Collaborate with industry, unions, government agencies and key experts to identify potential initiatives that can be demonstrated to improve driver safety
    Investigate funding mechanisms for potential driver safety initiatives for the Government's consideration

[ozbob]

Note this review was announced prior to recent tragic events at Moorooka.

[verbatim9]

Looks like it's getting sped up.

[ozbob]

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/transport/articles/queensland-bus-driver-safety-campaign

Queensland bus driver safety campaign

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) will be conducting a safety campaign, from July to December 2016, across the passenger service providers in the bus, tram and ferry industries.

This campaign aims to reduce injury rates in the bus, tram and ferry industries by assisting service providers to better manage risks of client aggression and violence against drivers and other on-board staff.

WHSQ met with researchers from Bond University and conducted industry focus groups to better understand the issues of client aggression and violence towards workers in the bus, tram and ferry industries. Other key stakeholders who were consulted in this campaign include Translink, Queensland Police Service, WorkCover Queensland, the Queensland Bus Industry Council, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, and the Transport Workers' Union.

The campaign kicks off in July 2016 with WHSQ conducting on-site visits to provide information and assess work health and safety systems for risk management regarding client aggression and violence. Employers will be contacted by WHSQ to arrange a visit and provide an overview of the campaign.

A WHSQ inspector will conduct:

    a desktop review
    an assessment of communication and incident response processes
    discussions with managers, supervisors, team leaders and employees (full time, part-time, casuals).

Action plans will be developed, where necessary, in consultation with the workplace to address any WHS system improvements. WHSQ will assist with these action plans and provide continuous monitoring of the action plan progress.

In preparation for the on-site visit, please refer to the below self-assessment checklist that bus, tram and ferry services providers can complete prior to the visits to review their performance. WHSQ inspectors will refer to the self-assessment checklist elements when assessing workplaces.
Client aggression and violence self-assessment tool

The client aggression and violence self-assessment tool (PDF, 431.35 KB) covers six elements including:

    workplace consultation
    hazard and risk management
    systems of work
    worker training
    reporting, responding to and investigating incidents
    preparations for an emergency.

Once the on-site visit has been conducted and action plans implemented, a copy of the checklist will be sent to employers for their records and monitoring purposes.

For further information please contact:
Industry Strategy Unit
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
Phone: (07) 3874 7743
Email: TSG@justice.qld.gov.au

Last updated10 October 2016

[ozbob]

Media Release
Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
The Honourable Cameron Dick

Statement regarding Moorooka bus incident

Like all Queenslanders, I was shocked to learn of the terrible incident which unfolded in Moorooka on Friday.

On behalf of all Queenslanders, I extend my sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Mr Sharma, and my thanks to the Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Health staff for their swift and effective response to the incident.

I am advised by my Department that the accused had previously received public mental health services through the Metro South Hospital and Health Service.

Metro South Hospital and Health Service will conduct an internal review of treatment and services provided to the accused. This is a mandatory process in cases such as this.

However, given the very serious nature of this incident I believe it is appropriate that there be an independent external investigation into the treatment provided within the health system to the accused.

Accordingly, I have requested the Director-General of Queensland Health to commission an independent investigation under the Hospital and Health Board Act 2011 regarding treatment provided to the accused.

I am advised Professor Paul Mullen has agreed to conduct this independent health service investigation. Professor Mullen is one of Australia's leading forensic psychiatrists.

It is expected that this investigation will be completed within 8 weeks.

To the extent possible, any findings and recommendations of this investigation will be released publicly.

Queensland Health will also assist with any investigation or inquiry conducted by the Queensland Police Service and State Coroner in relation to this incident.

As this incident is subject to an ongoing police investigation and is the subject of criminal proceedings before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

ENDS

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> 'What has council done?' The battle over Brisbane bus attacks

A question about bus driver safety has descended into a political slanging match, as Brisbane City Council awaits the result of a state government review.

Then-transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe announced the safety review in September, almost a month to the day before council bus driver Manmeet Sharma was burnt to death in a horrifying attack at Moorooka.

That review was announced after bus drivers took to the streets in Brisbane to demand safer working conditions.

Mr Sharma's death was also cited as a reason for security screens to be introduced on all Victorian buses.

At Tuesday morning's public and active transport committee meeting, Labor councillor Jared Cassidy (Deagon) asked deputy mayor Adrian Schrinner, the council's public transport chairman, whether the council would introduce interim measures while it awaited the result of the review.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union made similar demands in December.

"Since that last attack on a bus driver, where a driver was hospitalised in the PA Hospital, what has the council done about security for bus drivers?" Cr Cassidy said, referring to a February 24 assault following the 42-year-old driver's removal of two drunk passengers about 9pm.

The driver ended up in the Princess Alexandra Hospital with facial injuries, with two 18-year-old men were charged with assault and due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 22.

"I understand there is a review going on, but in the interim there are an increasing number of attacks on bus drivers, putting not only drivers' safety at risk, but also passengers," Cr Cassidy said.

"What are we going to do about that?"

Cr Schrinner said there was no excuse for assault, "whether someone may be drunk or not", and pointed out several options had been put to the review as possible soliutions.

Those included barriers for drivers and wholly cashless buses, Cr Schrinner said.

"Ultimately, council would love to do a range of things here, but it is appropriate that we wait for this review to come out that's being run by the state government and a review that we have fed in to as well, a review that we've co-operated with," he said.

