Australian community conducts road worker safety media campaign

When the Shoalhaven City Council embarked on a campaign to improve road worker safety within its jurisdiction, it found that the actual process of developing the campaign was beneficial. Recommendations given are adaptable for any jurisdiction concerned over its work zone safety.

By Duncan Marshall
Road Safety Officer
Shoalhaven City Council
New South Wales, Australia

Editor's note: The following is a paper presented at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia Conference 2000 in Sydney, Australia.

Contents
Safety of road workers a big issue with many
Program outlines overall goals
First step is to identify the issues
Work site realities observed
Driver attention and attitudes are critical
Public needs to understand workers' roles
Media guidelines given to achieve most impact
Media campaign must be supported in four ways
Process itself was part of the solution
Commercial designed to share
Actual production of campaign produced results

Safety of employees working in the road reserve is a high priority with staff and managers at Shoalhaven. Council's road safety officer worked with several teams to identify the safety issues, including worker and public traffic safety, training, public relations and media goals. The resulting guidelines were used in development of campaign media, including radio and a filmed television commercial.

The focus is on issues of appropriate speed and care, workers as people, and the community benefits of their work. Recently, a digitally animated TV commercial was created, for greater impact and wider application. Council is now looking for partners to co-sponsor both broadcasting and further development.

Safety of road workers a big issue with many
"Road works" represent a large part of daily business for councils, RTA and public utilities, and the safety of "road workers" is a very serious issue for many people.

Road building and repair is only part of the picture. There is much other construction work and maintenance of services in or adjoining road reserves. Every day, large numbers work on creating and maintaining parks and road-side vegetation, surveys and street lighting, services such as water, sewer and drainage, gas and electricity, telephone, cable, and other services.

The safety of the council's employees and contractors working in the road reserve was a high priority with the Engineering Works Division when the council's first Road Safety Officer was appointed. So a Road Worker Safety program commenced early in 1996. However, it has been a long road to develop strong public awareness campaigns that address the issues, and there is need to extend coverage—geographically and over more broadcast media. (Back to top)

Program outlines overall goals
The overall program goal was to make road work sites safer. The results sought are:

1. The public being careful at work sites, heeding warnings, and obeying all traffic controls
2. Workers ensuring that sites and staff are safe, giving a positive and correct public image

The program would rely on mutually supportive actions in staff training, especially traffic control, sign use and site layouts, auditing and enforcement of compliance at road sites, plus public education. The program outcomes should address the complementary areas of occupational health and safety, staff training, implementation of standards, risk management, safety of all road users at work sites, and community understanding of the works' value.

This paper covers broadcast media issues. (Back to top)

First step is to identify the issues
First steps were to clarify the worker safety and traffic behavioural issues. For best information and to extend ownership of the program, relevant employees were actively involved in several aspects of this background research.

Road work gangs were involved early through discussions at their briefing sessions, by two focus groups, through representation on the advisory and review panel, and by reporting back in internal news-sheets. Each focus group, consisted of staff from varied service areas, led by independent facilitators. These groups were particularly useful to clarify priority of issues for the public awareness messages. The two groups independently produced very similar outcomes.

Other development partners included the council's risk manager, the occupational health and safety team, training officers, traffic section, and those supervising and other workers. Through discussions and reviewing ideas, these partners contributed much experience and expert knowledge of relevant standards—particularly the changing work-site traffic control standards.

Gathering background information included statistical analysis, records of local crashes, and literature research. Other Australian agencies which had produced relevant television commercials were sought out and contacted.

Funding to address the public education component of the program was negotiated with the relevant divisional managers. The basis of contribution started with the idea of a percentage levy on the current year's works budget. After adjustment, approximately one quarter of a percent levy was agreed, providing a budget of $18,000 which has been used over the following three years for development and broadcasting. (Back to top)

Work site realities observed
What do many council employees experience every day? Imagine cars and trucks speeding through your backyard or office. Anyone watching a road work site for a short time, or talking to one of the work teams, can quickly discover the central problem.

As one ganger put it, "It's like being ducks in a shooting gallery."

Major safety concerns were reported as:

• speed of vehicles going through or past work sites, when teams are working;
• drivers' saying that they do not see or understand the series of signs to warn motorists about the site;
• traffic controllers being disregarded, abused or threatened;
• aggressive and impatient drivers, even when they are only slowed or very slightly delayed;
• vehicles speeding through work sites when work is not yet complete;
• workers not always have the correct site layout, traffic control, and high visibility clothing; as well as
• no teams to remove roadwork signs when projects are completed. (Back to top)

Driver attention and attitudes are critical
The attention and attitudes of drivers are critical factors. Many drivers appear careless of the site and workers. Many drivers appear to have no understanding that these works are for public benefit—for a smoother, easier and safer ride, or better community services.

The concerns identified by workers are acknowledged to be very real, especially drivers' speeding and disregarding traffic controls. A laser speed monitor with large display has been used for speed awareness at work sites. Enforcement by police has also been requested at some sites, but police traffic law enforcement has faced serious limits on resources. (Back to top)

Public needs to understand workers' roles
The public education component of improved road worker safety seeks specific outcomes in terms of better understanding which will be translated into actions.

• Obeying traffic controls and safety rules is safer for both drivers and workers.
• Road works are for public benefit to provide better road conditions and other services.
• Road workers are fellow human beings, local people, part of the drivers' community.
• Road workers will use all appropriate safety measures at road works sites, as required by guidelines.
• Road works and traffic control are public relations jobs, the public face and an image of Council.
• All road work site staff will provide the best possible roads and other services within the given resources.

The public to be informed includes drivers, passengers and pedestrians. The public is the residents, ratepayers, and voters of the area. It is necessary to help the public identify with these workers and value their work.

