Advocacy & Safety - Safe cycling policy for work

Anyone actually written a policy to encourage staff to use bicycles rather than cars? I'm interested in the safety issues and liability, managing risk etc as well as the servicing and storage of bikes.

I haven't. But working out a model policy would be useful for folks attempting to get such things. I would think a transportation neutral policy would be easiest to swallow. Provide secure parking for cars, then provide for motorcycles, scooters, cyclists. Rules on changing, wearing cleats in the office, etc.

Describe what you mean by commute? If you mean riding to the office park:
1) People will not do it because in an office people do not want to stick out in the office culture. A bike rake might suggest management likes bikes, but an empty bike rake says only odd balls ride bikes here.

2) People will probably need shower facilities.

3) Do workers live near the place? Commuting is only possible for most people if they live about 3mi from work.

You might consult with any local bicycle shop or club as to the bike situation there. They will know what is possible and what is suicidal.

Describe what you mean by commute? If you mean riding to the office park:
1) People will not do it because in an office people do not want to stick out in the office culture. A bike rake might suggest management likes bikes, but an empty bike rake says only odd balls ride bikes here.

2) People will probably need shower facilities.

3) Do workers live near the place? Commuting is only possible for most people if they live about 3mi from work.

You might consult with any local bicycle shop or club as to the bike situation there. They will know what is possible and what is suicidal.

Where do you get your notions from? - I am a professional (engineer), and I work in an office environment, and I commute to work on a bicycle in most all weather (15 miles each way). My employer provides shower facilities, and a secure, indoor bicycle parking location. For my co-workers who drive motor vehicles, the company also provides motor vehicle parking spaces.

There are others in my office who have much shorter commutes, and as a result generally don't need to use the shower facilities. Still others do a multi-modal commute, taking the bus part way, and cycling or walking the rest.

Bicycle commuting is not for everyone, but it offers advantages over motor vehicles both for the employer and the employee including
1) Bicycle parking is less expensive to provide and maintain than motor vehicle parking
2) Employees who exercise regularly will have lower healthcare costs and fewer days out sick.

Bicycle commuting is a viable way to get to/from work for many people.

Really? do we need this? Policy? Millions of people drive to work every day and no-one calls for a safe driving policy, yet hundreds of them get crushed or mashed every day.

What I wonder is that, if an employer encourages employees to use alternatives to the car as a means to reach the workplace, does that imply some liability or responsibility, purely because that mode of transport takes a particular form?

Ed

Liability issues? Is the company liable if an employee wraps his car around a tree on the way to work? Or if his train derails? Or if he trips on his shoelace?

I'd suggest making sure a shower and lockers are available, providing free secure bike parking, and non-free car parking. Subsidizing public transit passes might be a good plan as well. Not everyone will want to bicycle, and bike advocates really are in the same boat at PT advocates in a lot of ways, even if the issues faced are different. Flexible scheduling is a plus. it helps to be in a city that allows parking requirements to be waived if a plan for alternative transit is demonstrated, as this results in dividends for the company who now has more buildable land area.

Liability issues? Is the company liable if an employee wraps his car around a tree on the way to work? Or if his train derails? Or if he trips on his shoelace?

The Worker's Compensation[1] legislation here covers you if you're hurt on your way to or from work.



[1] basically a government income protection insurance scheme.

Do workers live near the place? Commuting is only possible for most people if they live about 3mi from work.

3 miles is reasonable walking distance much less bicycling distance.

I'm not sure where you get the idea that office folks don't cycle commute. The Seattle Commute Challenge, held in May logged more than 1 million cycle commute miles this year. A very significant percentage of the folks riding the challenge work in professional offices, as do I.

I commute by bike almost every day of the year and have been doing so off and on for more than 20 years.

The main function of a model policy would be to provide a way to head of the stupid policy likely to be imposed by HR hacks.

I've never particularly cared how people got to work. We don't care where I work now. We had one fellow commute by kayak. In any given season, we'll have power boat, kayak, foot, canoe, cycle, tandem, truck, car, all show up on commutes! And that's just me.

The Worker's Compensation[1] legislation here covers you if you're hurt on your way to or from work.



[1] basically a government income protection insurance scheme.

Interesting. I didn't think of that. I don't think that applies here.

How about something as simple as a guaranteed parking spot regularly patrolled... that is what the auto drivers at my office get... I would expect no less for any other form of transportation. That is however NOT what is available to cyclists at my office... there is one rack, and it is always full, and never patrolled... seems rather discriminatory to me. Oh and it is not covered either, as are the spaces in the parking garage for cars. Heck yeah I see a problem.