"Get there safely!" with REWE Group in Austria and AUVA

Traffic accidents endanger lives like no other source in the world of work. In recent years, more than 9,000 workers have been injured annually in traffic accidents while travelling to and from work. In 2019[1], a total of 105,449 workplace accidents were recorded - almost one in ten (9%) of which occurred in a traffic context. So road safety plays a big role - especially in an industry like food logistics. "Every measure that contributes to increasing road safety on the road and in internal traffic makes sense. That is why we are now using our role model effect in the industry and - with the support of AUVA - are increasingly focusing on awareness-raising measures for our employees. "Komm gut an!" ("Get there safely!") is a central concern for us," says Christoph Matschke, REWE International AG Executive Board Member.

Prevention pays off

In addition to distraction, the most common risk factors for traffic accidents in connection with work include high pressure regarding work and time, inadequate in-house traffic concepts and fatigue. Furthermore, deficiencies in vehicles or in the securing of loads represent a further potential danger. However, many of these accidents could be avoided through targeted prevention concepts. "Preventive measures are extremely effective in preventing human suffering due to road accidents as well as reducing costs for the national economy and companies," explains AUVA regional office chairman for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland Peter Engelbrechtsmüller and adds: "With our current focus "Komm gut an!" we support companies in raising awareness of the topic of road safety and imparting the necessary knowledge for implementation in everyday working life."

Raising awareness - from the apprentice to the expert

The many different levers that can be used for road safety are shown by the planned consultations, training courses and campaigns that are to be carried out in the coming months at several REWE Group locations in Austria on the following topics: Distraction, ergonomic seat adjustment in the vehicle, correct handling of driver:inside assistance systems, safe handling of forklifts, correct loading and unloading, securing loads and the correct adjustment of truck mirrors. The offer is aimed at apprentices as well as field staff and experienced truck drivers.

Safety - a matter of attitude

In order to create more safety, especially in truck traffic, REWE Group in Austria is now including not only its own staff but also drivers from other companies in the awareness-raising process. In future, the large REWE Group locations in Austria will be equipped with a fixed mirror parking space, which will enable each driver to adjust the mirrors optimally in order to avoid blind spots. "The best safety systems are useless if they are not used correctly. We have only successfully fulfilled our mission to reliably supply the population with goods if all road users reach their destination and return home safely," Andreas Bayer, REWE International Warehouse and Transport CEO, states. Checking that the mirrors are properly adjusted takes only a few minutes, but has far-reaching safety-relevant benefits. Only with optimally adjusted mirrors can drivers see their immediate surroundings and recognise possible obstacles in time.

The campaign "Alles im Blick!" ("Everything in view!") by AUVA and KFV shows how to adjust the mirrors correctly. In order to avoid language barriers, a self-explanatory information board is also available at each mirror parking space. With the installation of the mirror parking spaces at the REWE Group logistics locations, numerous drivers are given the opportunity every day to optimally adjust their mirrors before driving off and to drive safely away from the company premises. Thanks to the cooperation with AUVA, road safety at REWE Group in Austria has become an integral part of prevention work.

Information on the current AUVA prevention focus "Komm gut an!" for more road safety in the context of work and education can be found at www.auva.at/komm-gut-an.

[1] Data from 2020 and 2021 must be considered separately due to the pandemic-related decrease in employees and traffic volume.