At the same time, it is necessary to encourage road workers to identify with the campaign, to have pride and seek excellence in all aspects of their work. (Back to top)

Media guidelines given to achieve most impact
To achieve these communication goals, the advisory group formulated some guidelines for the broadcast messages:

• Language will be comfortable, not "officialese" or jargon.
• Emotion should be attached, to create a sense of caring for the workers.
• Focus is on positive outcomes, not using negatives or "don't" messages.
• Links are made for recall at work sites by using the same standard signs.
• Humanity of workers is also linked to visual and audio prompts with good recall.
• A tag, slogan or memorable line is used so that passengers (especially children) might recall it, and remind the driver when near road works.
• The message goes directly to the point of improving worker and driver safety.
• The total message is unambiguous and clear. It must be unmistakable, with no chance to misunderstand.
• The workers will be shown as human, valued and personal.
• The work will be shown as important and beneficial to the community. (Back to top)

Media campaign must be supported in four ways
It is seen to be vital that the media campaign is supported in four ways:

1. by linking each message to each work site by common signs or wording;
2. by meeting new strict standards of safety and traffic control at work sites;
3. by some adapted further training for correct traffic controls; and
4. by checking sites and enforcing laws.

To reinforce the messages and aid recall, very strong media and site links were sought.

These links would include common wording in radio and television messages, common wording between signs and spoken messages, as well as common wording and colours on signs, sites and media graphic in media. (Back to top)

Process itself was part of the solution
The process itself was seen as part of the solution. The outdoor workers and their office colleagues contributed many issues and ideas. Representatives discussed these in depth, and brainstormed ways of communicating.

Previous television messages were examined closely. They were obtained from Ballarat, Taree, and Western Australia. Differences in sign standards or practice, official markings, and landscape made these inappropriate for Shoalhaven and wider New South Wales use today.

Two radio soundtracks were prepared (by Power FM in Nowra). A linked television unit was filmed, using one radio soundtrack. The television message was part of a standardized set on local road safety issues. All were nominal 30-second units, and were broadcast at intervals in 1997-1999.

Examples of radio script include:
First 30-second track:

"When you're driving on our roads, you'll see warning signs. BE ALERT, there are road-works ahead. Please SLOW DOWN at the work site, or STOP if required, so that no-one gets injured by flying stones or by vehicles out of control. We're repairing your roads, fixing broken water pipes or sewer problems. We don't want to delay or inconvenience you but please SLOW DOWN when you see ROADWORKS signs. STAY ALERT for the safety of workers and yourself."

Second 30-second track:

"When you're driving on our town or country roads, you'll see warning signs and people working. STAY ALERT and please SLOW DOWN. We're working for you, repairing your roads, mowing grass beside the road. We could be surveying or controlling traffic, collecting your garbage and recycling. We're painting signs, lines, and bridges, working on water or other services. We are here for you—serving our community. STAY ALERT. Your safety and ours depend on you."

Animated TV commercial developed
Commissioning a digitally animated commercial was undertaken to increase impact and widen the application of the roadwork message.

Some additional or refined media guidelines were drafted:

• Using an out-standing graphic image, which differentiates this from other television commercials;
• Being informative for the viewers and relevant to their situations;
• Presenting simple and stronger key visual and verbal links to work-sites, standard signs, words and work images;
• Able to be used, sponsored, and tagged by other agencies to extend message coverage (and budget for further development); and
• Giving added visual interest factor, even humour.

TV animation opening described:

1. Starting with a driver's viewpoint, it leads down a road in a neutral landscape. The standard signs are featured, and spoken in the sound-track: ROADWORKS, the "digger" symbolic sign, and PREPARE TO STOP. Arriving at the traffic controller (with STOP/SLOW sign), the vehicle stops where required.

2. The traffic controller looks in at the passenger window and speaks to the driver, touching on the central road worker safety themes: thanks for slowing down and giving us a fair go; we're working for you; we regret the slight delay, but it is to provide better services to our community; have a safe trip.

3. There is a brief sponsor tag at the end. (Back to top)

Commercial designed to share
Copyright rests with Shoalahven City Council, but the commercial is designed to facilitate sharing this resource, and its sequels. Added sponsors are being sought to enable preparation of a 15-second "chaser," and a sequel 30-second unit.

Animation was performed by Digital Alchemy of Canberra. The company will provide an economical service for us to tag the commercial for use by other sponsors. (Back to top)

Actual production of campaign produced results
Developing a media campaign to improve road worker safety, involved a process which has already produced results within the organization.

Identifying issues through discussions between divisions, and involving the front-line workers, increased awareness and ownership of all safety factors.

Through parallel processes, greater attention was given to workers' training, standardised site layout, conspicuous clothing, on-site public relations, speed feedback to motorists, and selective police enforcement. In-service staff development, risk management, health and safety, and standards of traffic control worked together for improved safety.

Agreement was readily achieved on the key values to be communicated, and the public understanding sought.

The resulting animated commercial has a light almost humorous touch which invites comment and recall.

The key media guidelines were clear linking to the work sites, for strong recall, achieving a "stand out" visual and audio message. This has been combined in a flexible commercial which is suitable for a variety of agencies and allows easy sponsorship tagging. (Back to top)

About the author: Duncan Marshall was appointed Shoalhaven's first Road Safety Officer early in 1996. He had extensive prior experience in developing and managing information and community services for local government, in education, in public relations and then in technical sales. Continuing studies and research have been part of his life for most of the past 40 years.

Postal Address: Duncan Marshall, Road Safety Officer, Shoalhaven City Council, P.O. Box 42, Nowra, NSW, 2541, Australia. Or he may be contacted via e-mail at marshalld@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.

Edited by Joyce Everhart
Managing Editor, Public Works Online
jeverhart@vertical.net
Source: Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia