For employers and supervisors

Winter can be the most dangerous time of the year for employees who drive for work in BC. Employers and supervisors need to plan ahead and be prepared for the change in seasons to help keep drivers safe. Use our templates and other resources to reduce risk and protect your most valuable asset — your staff.


What employers and supervisors need to know

Any work-related driving puts employees at risk. Winter increases the risk, especially when drivers go too fast for the road and weather conditions. Nearly 40% of all work-related crashes resulting in injury and time off work occur from November through February in BC.

The highest-risk occupations, according to WorkSafeBC statistics, are:

  • Transport truck drivers
  • Delivery and courier service drivers
  • Bus drivers, subway operators, and other transit operators
  • Community health support services employees

Meeting your safety responsibilities

Employers are required to keep their employees safe when they drive for work. Supervisors have similar duties for employees who report directly to them. Make sure you know your responsibilities.

To help meet them at this time of year, address winter driving in your road safety plan. You’ll find a lot of the information you need in our What Employers Need to Know (PDF 1 MB) and What Supervisors Need to Know (PDF 177 KB) guides. Review our Winter Driving Safety Planning Tool Kit for steps you can take before, during, and after winter.

If you have vehicles over 5500 kg GVW, review our commercial carriers information.

Our guide for the community and home care sector (PDF 1 MB) suggests 4 steps employers can take to help keep employees safe while driving.

Identifying winter hazards and assessing risk

Hazard identification and risk assessment are the foundation of workplace safety. Start by figuring out the unique winter driving-related hazards that employees will most likely face. Remember to think about everyone on staff who drives, whether it’s a full-time delivery person or a sales rep seeing clients. It doesn’t matter whether they use their own vehicle or one owned by your organization.

Here are some of the common hazards your drivers may come across, and steps you can take to reduce the risks they create:

Driver hazards
Vehicle hazards
Driving hazards
Weather and road hazards

Developing policy and procedures

Once you understand the hazards and risks associated with the type of driving your employees do, put some safety guidelines in place to deal with them. Set safe driving expectations and supervise employees to make sure they’re being met.

We recommend you use our winter driving safety policy and procedures (DOC 76 KB) and safe work procedure (PDF 165 KB) templates. They can be adapted to suit organizations of any size.

Review our Policies and Procedures Tool Kit to learn more.

Training and educating drivers

Assessing drivers helps you understand whether they have the skills needed to safely complete the work you assign them. It’s important to review their winter driving skills. Drivers may be rusty since they haven’t been on icy or snowy roads for many months.

New and young workers need training and orientation. Experienced drivers need refreshers. Have them all review our Driving for the Conditions Tool Kit and Practical BC Winter Driving Tips webinar. Use our tailgate meeting guides (PDF 2 MB) at safety meetings to emphasize key driving safety points. The guides cover 8 different topics, from winter tire specifications to driving in poor weather conditions.

You want drivers to feel prepared. Make sure they:

  • Have the equipment they need, such as winter tires and a vehicle emergency kit
  • Have the winter driving training they need
  • Understand and follow your policy and procedures for keeping them safe
  • Know how to report a winter driving hazard
  • Know how to determine whether driving for work is necessary
  • Know what to do in an emergency or if they get stranded
  • Have confidence in their winter driving skills

Resources

Tool Kit

Winter Driving Safety Planning Tool Kit

Winter driving safety requires year-round planning and execution. It starts with preparing drivers and vehicles before winter arrives.
Guide

Winter Driving: What Employers Need to Know

Employers need to reduce the risks for their winter drivers. Use this guide to help understand legal requirements, trip planning, and how to prepare drivers and vehicles.
Guide

Winter Driving: What Supervisors Need to Know

Supervisors need to reduce the risks for their winter drivers. Use this guide to help understand your responsibilities, hazard identification, and vehicle and driver preparation.
Guide

Winter Driving: Are Your Community and Home Care Workers Prepared?

