SAFETY AUDIT PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE

The IHT (Institution of Highways and Transportation) Guidelines on safety audit were based on accumulated knowledge of audit practice in the late 1980s, through consultation with local authorities, consultant firms, the Department of Transport (DTp) and the Scottish Development Department (SDD), together with a knowledge of safety principles derived from worldwide experience. This paper reviews the IHT Guidelines in the light of recent experience, with special reference to the management of audit in local authorities and the practice of audit on all types of schemes suitable for audit. Safety audit's main objective is to ensure that all highway schemes operate as safely as possible, so that safety is considered throughout scheme preparation and construction. Subsidiary objectives are to: (1) avoid causing accidents elsewhere on the network; (2) recognize the possibly conflicting perceptions and needs of all road users; and (3) reduce a scheme's whole-life costs. The paper describes the following aspects of safety audit: (1) its organisation; (2) when and where to audit; (3) the audit team and its tasks; (4) requirements for safety engineering specialists; (5) training; (6) resources required; (7) potential benefits; and (8) monitoring and evaluation. While the principles of the IHT Guidelines still apply, their detailed recommendations on procedures and operation urgently need revision. For the covering abstract see IRRD 869053.