"So, I guess the question you should be asking is to the state government: When is this review coming out? We are standing ready and waiting to take action.

"... It was supposed to be urgent and we're still waiting."

Then, the meeting descended into a slanging match:

Cr Cassidy:

"So you're saying that the answer to that question is no, nothing, council will do absolutely nothing to ..."

Cr Schrinner:

"Council will do everything it is required to do as a result of this review."

Cr Cassidy:

"So you've got no solutions in the interim to protect bus drivers ..."

Cr Schrinner:

"As I said, we've actually fed into this review. We've been co-operating fully with this review and we are awaiting the outcome of the review.

"Now, back to the RTBU request, which includes the barriers, I'm not sure if you're aware but the recent violence that occurred at Griffith University bus station didn't actually occur on the bus.

"It occurred on the platform."

Cr Cassidy:

"Yeah, I know."

Cr Schrinner:

"So, driver barriers and cash handling weren't a factor there."

Cr Cassidy:

"You're the only one that's talking about the RTBU and barriers at the moment. I just want to ..."

Cr Schrinner:

"No, no, no it's quite clear that you're singing the song of union, as all Labor politicians do. Everyone knows they write your questions for you."

Cr Cassidy:

"Everyone in this room knows that I didn't mention the RTBU – you did. You're obsessed. I asked if there was anything that council ..."

Cr Schrinner:

"They're the ones who keep doing your job, writing your questions for you."

Cr Cassidy:

"... could do in the interim."

Cr Schrinner:

"They write your questions for you, they set your agenda. Let's not pretend, let's not pretend. There's been multiple questions in council question time, which are written and authorised by the RTBU."

Cr Cassidy:

"So the answer to that is that, no, council will do nothing."

Cr Schrinner:

"The reality is, that the RTBU ...

Cr Cassidy:

"That's your bus drivers."

Cr Schrinner:

"...are the ones that opposed CCTV cameras in buses because it was an invasion of privacy. If it wasn't for the CCTV cameras, we wouldn't be able to actually give the information to the police so that the perpetrators of this violence could be prosecuted and appropriate action could be taken.

"So we are above industry standard when it comes to the safety of our drivers and passengers and we stand ready and waiting to do whatever we need to do based on a well-considered review of whole industry and safety across all operators.

"If they tell us to install private barriers, we will install private barriers. If they take away cash handling, that's fine by us.

"But, ultimately, the state government has to decide the recommendations they're going forward with and, as I said, that's to be done in a considered manner.

"There are all types of things we can potentially go off and do here, as a knee-jerk reaction, but the questions is, is it the right thing to do? Will it make a real difference to driver and passenger safety? And will it stop the problems that are happening?

"So these are questions of great interest to us, but not ones that should be a political football, where there are point-scoring questions asked, because ultimately you know the answer to this.

"You know your colleagues in the Labor state government are holding up the process, they're delaying, they're sitting on this.

"As far as we know, the officers have finished their investigation and have presented the report to their political masters. What's the delay? Why aren't you asking your state colleagues?"

Cr Cassidy:

"I think you're the only one playing politics. This was a simple question – what would council do and the only thing you'll talk about is the RTBU, the RTBU. You don't talk about security – you cut security on the bus services and only after we raised this in the council chamber ..."

Cr Andrew Wines (LNP):

"This isn't a question."

Cr Ian McKenzie (LNP):

"It is repugnant to think that anybody would think that this council would not do everything possible to ..."

Cr Cassidy:

"You cut security on early morning routes!"

Cr McKenzie:

"...(inaudible) and to race in and make changes before they're fully examined is another crazy thing. Another crazy question."

Cr Schrinner:

"Are there any actual questions here, or do you just want to have a discussion? OK. Are there any further questions?"

The council's public and active transport committee came to a close shortly afterwards.

The review was due to be handed to the government within the next five weeks.

[Otto]

Drivers vote for safety barriers on Brisbane city buses

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/drivers-vote-for-safety-barriers-on-brisbane-city-buses/news-story/21de63f9771afe7a41c6f30083f86f5d

Tom Snowdon, The Courier-Mail
December 12, 2017 12:00am

BRISBANE City Council will move to have the biggest safety overhaul of its bus fleet in years implemented after drivers voted in favour of installing safety barriers on every vehicle in the fleet.

The results from a three-month council survey showed 56 per cent of bus drivers voted in favour of having safety barriers installed, with another 28 per cent voting against the previously contentious issue.
The council public transport boss Adrian Schrinner said bus drivers worked in "often challenging circumstances".

"With the survey now closed, council will provide the results to the State Government for the inclusion of safety barriers in the upcoming bus contract," Cr Schrinner said.
The council has already started retrofitting half the 1200 bus fleet with rear emergency exits as part of sweeping safety reforms following a council report into the death of driver

Manmeet Sharma in October last year. He was set alight while stopped at Moorooka.

The council believes installing bus driver safety barriers would be a bigger overhaul than retrofitting the emergency exits.
Anecdotal evidence has previously suggested some drivers were in favour of the barriers, while others felt it could limit chances of escape in an emergency situation.

The State Government, which has already started installing partial barriers on some buses, has released its own bus driver safety review that recommended a range of initiatives.

[ozbob]

Thanks Otto. I think this is a good outcome, albeit sad times though.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/940312553346842625

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/tennewsqld/status/940489178063572992