The health care sector has a high number of winter crashes. Learn 4 steps employers can take to reduce the risks when workers drive to meet clients.
Tool Kit

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Identifying road and driving hazards is the first step to avoiding them. Get the tools and templates to identify potential hazards for your company drivers.
Template

Winter Driving Policy and Procedures Template

Organizations of all sizes can benefit from having a winter driving policy. Customize this template to help keep your drivers safe.
Template

Safe Work Procedure (SWP) for Winter Driving

Work drivers need to know the procedures you want them to follow in winter conditions. Customize this template to address the driving hazards they face.
Tool Kit

Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures help keep workers safe and prevent crashes by reducing risk. Use our templates to create your own road safety policies and procedures.
Tool Kit

Driver Assessment

Employers must ensure anyone driving for their business is doing so legally and safely. Use our driver assessment tool kit to assess and orient your drivers.
Tool Kit

Driving for the Conditions

No matter how much experience you have, driving in snow, rain, fog, or icy conditions can be treacherous. Use our tips to help you and your passengers get home safe.
Webinar

Shift into Winter: Practical BC Winter Driving Tips

Winter driving requires more planning, equipment, and patience. Apply these easy-to-follow tips when driving for work or personal reasons.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Winter Driving Safety Tailgate Meeting Guides

These tailgate meeting guides cover 8 different winter driving safety topics, from winter tire specifications to driving in poor weather conditions.
Form

Winter Driving Safety Planning Calendar

Employers need to plan for winter driving before, during, and after the season. Use this calendar to keep your plans on track.
Handout

Do I Stay or Do I Go? Plan Your Trip for a Safe Winter Ride brochure

A safe trip begins with a plan. It helps you get home safe. Use this brochure to prepare, and plan your trip, before you get behind the wheel.
Tool Kit

Journey Management and Trip Planning

Driving for work may be one of the most dangerous things your employees do. Journey management can help reduce the risks.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Using Personal Vehicles for Work

Use this guide to explain employee safety responsibilities when using a personal vehicle for work purposes.
Handout

Vehicle Emergency Kit Checklist

An emergency kit is essential for every work vehicle. Use this checklist to put together a kit that can be used in all weather and driving conditions.
Form

Winter Driving Hazards

Employers and supervisors are required to help keep drivers safe. Use this planner to identify hazards, assess risks, and take actions to reduce the danger.
Online Course

Winter Driving Safety for Employers and Supervisors Online Course

Learn how to plan, implement, and monitor a winter driving safety program in your organization using Shift into Winter resources, including policy and procedures templates.
Handout

Winter Driving Survival Checklist

Is your vehicle properly equipped in case you become stranded? Do you know what to do if you get stuck in a storm? Use our checklist to help keep yourself safe.
Tip Sheet

Winter Tips for Truck Drivers

Whether you are a new or seasoned driver, winter roads can be dangerous. Use these driving tips to help you prepare and stay safe at work.
Tip Sheet

Winter Tips for Log Haulers

Winter roadways offer the ultimate challenge – and danger. Use these tips to help prepare and drive safely in winter conditions.
Guide

Running the Right Tires

Use this guide for fleet operators, owner-operators, and drivers to help improve safety and vehicle reliability in winter driving conditions.
Guide

Winterizing Your Safety Plan: Information for Commercial Carriers

Winter is not “business as usual” for commercial carriers. Use this guide to prepare dispatchers, drivers, and vehicles for winter road and weather conditions.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Driving in Foggy Weather

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about driving safely in foggy conditions.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Driving in Rainy Weather

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about safe driving tips for wet roads.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Driving in Snow

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about steps they can take to help avoid crashing when snow is on the road.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Driving in Winter

Use this guide to lead a discussion with drivers about keeping themselves safe in winter conditions.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Driving on Icy Roads

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about 5 tips for safer driving when roads are icy.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about how to get their vehicle winter-ready for their own safety.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Preparing to Drive in Winter

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about adapting their driving for winter roads and weather.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Winter Driving Safety

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about anticipating and safely responding to winter road conditions.
Tailgate Meeting Guide

Winter Tire Information

Use this guide to lead a discussion with employees about winter tire laws and the types of tires that meet the requirements.